Obosan Kofun, Ancient circular burial mound in Kurashiki, Japan
Obosan Kofun is a circular earthen mound located in Obo no Oka Historical Park in Kurashiki, rising several meters high. The structure has a regular rounded shape and is surrounded by pathways that allow you to walk around and view it from different angles.
This mound was built between the 3rd and 6th centuries, a period when power hierarchies were forming in ancient Japan. This era marked a shift in how deceased people were buried and how authority was expressed in society.
The mound reflects how ancient people honored their dead and demonstrates the craftsmanship techniques they mastered. You can see today how this burial tradition shaped the landscape and reveals the daily life and values of that era.
The park is easy to reach on foot, and you can explore the area without any special equipment. Information boards are placed around the site to help you understand its location and what makes it significant.
Many visitors do not realize that such mounds were built without modern machines through coordinated human labor. The sheer volume of earth moved reveals the level of social organization needed to carry out such a project.
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