Tanabata-ike Kofun, Ancient burial mound in Shime, Japan
Tanabata-ike Kofun is a circular mound about 29 meters wide with a burial chamber built from river stones inside. The mound was originally surrounded by a wall and shows the typical construction style of burial mounds from that period.
This burial mound dates from the late 4th or early 5th century and held the remains of a woman in her forties. The chamber also contained bronze mirrors and iron tools that show her importance in society.
The burial chamber held thousands of beads and ornaments that show how important elaborate burials were in early Japanese society. These objects reveal that the person buried here held high social status and received special honor.
The site was converted into a public park in 1972 and is easy to visit today. Important artifacts from the excavation are displayed in the Shime Town Historical Materials Room, where you can learn more about what was found.
The outer stone casing of the mound is remarkably well preserved and shows how carefully such structures were built. Excavations in 1999 also uncovered a surrounding ditch over three meters wide that made the space even more important.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
