Makimuku ruins

The Makimuku ruins are an archaeological site in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, spread across open farmland. The area shows the outlines of former settlements with traces of building foundations, low burial mounds, and old watercourses.

The settlement dates from the 3rd century and represents the shift between the Yayoi and Kofun periods. This transition brought new burial customs and centralized forms of rule to Japan.

The name Makimuku comes from its location in a gentle plain where pilgrims once rested on their way to nearby Mount Miwa. Visitors today can look across the protected fields and still recognize the old landforms that once surrounded ritual sites.

Getting there works best by car or bicycle, as there is no direct bus service to the site. The grounds lie between fields and can be explored on foot, so sturdy shoes are recommended.

Only five percent of the total area has been excavated so far, with the rest remaining untouched beneath the fields. This restraint preserves the site for future research with better methods.