Kawabe-Takamori Kofun Cluster

Kawabe-Takamori Kofun Cluster is a burial mound complex containing over 100 tombs spread across roughly 20 hectares. Six distinctive front-square-back-circle mounds rise prominently on an elevated terrace that sits approximately 30 meters above the surrounding area.

The burial mounds were constructed between the early 4th and mid-6th centuries, a formative period in ancient Japan. The Akatsuka Kofun is among the earliest examples of its distinctive front-square-back-circle design built in the Kyushu region.

The haniwa clay figures scattered across the site offer a glimpse into burial customs and the objects placed with the deceased for the afterlife. Mirrors, weapons, and pottery reveal what people valued and believed about honoring their dead.

The site is easily explored on foot, and the elevated terrain offers views across the entire complex of mounds. Artifacts and detailed information about the excavations can be seen at the Oita Prefectural Museum for a fuller understanding.

The Menbitaira Kofun, one of the largest tombs in the region, contains rare mirrors decorated with triangular patterns along with extensive burial chambers. These distinctive artifacts reveal the power and status of elite individuals buried at this complex.