Kofun period
Historical periods古墳時代 ・ Reading: Kofun jidai
Definition
The era from about 250 to 538 CE, named for the enormous keyhole-shaped burial mounds built for early rulers. The Yamato court took shape in these centuries, and clan deity worship fed directly into early Shinto.
The era at a glance
From the middle of the third century, powerful chieftains began building monumental burial mounds called kofun, the largest of them keyhole-shaped when seen from above. The greatest, Daisen Kofun in Sakai near Osaka, is attributed to Emperor Nintoku and is among the largest tombs on earth; the Mozu-Furuichi mound group became UNESCO World Heritage in 2019. Mounds were ringed with clay figures called haniwa, shaped as warriors, horses, and houses. During these centuries the Yamato court, ancestor of the imperial line, extended its power across much of Japan.
Early Shinto takes shape
Each powerful clan honored its own guardian deity, an ujigami, and the prestige of a clan and its kami rose together. Some of Japan's oldest shrines preserve worship styles from this age: at Ōmiwa Shrine in Nara the sacred object is the mountain itself, with no main hall at all. Mound worship, clan deities, and imperial ritual from this era flowed directly into the shrine traditions that continue today.
Common questions
- What is a kofun?
A kofun is a burial mound built for a ruler or clan chief between the third and sixth centuries. The largest are keyhole-shaped, surrounded by moats, and were originally lined with clay haniwa figures.
- Can I visit a kofun?
The great imperial mounds such as Daisen Kofun cannot be entered, but you can walk their moat perimeters, and the Mozu-Furuichi area in Osaka has visitor centers. Many smaller mounds around Japan are open parks.