No Kofun Cluster


The No Kofun Group is cluster of small kofun burial mounds located in the Ono neighborhood of the town of Ōno, Ibi District, Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1957.

Overview

The kofun group is located in the northwestern corner of the Nōbi Plain in northwestern Gifu Prefecture, surrounded by rice fields and orchards. In a roughly one square kilometer area, there were once over 200 tumuli, of which 14 theoretically received protection in 1957 as a National Historic Site. These included 27 keyhole-shaped tumuli. At present, only nine remain; with the others being destroyed for expansion of farm land. Of these remaining nine, eight have been excavated, and from the grave goods recovered, were determined to date to the middle of the 5th century to the early part of the 6th century AD. One of the bronze mirrors is kept at the Gotoh Museum in Tokyo. The site is about eight minutes by car from Motosu Station on the Tarumi Railway Tarumi Line.
#Namephototype & DimensionsComments
1Motare Kofun
100pxkeyhole-shaped
54m x 36m x 6m
Originally thought to be circular, excavations in 1989 confirmed that it was a moated keyhole-shaped tomb. Fragments of haniwa, Sue ware and a wooden plough were recovered.
2Fudozuka Kofun
100pxkeyhole-shaped
64m x 44m x 7m
Excavations in 1989 found fragments of haniwa; most of the mound has been lost
3Minamiyashiki-nishi Kofun
100pxkeyhole-shaped
76m x 44m x 5.4m
Excavations in 1982 found that it was double-moated; fragments of cylindrical haniwa were found
4Noborikoshi Kofun
100pxkeyhole-shaped
83m x 52m x 7.3m
The largest in the group. It was double-moated; fragments of cylindrical haniwa were found
5Jōtsuka Kofun
100pxkeyhole-shaped
75m x 39m x 6.2m
In excavations, a Chinese-made bronze mirror, horse harness and a large sword were found in the burial chamber.
6Inui Yashiki Kofun
100pxkeyhole-shaped
79m x 49m x 6.3m
Thought to be the oldest in the group. Half-destroyed by residential housing; some haniwa have been recovered.
7-unnamed-100pxscallop-shaped
29m x 22.6m x 4.2m
Thought to be a circular tumuli, its design was confirmed in 1923.
8-unnamed-100pxsquare-shaped
15.8 x 15.8m x 3.0m
Excavated in 1994
9-unnamed-100pxkeyhole-shaped
30.5 x 23m x 6m
Excavated in 1994, haniwa, Sue pottery were uncovered.