The Shimbaru-Nuyama Tumuli and the Sea 旧入海と古墳群の関係

Official explanation

The Shimbaru-Nuyama tumuli (kofun) were built on a plateau overlooking the three sacred sites that comprise Munakata Taisha today. The cluster of undulating man-made hills make a fascinating sight. These tombs of prominent Munakata family members are approximately an hour on foot from Hetsu-miya, and face out toward the Genkai Sea where the islands of Oshima (Nakatsu-miya) and Okinoshima (Okitsu-miya) are located.

The positioning of the tombs, facing the sea route between Okinoshima and the Korean Peninsula, is a visual metaphor for the longstanding influence that the Munakata family held over the region. While the tomb group is now located several kilometers inland, it once bordered a sea inlet. Over the centuries, the sea has receded, and the traces of the original coastline are barely visible. An observation deck provides a sweeping view over the tumuli, along with information in several languages. The observation deck is just across the road from Showa Gakuen-mae bus stop.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.