Fūdoki no Oka Park 風土記の丘公園

Official explanation

Over 100 burial mounds or kofun are preserved in this 29-hectare park, the densest concentration of burial mounds in Osaka Prefecture. The Chikatsu-Asuka Museum was built in the park in 1994 and contains exhibits on the history and construction of the ancient burial mounds that dot this part of western Japan.

Kofun were constructed from the middle of the third century to the end of the seventh century. While the largest kofun mounds are said to house the remains of early Japanese emperors and kings, the more modest examples in this park were likely built for minor members of the royal court. Most of the tombs here date from the sixth century and have corridor-like entrances that seem to indicate that they were designed to be reopened to entomb additional remains. About 40 of the kofun in the park are accessible. In some cases, the internal chamber has been exposed to the elements. Visitors are welcome to step inside for a rare opportunity to explore this unique part of Japanese history up close.

Read the full explanation

The tombs are now empty, but the Chikatsu-Asuka Museum displays what might have been buried inside and how the mounds were built. Artifacts include ceremonial bronze mirrors, terracotta figures (haniwa), gilt bronze horse tack, and other items recovered from kofun across Japan:

The park is popular for bird watching, as pheasants, lesser cuckoos, bull-headed shrikes, pygmy woodpeckers and other birds can be observed there. The many plum and cherry trees draw people to the park in the spring for flower viewing, and in the autumn the park is a popular spot to enjoy the fall foliage.

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.