Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group

It is a cluster of tumuluses of the kings who ruled the ancient Japanese islands, densely packed in the “Mozu area” in Sakai City and “Furuichi area” in Habikino City and Fujiidera City in Osaka. It was registered as Osaka’s first World Heritage Site in 2019.

Kofuns are tumuluses heaped high with earth which were built during the Kofun period (mid-3rd century to late 6th century). The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group was built between the late 4th century and the late 5th century in the Osaka Plain, which was one of the political and cultural centers of ancient Japan. The rich variety of shapes and sizes of the burial mounds are full of historical romance as architecture that expresses the political and social structure of ancient times.

The “Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun”, located in the center of the Mozu area, is one of the three largest tumuluses in the world, along with the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. It is the largest keyhole-shaped tumulus in Japan with 486 meters in length, and is so magnificent that it takes about an hour to walk around the outer walkway. It is currently under the care of the Imperial Household Agency as the mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku, the 16th Emperor of Japan. On the other hand, in the center of the Furuichi area, we have the “Ojin-tenno-ryo Kofun”. It is the second largest keyhole-shaped tumulus in Japan, but the volume of the mound itself is the largest in Japan with a height of 36 meters, giving it an outstanding presence.

All of the tumuluses can be observed freely from the outside, and it is recommended to follow the designed walking course for first-time visitors. There are an increasing number of stores selling kofun goods and cafes offering kofun-shaped foods, so you can enjoy visiting the kofuns while also enjoying sightseeing. Also, a guided tour is available for a fee, provided by locals who have full knowledge of the tumuluses and the history of the region.