Kofun Guide : How to find where KOFUN (古墳) are in JAPAN? – Part 2 of 2

Kofun Guide : How to find where KOFUN (古墳) are in JAPAN? – Part 2 of 2

#kofun #kofunperiod #japan #traveljapan

This is the continuation of the Part 1 Kofun Guide video here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I2v8rfK8_k&t=378s

Part 2 features Japanese based searching, which gives you a whole lot more than English does (English is detalied in Part 1). Looking at these Japanese websites will open up a new world of ancient things to go and see that you probably never knew existed, plus more access to information about them also. FYI here is how to write kofun in Japanese : 古墳

Don’t be put off though if you don’t know Japanese as we have Google Translate etc. to help these days. I’m barely intermediate level in Japanese myself but have been using Japanese websites for a number of years for shopping, rental apartments, transport, jobs etc., and of course to find kofun.

Links to the sites mentioned in the video :
Kofun Info
https://kofun.info/

Japanese Blogs
https://tanbouki.tea-nifty.com/tanbou/
https://pennihonshi.blog.fc2.com/

Archaeological Site Reports
https://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/en/22984https://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/en

Government Historical Departments
https://hyogo-koukohaku.jp/guidance/pdf/map060.pdfhttps://hyogo-koukohaku.jp/

Some of the kofun mentioned during this guide :

Tokyo
Takakurazuka Kofun – 高倉塚古墳 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w45IHkGAaS8

Shimane, Matsue (Cave Tombs)
Abedani Kofun/Cave Tombs – 安部谷古墳 : https://youtu.be/suMGls191ss?si=P60IaWpcxXmNU4SJ

Hyogo (Pyramid/Mastaba)

Kuzaki Kyōzuka – 久崎経塚/経納遺跡 : https://youtu.be/I9pDed45wTk?si=RplyP2RROzslr24N

00:00 – KofunInfo Website
13:47 – Japanese Blogs
21:17 – Archaeological Reports
30:52 – Government Departments

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Q: What am I watching here ?

A: You are watching footage of a “kofun/古墳” – kofun are tombs in Japan that were created during the Kofun Period (roughly between the 3rd and 7th Century AD) – this era was preceded by the Jomon and Yayoi periods, and followed by Asuka, Nara and so on. These tombs were built as burial chambers for people from Japanese imperial families and other people of higher status in society during those days. The most well-known and generally largest tombs are found around Kyoto and Osaka, but they are found all over Kansai, Kanto, Tohoku etc., and even in other parts of Japan such as Shikoku and Kyushu. Figures vary greatly, but some sources state there are over 160000 of these kofun in Japan. At times you will see haniwa on and around kofun – haniwa are terracotta figures which were made in various shapes, including being formed as people and animals.
Have a read of the the Wikipedia article for more information : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofun

Ideally I’d like to build a kofun appreciation community of sorts, but that is just a dream right now. You can hit me up on:

https://www.facebook.com/japankofun/
https://www.instagram.com/japankofun/