Decorated kofun


Decorated kofun is the term used for kofun or ancient Japanese tombs ornamented with painted or carved decoration. The tombs take the form of tumuli or earthen mounds piled over stone chambers as well as caves excavated from the living rock. The decoration may be on the inner walls, on stone screens, on sarcophagi or, in the case of cave tombs, around the entrance on the exterior. Of the 161,560 ancient burials identified to date, around two hundred and fifty are so decorated.

Motifs

Decorative motifs include the chokkomon, circles, concentric circles, triangles, human figures, horses, birds, boats, swords, shields, and quivers.

List of decorated kofun

This list is of the decorated kofun of ancient Japan, all of which are located in Fukuoka prefecture.
ImageKofunMunicipalityDateTomb styleDecorationDesignationCoordinatesDatabase
Urayama KofunUrayama kofunKurume450-500keyholeincised concentric circles, chokkomon, kagitemon, triangles in a continuous patternHistoric Site
Nichirinji KofunNichirinji kofunKurume475-525keyholerelief and incised concentric circles, chokkomon, kagitemonHistoric Site
Yamanoshita KofunYamanoshita kofunKurumeroundred; indistinct
Shimobaba KofunShimobaba kofunKurume575-600roundred and blue concentric circles, triangles, and shieldsHistoric Site
Tōkō-ji Kenzuka KofunTōkō-ji Kenzuka kofunFukuoka525-575keyholeincised boats
Sakurakyō Kofun 2Sakurakyō nigō kofunMunakata550-600keyholered and green triangles, in a continuous patternHistoric Site
Haburakan Cave Tomb ClusterHaburakan yokoana bogunNakama575-650caveincised boats
Seto Cave 14Seto jūyongō yokoanaNakamacave; replica at the Nakama City Museum of History and Folklorered boats, human figures, horses, and birds
Doinouchi CaveDoinouchi yokoanaNakamacaveincised boats
Furutsuki Cave Tomb Cluster Furutsuki yokoana bogunKurate550-650cavewhitened and incised indistinct grid patternHistoric Site
Takehara KofunTakehara kofunMiyawaka550-600roundblack and red human figure, horse, dragon, fans, boat, wavesHistoric Site
Ōzuka KofunŌzuka kofunKeisen525-575keyholered, green, yellow and black circles, concentric circles, triangles, birds, circular patterns with twin feet, vegetal motifs, quivers, bows, swords, shields, ridersSpecial Historic Site
Togami Kannonzuka KofunTogami Kannonzuka kofunChikuzen575-600roundred circles, boats, riders
Kitsunezuka KofunKitsunezuka kofunAsakura600-625roundincised circles, concentric circles, boats, horses
Miyajidake KofunMiyajidake kofunAsakuraroundred and blue circles
Gorōyama KofunGorōyama kofunChikushino550-600roundred, black, and green quivers, bows, boats, houses, horses, birds, human figures, ridersHistoric Site