Archaeology of 5th-Century Japan

Small Kofun, Big Significance

Nonaka Kofun (Fujiidera City), excavated in 1964 by Osaka University, is a component of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group World Heritage site. Measuring approximately 40 m to a side, Nonaka Kofun is one of the smaller tombs of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun group― nevertheless, it contained a significant amount of weapons and armor, including 11 cuirasses and helmets. These artifacts are invaluable for understanding the politics and social structure of the Yamato polity who constructed this mounded tomb group.
This website presents an introduction to the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group, with a special focus on the significance of Nonaka Kofun.

Project for the Preservation and Utilization of Artifacts from Nonaka Kofun

Nonaka Kofun

Project overview

The Nonaka Kofun-period mounded tomb (referred to below as Kofun) contains many weapons and arms such as suits of armor, suggesting the force and political strategy of the Yamato government of the time.

Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group

The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group in Osaka Prefecture was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 6, 2019, and is one of Japan’s largest kofun groups.

Nonaka Kofun 3D imaging

You can see the abundant weapons and armor excavated from Nonaka Kofun in 3D images.

Interpreting the Kofun period