Iwabashi Senzuka Kofungun (Iwabashi Thousand Tumuli Kofun Group) - Special Historic Site

Overview

Located in eastern Wakayama City, the Iwabashi Senzuka Kofungun is renowned as one of Japan's largest clusters of burial mounds, boasting over 800 kofun constructed between the late 4th and 7th centuries. The people buried in these kofun are believed, based on historical records, to be members of the powerful Ki clan. Their base of power, the lower reaches of the Kino River, played a crucial political role as a gateway for the influx of foreign cultures and a vital route to the Yamato Basin via the Kii Suimon (Kii Water Gate) at the river's mouth. The history of research on the Iwabashi Senzuka Kofungun is extensive. Ono Ungai's Meiji-era research was widely disseminated internationally in 1911 in Neil Gordon Munro's book, “PREHISTORIC JAPAN”. The "First Iwabashi Senzuka Survey" was conducted during the Taisho era, leading to its designation as a National Historic Site in 1931 and a Special Historic Site in 1952. Nineteen years later, in 1971, Wakayama Prefectural Kiifudoki no Oka opened, and excavation and preservation efforts have continued to this day, making the kofun group a treasured local asset. Since the 1950s, when parts of the surrounding kofun were threatened by development, the Wakayama City Board of Education, universities, and local researchers have undertaken vigorous surveys for the protection of these sites, accumulating significant results. The Iwabashi Senzuka Kofungun consists of a cluster of keyhole-shaped, circular, and square kofun, many featuring horizontal-shaft stone chambers. These chambers often incorporate stone shelves and beams, characteristically using green mudstone. Some kofun within the group have open stone chambers, allowing visitors to see Kofun-era burial chambers firsthand. The adjacent Wakayama Prefectural Kiifudoki no Oka features a museum, a Manyo Botanical Garden, and relocated traditional houses. The museum exhibits related to the Iwabashi Senzuka Kofungun and dioramas depicting the lives of Kofun-era people. The Manyo Botanical Garden showcases plants mentioned in the Manyoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), allowing visitors to imagine the landscapes of that era. The relocated houses offer a glimpse into the lives of people in the past. The Iwabashi Senzuka Kofungun is a great sightseeing spot for history buffs and families alike. Take a leisurely stroll and experience ancient history.