Imperial Household Agency: Mausoleum of Emperor Seimu
Location
Nara
Shape
Keyhole-shaped mound
Mound length
218 m
Period
Late 4th c.
Designation
IHA-managed tomb
IHA designation
Managed by the IHA (mound closed to the public)
Overview
A large Saki-group mound designated by the Imperial Household Agency as Emperor Seimu's mausoleum.
Finds & research
Management works and other investigations have identified cylindrical, morning-glory, and parasol-shaped haniwa. The internal burial facility and grave goods are unknown.
Official status & archaeological view
Official status
The Imperial Household Agency designates and manages it as Saki-no-Tatanami-no-Ikejiri Mausoleum of Emperor Seimu, the 13th emperor, and classifies it as a keyhole mound.
Attribution (jitei): the Imperial Household Agency's determination of whose tomb it manages — separate from heritage designation.
Archaeological view
An approximately 218m keyhole mound at Misasagicho, Nara, Nara City states that construction in the western Saki group began in the latter half of the Early Kofun period and that this was the third mound built there.
Field notes
The Imperial Household Agency gives access as about a seven-minute walk from Kintetsu Heijo Station. Worship is generally 8:30–17:00, and the mound is closed. The goryoin (mausoleum seal) is kept at the Unebi Mausolea Office in Kashihara, Nara, where visitors can use it free of charge (reception 8:30–17:00; staff may be unavailable on weekends, holidays, 29 Dec–3 Jan and some other days).