A National Historic Site in Umami Hills Park whose eastern half has been restored with stone facing and haniwa. Nara Prefecture describes its passage-like feature as the only known example in Japan at present, but its function is not established. The Agency for Cultural Affairs regards it as essential to understanding how the Umami group took shape.
Finds & research
Finds include cylindrical, morning-glory, and house-shaped haniwa, clay imitations of offerings, knife-shaped and other stone objects, iron swords, Haji ware, and Sue ware.
Official status & archaeological view
Official status
It is designated a National Historic Site.
Archaeological view
A keyhole mound at Samita, Kawai, 105m long according to Kawai Town and Nara Prefecture (103m in the Agency for Cultural Affairs designation text). Kawai Town and Nara Prefecture date it to the beginning of the 5th century, the Agency to around the first half of the 5th century. A passage-like feature bounded by two rows of haniwa was found at the eastern waist. A clay burial was identified in the front, and another is inferred in the rear.
Field notes
It lies within Umami Hills Park, and its eastern half has been restored (Kawai Town).