A giant keyhole mound representative of the Saki group. The IHA gives its length as about 270m; the 2020 investigation estimated 270–280m.
Finds & research
The 2020 pre-construction and parallel excavations identified stone facing at the mound foot, alignment stones, haniwa rows on a terrace, and moat deposits. The central burial facility and full grave assemblage remain unknown.
Official status & archaeological view
Official status
The Imperial Household Agency manages the mound as the Uwanabe Mausoleum Reference Site. It is not a mausoleum formally attributed to a specific emperor or empress.
Attribution (jitei): the Imperial Household Agency's determination of whose tomb it manages — separate from heritage designation.
Archaeological view
A three-tiered 5th-century keyhole mound at Hokkeji, Nara. Simultaneous 2020 investigations by the IHA, Nara Prefecture, and Nara City identified the original mound foot and estimated the length at 270–280m. Double moats, stone facing, and rows of finned cylindrical haniwa are documented.
Field notes
It was regarded as Empress Genmei’s mausoleum until around the Edo period, but is now a Mausoleum Reference Site. Do not enter the mound; view it from surrounding public roads and other authorized places.