A National Historic Site placed among the earliest mounds of the Oyamato Kofun Group.
Finds & research
Investigations in 1993–94 identified an approximately 7.5m pit-style stone chamber, abundant stone facing, and fragments of special pedestal vessels, among other finds. The Agency for Cultural Affairs designation account records fragments of a half-relief animal-band mirror, one spearhead, 23 swords and blades, and 13 iron arrowheads, among others.
Official status & archaeological view
Official status
On 6 October 2014 it was designated part of the National Historic Site Oyamato Kofun Group together with Nomugi and Shimoikeyama Kofun.
Archaeological view
An approximately 130m keyhole mound at Nakayama, Tenri, built in the late 3rd century. Its rear contains an approximately 7.5m-long pit-style stone chamber, and the mound was extensively stone-faced.
Field notes
It lies along the Yamanobe-no-michi trail, south of Nenbutsuji. The mound is on the grounds of a Shinto shrine, and its southern end is the shrine's otabisho (resting place for the deity). According to the Tenri City Tourism Association, trees on the mound mark the positions of the burial pit and stone chamber, but climbing it is not really recommended because of overgrown branches, insects and snakes.