★ World Heritage Fujiidera, Osaka Square mound

Nonaka Kofun

Location	Fujiidera, Osaka
Shape	Square mound
Reconstructed mound side length	37 m
Period	Mid–late 5th c.
Designation	National Historic Site
World Heritage	Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group (UNESCO)

Overview

A square mound 37m on a side and 5m high, situated north of the rear circle of Hakayama Kofun. It was built in two tiers, and its surrounding moat is preserved underground. Its position suggests a relationship with Hakayama Kofun. The World Heritage site dates it to the second half of the 5th century and Fujiidera City to the late 5th century, while the Agency for Cultural Affairs assigns it to the middle phase of the Middle Kofun period. Part of the National Historic Site Furuichi Kofun Group, it is a constituent monument of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2019.

Finds & research

The 1964 excavation by the Osaka University Department of Japanese History found at least five rows of wooden boxes deposited on the summit of the mound. One is thought to have held a body; the other four appear to have been caches for grave goods. From them came 11 iron cuirasses, 8 iron helmets and 3 leather helmets, along with quantities of iron weapons — swords, blades and arrowheads — plus iron ingots (tettei), a stone quern and pestle, and Korean-made stoneware. Stoneware and stone models of sickles, axes and knives also came from the summit. Work in the moat produced more than 40,000 ornaments such as disc beads and magatama, together with stone models of swords, evidence of the range of rites performed at the mound. Cylindrical and figural haniwa have been recovered from the mound and moat. 3D-scan videos of the finds are published online by the university's Archaeology Laboratory.

Official status & archaeological view

Official status

Administered by Fujiidera City as a national historic site. Added to the National Historic Site designation as a satellite of Hakayama Kofun in 1995; incorporated into the Furuichi Kofun Group designation in 2001.

Archaeological view

Occupant unknown. The 1964 Osaka University excavation identified large quantities of armor, iron weapons, farming and craft tools and other objects deposited in wooden containers at the mound summit; the mound is known for its abundant iron grave goods. Square mounds are common in the Furuichi group, clustered near the large keyhole mausolea to form "square mound groups." Osaka University's Archaeology Laboratory describes it as one of the few mounds in the largely uninvestigated Furuichi group whose contents are known.

Field notes

The official World Heritage site gives about a 13-minute walk northwest from Kintetsu Furuichi Station (Minami-Osaka Line).

World Heritage guide featuring this kofunMozu-Furuichi World Heritage Kofun A Visitor's Guide to the 49 Tombs →

⛩ Open the interactive map 📍 Google Maps

Sources

百舌鳥・古市古墳群世界遺産公式サイト文化庁文化遺産オンライン（世界遺産構成資産解説）藤井寺市「野中古墳」（1995年史跡指定）大阪大学考古学研究室野中古墳とは（1964年文学部国史研究室の発掘調査）大阪大学考古学研究室野中古墳出土品の3D計測プロジェクト（プロジェクト概要）大阪大学考古学研究室百舌鳥・古市古墳群のなかの野中古墳

Last updated: October 24, 2026
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