A terminal-period octagonal tomb at Hirata, Asuka. Known for its finely built chamber, it is included in the World Heritage property “Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara.”
Finds & research
A side-entry chamber and other features have been identified; the occupant is unknown.
Official status & archaeological view
Official status
A National Historic Site.
Archaeological view
A three-tiered octagonal mound about 19.5m across, with a side-entry stone chamber precisely built of tuff and other stone, dated to the end of the 7th to the beginning of the 8th century. A 2020 Kansai University release states that the finish of the chamber interior and the octagonal plan characteristic of imperial tombs suggest that the occupant was an emperor or someone of equivalent standing, but the occupant is unconfirmed. An Asuka Village publication notes that since the Edo period this mound, together with neighboring Takamatsuzuka, has drawn attention as a possible site of Emperor Monmu's Hinokuma-no-Akonooka-no-e Mausoleum, but this is unproven.
Field notes
Visit in accordance with site protections and posted guidance.