One of the Kansai (Kinki) region's largest round mounds, on a hill in Asago City. The large quantity of armor and weapons from its intact burials speaks to Tajima's power in the 5th century. It stands at the tip of a ridge overlooking the Wadayama Basin, and Asago City invites visitors to enjoy the view of the city from the summit.
Finds & research
Two unlooted wooden-coffin burials yielded four bronze mirrors, about 2,000 beads, two armor sets, roughly 85 iron swords and spears, and about 400 iron arrowheads. A principal group of 664 finds was designated a national Important Cultural Property in 2013.
Official status & archaeological view
Official status
National Historic Site (2004). Asago City's account of its national cultural properties lists the owners as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Asago City.
Archaeological view
A large two-tiered round mound measuring 90 by 78m and 18m high, built in the early 5th century. Both wooden-coffin burials lie on the summit; Burial 1 held an 8.7m composite box-shaped wooden coffin. A collared leather-laced triangular-plate cuirass was the first found outside the Kinai region, and Asago City describes the mound as the tomb of a chieftain closely tied to the central (Yamato) polity.
Field notes
The mound is open at all times, with the free Chasuriyama Kofun Study Hall at its foot (Asago City Tourism Association). Finds are displayed at the Asago City Archaeology Center, Kodai Asago-kan. Check current parking and exhibition information.