Miyaguchi Kofun Group

宮口古墳群

Miyaguchi Kofun

Miyaguchi Kofun Group

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Miyaguchi Kofun Group (Japan)

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Location| Jōetsu, Niigata, Japan
Region| Hokuriku region
Coordinates| 37°05′36″N 138°21′27″E﻿ / ﻿37.09333°N 138.35750°E﻿ / 37.09333; 138.35750
Type| Kofun
Area| 13199.56 sq meters
History
Founded| mid 6th to early 7th century
Periods| Kofun period
Site notes
Discovered| 1929
Excavation dates| 1973
Public access| Yes (park and museum)

National Historic Site of Japan

The Miyaguchi Kofun Group (宮口古墳群, Miyaguchi Kofun-gun) is an archaeological site containing three groups of late Kofun period burial mounds located in the Miyaguchi neighborhood of the city of Jōetsu, Niigata in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1976.[1]

## Overview

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The Miyaguchi Kofun Group is located in the Takada Plains of the Jōetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, on the alluvial fan of the Inada River near the Sea of Japan. The site was discovered in 1929, and archaeological excavations were conducted from 1973. The site consists of three groups of kofun. Site A was found to contain 18 tumuli, Site B to the east was found to have eight tumuli, and Site C located slightly to the south of Site A was found to have five tumuli. All of the kofun were circular-type [ja] (empun (円墳)), with a diameter of four to five meters. All of the tumuli are concentrated in a small area of approximately 1.5 hectare. [2]

Each of the tumuli had lateral burial chambers ranging from 70 to 140 cm in width and around two meters in length, with the largest, No.11, having a length of 6.6 meters.[2]

Grave goods recovered include Sue ware, straight iron swords, parts of armor, horse fittings and items of jewellery. From these grave goods, it is estimated that these tombs were constructed from the middle of the 6th century to the middle of the 7th century.

The sites are open to the public as an open air archaeological park, and some of the artifacts found are displayed at the Maki History and Folklore Museum (牧歴史民俗資料, Maki rekishi minzoku shiryōkan) on site It is located a ten-minute walk from the "Miyaguchi" bus stop on the Echigo Kotsu Bus from Takada Station on the JR East Shin'etsu Main Line.[2]

## Gallery

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* Excavated items from Tumulus No.3 and No.4

* Excavated items from Tumulus No.4, No.26 and No.29

* Excavated items from Tumulus No.3, No.4, No.5, No.26 and No.29

* Excavated items from Tumulus No.11

* Excavated items from Tumulus No.11

* Excavated items from Tumulus No.11 and No.26

## See also

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* List of Historic Sites of Japan (Niigata)

## References

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1. ^ "宮口古墳群" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
2. ^ a b c Isomura, Yukio; Sakai, Hideya (2012). (国指定史跡事典) National Historic Site Encyclopedia. 学生社. ISBN 4311750404.(in Japanese)

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Miyaguchi Kofun Group.

* Joetsu Tourist information page (in Japanese)
* Joetsu City home page (in Japanese)