mozu tombs
states: [japan]
category: cultural
year: 2019
location: Osaka Prefecture
region: Asia and the Pacific
latitude/longitude: 34.5622222222, 135.6094444444
last visited: 2023
unesco id: 1593
world heritage site: 1593
The Mozu Tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan, recognized in 2019, are a cluster of ancient burial mounds in Osaka from the Kofun period (3rd to 7th centuries CE), including the massive Daisen Kofun, one of the world’s largest tombs. Shaped like keyholes, circles, and squares, these earthen monuments, surrounded by moats, reflect the hierarchical society and funerary traditions of early Japanese rulers. This well-preserved necropolis showcases Japan’s ancient engineering and cultural heritage, offering insight into its formative state-building era.
