Kofun – The mystery of japan’s ancient burial mounds

Kofun – The mystery of japan’s ancient burial mounds

Kofun are one of the best things about living in Japan―especially when you live in Kansai and you’re surrounded by them. Southern Nara and Eastern Ōsaka in particular are riddled with kofun to the point you feel like Indiana Jones just walking down the street. Some have been turned into parks, some museums and others have been reconstructed to appear the way archaeologists believed them…

An aerial view of the Daisenryō kofun.

Japanese history overview Pt. 1: Jōmon – Nara

Welcome to this overview of Japanese history. I should start off by saying that Japanese history is long. Very long. In fact, the first recorded Japanese history book, the Kojiki, published in 712, would have you believe that Japan was established in the 7th century BC. But it would also have you believe that the first emperor was a direct descendant of the gods who…