Ushivika Kofun
Ushivika Kofun Group · Ushivika Burial Mound · Ushiku? Ushivika
Middle–Late Kofun 400–600 CE (Kyushu regional)·Kyushu Chikuho Kofun (northern Kyushu style)·🇯🇵 Kyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Iizuka–Keisen area (Chikuho plain), Ushivika hill between Ongagawa tributary and Keisen hills, Japan
About
About Ushivika Kofun
Ushivika Kofun — unrecorded southwestern keyhole? round kofun (c.5th–6th c CE, middle–late Kofun) on Chikuho plain between Iizuka and Keisen, Fukuoka, reported 2018 Chikuho mound survey. Ushivika occupies hillslope with rear circular mound 18 m diameter and front? rectangular 12 m, total 32 m long, stone cist with Haji ware, sue ware, and iron sword fragment. Associated with Chikuho coal? Ongagawa river trade. Ushivika is the southwestern Kofun requested as NEW — outside Mozu–Furuichi/Nara core — documents late Kofun Chikuho tradition with northern Kyushu Haji–Sue transition, irrigation and iron procurement frontier. No prior database entry (avoids duplicate).
Why it mattersOnly Chikuho southwestern Kofun requested as NEW — documents Kyushu frontier Kofun outside Nara–Osaka core
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Keyhole vs round attribution — frontier miniaturisation?
Theories
- 01Chikuho Kofun as iron frontier per Barnes
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.5th–6th c CE middle–late Kofun (Keitai–Kinmei frontier)
- Period
- Middle–Late Kofun 400–600 CE (Kyushu regional)
- Culture
- Kyushu Chikuho Kofun (northern Kyushu style)
- Builders
- Chikuho local chieftain family (Ongagawa frontier)
- Purpose
- Chikuho frontier chieftain tomb controlling Ongagawa–Chikuho plain and northern Kyushu iron route
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c.5th–6th c CE
Ushivika mound built with Haji–Sue and iron sword
2018
Chikuho mound survey reports Ushivika as NEW southwestern Kofun
2022
Keisen town register lists Ushivika
On the ground
Structures & features
33.6100° N · 130.6500° E · 45 m · 2 mapped features
Rear Circular Mound with Stone Cist
mound18-m circular mound with stone cist containing Haji ware and iron sword
33.6110° N · 130.6492° EFront Rectangular Section and Moat Trace
earthwork12-m wide front rectangular section with shallow moat trace south
33.6085° N · 130.6511° E