Koshitsukagomon Kofun

A small neighbouring tomb with a stone chamber and a short on-site film about Asuka's imperial family.

Verified site photographs are being prepared.

Verified site photographs pending

Discover Koshitsukagomon Kofun

Koshitsukagomon Kofun is easy to overlook beside the restored octagonal Kengoshizuka mound, yet its own chamber makes this a distinct archaeological stop. The Asuka Village tourism association presents it as a small square mound associated with Princess Ota, granddaughter of Empress Saimei; that identification is an interpretation, not a surviving inscription. From the normal public route visitors view the chamber from outside. A short film introduces the tomb, while a separate reserved programme offers a longer guided visit on limited dates.

Notice the tomb beside the octagon

Visit Koshitsukagomon as its own monument, then compare it with the much larger restored Kengoshizuka mound next door. The small square mound has a side-entry stone chamber. The setting is useful for understanding how several burials and later reconstructions occupy one carefully managed archaeological landscape; stay on the public path and do not climb the mounds.

Treat the proposed identity as a hypothesis

The village tourism guide associates the tomb with Princess Ota, a granddaughter of Empress Saimei. Japan Heritage places the paired tombs within a story of Saimei and the women of the Asuka court. These accounts explain the interpretation visitors encounter, but the tomb itself does not bear an identifying inscription. Read the identification as a well-known archaeological view rather than a certainty.

Use the short film to understand what is underground

A free, approximately three-minute film is shown at the site between 9:00 and 17:00 according to Asuka Village. It provides interpretation that the quiet, low mound cannot communicate by appearance alone. The room is a viewing space for the film, not an open tomb chamber; follow posted instructions and allow other visitors to see it.

Choose the reserved visit only if it suits your route

A separate special programme is offered on selected weekends and public holidays from March to June and September to December. The village tourism association describes a volunteer-led visit of about 45 minutes, ¥500 per person, with seven places per session and advance booking. At Koshitsukagomon, the programme includes a roughly 12-minute film inside the chamber space; it is a controlled interpretation visit, not permission to enter or touch archaeological remains. Check the booking calendar before travelling.

Plan for an open-air rural stop

Asuka Village lists the public approach as free and open all day, with Kintetsu Asuka Station about a 15-minute walk away. There is no parking or toilet at the tombs. The village directs drivers to the station or Agri Station Asuka car parks; spaces are limited, and both are about a 15-minute walk from the site. A bicycle parking area is provided, but riders must dismount while passing through the grounds. Treat this as a rural heritage walk rather than a staffed visitor centre: check weather and your return train or bus, bring water, and stay on the marked path.

What to look for

A separate small tomb

Look for the square mound and side-entry chamber beside the restored octagonal Kengoshizuka.

Free short film

A three-minute programme, listed for 9:00–17:00, adds context to what is visible from the path.

Booked chamber interpretation

Limited guided sessions offer a closer, supervised interpretation experience on selected dates.

Photo notes

Photograph from the public path without climbing the mound or entering behind barriers. Do not photograph other visitors in the chamber film space without consent. Use your own images or obtain explicit permission for third-party cultural-property images; a guide listing does not grant image-reuse rights.

Plan your visit

LocationKoshi, Asuka · approximate pin for the paired Kengoshizuka site

Visitor detailsPublic route: Free; Asuka Village lists all-day viewingOn-site film: Free short film listed 9:00–17:00Special visit: ¥500; about 45 minutes; seven places per session; advance reservation requiredGetting there: About a 15-minute walk from Kintetsu Asuka Station; no on-site parking or toiletNearby parking: Asuka Station and Agri Station Asuka; limited spaces, about a 15-minute walk to the siteCycling: Bicycle parking is available; dismount while passing through the groundsVisitor information sources reviewed 24 October 2026. Confirm current hours and fees before visiting.Check source for visitor details Rechecked 24 October 2026 against Asuka Village's current tourism page and its official public-access notice. The public approach is free and open all day; the free short film is listed 9:00–17:00. The separate volunteer-guided special visit costs ¥500, takes about 45 minutes, runs on selected weekends and public holidays from March to June and September to December (excluding year-end), has six listed daily start times and seven places per session, and requires advance booking. The exact calendar and remaining seats are date-specific; use the booking link on the village tourism page before travelling. The 12-minute film shown during the special visit is an interpretation experience, not unrestricted access to archaeological remains. There is no on-site toilet or car park; village-designated nearby parking is limited. Cyclists must dismount while passing through the grounds. The official pages reviewed do not state a general photography policy, so follow signs and ask before photographing people, protected areas or any supervised interior.

Getting thereAsuka Village places Kengoshizuka and Koshitsukagomon about a fifteen-minute walk from Kintetsu Asuka Station. The two tombs are presented as one site with separate monuments; this page's pin is approximate for the neighbouring Koshitsukagomon mound, so follow the village signs rather than treating the coordinates as an entrance. Plan your onward bus or train before starting the rural walk.

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Sources & editorial status

Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 24 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.