Midoro South Kofun
A seventh-century burial mound with two house-shaped stone coffins, including a rare lotus-carved coffin lid; chamber visits must be arranged with the local owner in advance.
Verified site photographs are being prepared.Discover Midoro South Kofun
At Kose in Gose, Midoro South Kofun preserves a striking meeting of burial architecture and Buddhist-era imagery. The Nara Prefecture cultural-resource record describes a circular mound about 25 metres across, built in the early seventh century, with a south-facing stone chamber roughly 15 metres long. Two house-shaped stone coffins remain inside: the rear coffin is made of pale tuff from Mount Nijo, while the corridor coffin is made from Tatsuyama stone. A lotus motif in relief decorates the rope-knob projections of the corridor coffin lid. The prefecture calls this a notable example of ancient burial culture meeting Buddhist culture. The people buried here have not been identified; the prefecture lists the leaders of the Kose clan as a group-level attribution and says individual candidates remain uncertain. The mound is in a privately managed setting, so arrange permission before visiting rather than treating it as a walk-in attraction.
Read the lotus carving as a meeting of traditions
Look for the relief lotus on the rope-knob projections at both ends of the corridor coffin lid. The prefectural record identifies the image as a feature of this coffin and describes the tomb as a notable example of burial culture meeting Buddhist culture. The motif is part of a funerary monument, not a decorative object to touch. The two coffins also show different stone choices: pale tuff from Mount Nijo for the inner chamber coffin and Tatsuyama stone for the corridor coffin.
Understand the scale before entering
The Nara Prefecture record describes a circular mound about 25 metres in diameter, a south-facing passage chamber about 15 metres long, and an inner chamber 4.6 metres long, 2.4 metres wide and 2.6 metres high. A gravel floor and a drainage channel extending from the chamber are also recorded. These measurements help explain how carefully the burial space was engineered. They do not imply that visitors may enter: the access route and chamber are managed with the landowner, and any visit must be arranged beforehand.
Separate the south and north mounds
Midoro Kofun is the collective name for two nearby designated mounds: South Kofun and North Kofun. The south mound is associated with the lotus-carved coffin and dates to the early seventh century in the prefectural account. The north mound is a different, roughly 20-metre circular mound with its own large stone chamber and a separate access arrangement because it sits in the garden of a private home. Do not follow a route to one mound as if it grants access to the other.
Keep the buried person's identity uncertain
The prefecture associates the tombs broadly with the Kose clan but states that the individual interred has not been identified and that several candidates have been proposed. Treat this as a carefully bounded archaeological attribution. A dramatic title or a theory naming a specific court figure is not proof of identity; Gose City's cultural-property commentary explains why the popular Soga-family identification does not fit the archaeological dating.
Plan a permission-based visit, not a roadside stop
Gose City's current tourism portal says the South Kofun's corridor can be viewed closely by asking the local owner, and describes occasional owner-led explanations. It does not publish standard opening hours, a fee, a public booking calendar, or a guarantee that a request will be accepted. Contact Kofun Café Midoro or the Gose Tourism Association in advance to ask whether a visit can be arranged and what conditions apply. Do not enter the grounds or chamber, pass a gate, or photograph the property without explicit permission.
Combine the history visit with the local café only by arrangement
Kofun Café Midoro occupies a renovated storehouse at the historic Nishio family home, where the Gose City profile also describes a local collection of excavated materials. The café's current menu, service dates, reservation requirements and availability are separate from the archaeological site's access; check the operator's own Instagram or contact them before travelling. Do not assume that a café booking automatically includes chamber entry or that a chamber request guarantees a meal.
What to look for
A rare lotus-carved coffin lid
A relief lotus on the corridor coffin connects burial culture with the spread of Buddhist imagery.
Two stone coffins in a long chamber
The inner and passage coffins use different stones and occupy a chamber engineered with a gravel floor and drainage channel.
A visit that must be arranged
The chamber is not a walk-in attraction; contact the local operator or owner in advance and follow the conditions they give.
Photo notes
The chamber is on privately managed grounds. No site-specific photography conditions are published in the current city profile. Ask the owner before photographing the property, chamber, coffins or people; no rights-cleared MyNara photograph is held.
Make a day of it
Explore guides close to this map point, then check the actual route before travelling. Distances below are straight lines, not walking distances or travel times; map points may not be entrances.
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.
- Nara Prefecture — Midoro South Kofun: dimensions, stone coffins, lotus carving and archaeological context
- Gose City tourism portal — Midoro Kofun: owner-arranged chamber viewing and contact
- Gose City tourism portal — Kofun Café Midoro: contact, food and owner-guided experience
- Gose City cultural-property notes — dating and rejection of the Soga-family tomb identification
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Heritage Database: paired Midoro Kofun designation and historical designation record