Oiwa No. 3 Stone Coffin at Dainichidō

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See a rescued stone coffin from the Oiwa burial-mound group beside a small mountain hall, with the town's interpretation board explaining its relocation.

Verified site photographs are being prepared.

Verified site photographs pending

Discover Oiwa No. 3 Stone Coffin at Dainichidō

Oiwa's burial mounds once extended across a wooded ridge; golf-course construction changed that landscape. The town says the stone coffin from Oiwa No. 3 was moved beside Dainichidō so that it could remain visible. This is a different stop from Ishigami Kofun: here, the object is a stone-built burial chamber for a wooden coffin, interpreted through the nearby sign. The hall itself is normally unattended and requires advance contact to view inside, so plan around the outdoor stone-coffin display and do not assume the Buddha hall is open.

A separate stop in the Oiwa group

The stone coffin from Oiwa No. 3 was relocated beside Dainichidō so it could remain visible after development changed the wider burial-mound landscape. Keep this display separate from Ishigami Kofun: it is a distinct surviving object from the Oiwa group, not the chamber inside Ishigami's mound.

Read the stone structure and its setting

The town's 2020 Ooyodo Heritage pamphlet describes the coffin as made from slate slabs from the Yoshino River, and its 2023 cultural-property plan identifies it specifically as a box-shaped stone coffin relocated beside Dainichidō. Read the stones as a moved burial object, not an intact mound or a chamber visitors can enter. Ooyodo Town records that golf-course development transformed the wider Oiwa burial landscape. Its public history describes finds across the group, but does not date this particular coffin, so this guide does not assign it a precise construction period or imply that grave goods are displayed here.

Place the coffin within a changing burial landscape

Ooyodo Town records archaeological work in Oiwa during 1985–86, ahead of golf-course development. The excavated group included several different burial forms and reuse of older stone chambers; the town places the group broadly in the sixth and seventh centuries. A technical report by the Nara Prefectural Archaeological Institute catalogs the No. 3 burial as a stone coffin, while the town's public account identifies the surviving object as the relocated box-shaped coffin beside Dainichidō. The broad group chronology does not securely date this individual coffin, and the golf-course area is not part of this visitor stop.

Treat the display and the hall as different visits

The stone coffin is an outdoor heritage display. Ooyodo Town's 2020 heritage pamphlet says local residents preserve it so visitors can view it at any time; the 2023 cultural-property plan confirms its box-shaped form and relocation beside Dainichidō but does not repeat the hours. Treat the all-hours statement as an older published description, not a current service guarantee, and confirm local access before a special trip. Neither source publishes visitor facilities or a formal admission policy. The adjacent Dainichidō is a different matter: the town says it is normally unstaffed and asks visitors to contact Oiwa residents or the Board of Education in advance before viewing the Buddha inside. Do not enter the hall or private areas without arrangements.

A living community around the archaeological remains

Dainichidō is not simply an archaeological shelter. The town describes it as a former temple site, with a wooden Dainichi Nyorai image associated with local rainmaking practice. Its history and the relocated coffin belong to different periods and should not be conflated: the coffin is evidence of an earlier burial landscape, while the hall and its image carry later religious and community history. The town's cultural-property page dates the image to the late Heian period and recommends advance contact for an interior visit.

What to look for

A relocated stone coffin from Oiwa No. 3, distinct from Ishigami Kofun

Yoshino River slate slabs and an on-site explanation board

A chance to read archaeological preservation alongside a living local heritage site

Photo notes

No photograph has been licensed for MyNara publication. No visitor photography policy for the coffin was found in the checked municipal pages; respect residents, worship and posted signs, and request permission before organised or commercial photography.

Plan your visit

LocationOiwa, Oyodo Town; approximate point from the town's cultural-property map for Dainichidō, not a surveyed stone-coffin entrance.

Visitor detailsLocation: Beside Dainichidō in Oiwa, Oyodo Town, Yoshino District, Nara PrefectureMap and approach: The town map marks the shared Dainichidō area, not a separate entrance or surveyed coffin pin; follow the same public approach and look for the outdoor display beside the hall.Outdoor display: The town's 2020 heritage pamphlet says the outdoor coffin may be viewed at any time; the newer 2023 plan confirms the relocation but does not specify hours. Confirm local access before a special trip because no current hours or visitor facilities are published.Dainichidō interior: Normally unstaffed. Contact Oiwa residents or Ooyodo Town Board of Education in advance to request viewing of the Buddha hall; this is separate from viewing the outdoor coffin.Enquiry: Ooyodo Town Board of Education, Cultural Promotion Division: 0747-54-2110Visitor information sources reviewed 24 October 2026. Confirm current hours and fees before visiting.Check source for visitor details The town's 2020 heritage pamphlet says the relocated outdoor coffin is viewable at any time and is preserved by local residents. The newer 2023 cultural-property plan confirms the box-shaped coffin and its relocation beside Dainichidō, but does not state its hours or access conditions; the all-hours statement is therefore an older published description, not a current guarantee. The town's current cultural-property listing places it beside Dainichidō but does not provide a separate street address, public-transport stop, parking area, toilet or step-free route for the coffin; confirm the precise approach with the town before making a dedicated trip. Do not enter the golf course or nearby private land. The Buddha inside Dainichidō is not a walk-in attraction: the town's page, updated 7 February 2025 and rechecked 24 October 2026, says the hall is usually unmanned and asks visitors to arrange access in advance through Oiwa residents or the cultural affairs office. The town's broad sixth- and seventh-century chronology for the group does not establish a date for the No. 3 coffin itself.

Getting thereOoyodo Town places Dainichidō in Oiwa and says it is a short walk from Ooyodo Park Golf Course. The town's map marks the shared Dainichidō area, not a separate entrance for the relocated coffin; the coordinate here is an approximate hall-area point and may not land on the display. Use the official map and follow the same public approach to the outdoor coffin beside the hall, without entering the golf course or neighboring private land.

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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.