Okamine Kofun
Arrange an authorized chamber visit to see a rare stone-shelf tomb whose west-facing entrance and decorated sword fittings make it one of Yoshino's most distinctive archaeological sites.
Verified site photographs are being prepared.Discover Okamine Kofun
Okamine Kofun sits on a river terrace in Achiga and dates to the late sixth century. Its 15-metre mound contains a west-opening horizontal chamber with a stone shelf and a distinct forecourt before the burial room. Finds include a lacquered sword with an arabesque inlay that Shimoichi Town describes as Japan's oldest known example of the motif. The person buried here remains unknown. The chamber is not a walk-in attraction: the town requires an application to the Board of Education and does not arrange visits on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
A small mound with a carefully arranged chamber
Shimoichi Town describes a circular mound about 15 metres across and 4.5 metres high on a river terrace at around 160 metres elevation. A 2014 regional heritage survey gives an 18-metre diameter, while the town's current visitor page says about 15 metres; use either as an estimate, not a surveyed boundary. The west-opening horizontal chamber has a green-schist ceiling slab, a short forecourt-like section and an inner room about 3.05 metres long, 2 metres wide and 2.2 metres high. Its stone shelf and the space in front of the burial room are uncommon in Nara and place it among a small group of Iwase-type chambers that includes Makigamine and Misato Kofun.
See the stone shelf as part of a complete burial space
The shelf is not an isolated display: it sits above a stone coffin along the back of the burial chamber, while a separate front passage creates a threshold between the entrance corridor and the inner room. A 2011 Ooyodo Town heritage survey recounts that the tomb was excavated in 1964 and describes it within a children's park in the municipal-housing area of Achiga; the entrance is now enclosed by a protective shelter. This context matters for visitors: the mound is preserved within a lived-in neighbourhood, and the chamber is secured rather than left open for casual entry. Shimoichi Town currently requires an application for chamber viewing, so only treat the interior as visitable after the Board of Education confirms arrangements.
Read the finds without assigning an unknown person
Excavation recovered sword fittings, a lacquered sword, gold rings, glass beads and Sue ware. The town highlights arabesque inlay on a sword pommel; it says the motif predates a comparable design on a Hōryū-ji roof tile by about half a century and is important as an early Japanese example. These objects show skilled craft and connections, but the town lists the occupant as unknown. Do not use these finds to assert the identity of the deceased or a specific migration history.
A rare form within Nara's kofun landscape
The Archaeological Institute of Kashihara Museum describes stone-shelf chambers as common in the Kinokawa and Yoshino river basins, including Okamine and Makigamine. It separately notes Sanri Kofun in northern Nara as a geographically distinct example, rather than folding every shelf-bearing tomb into one local group. Nara Prefecture interprets Okamine as evidence of historical ties between Yoshino and the powerful Ki clan downstream on the Kino River. These are regional archaeological interpretations, not proof of this tomb's occupant or an individual journey. The tomb is listed as a Nara Prefectural Historic Site; Shimoichi Town records its designation on 26 March 1966.
Book the chamber before travelling
Shimoichi Town requires visitors to apply to the Board of Education for chamber viewing and says visits are unavailable on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Contact the Board of Education at 0747-52-1711 to ask about current dates, procedure, group size and any fee; the town's page does not publish a price or promise same-day access. The application is essential if your reason for visiting is to enter the stone chamber.
What to look for
A rare inner stone shelf and west-opening chamber
A decorated sword fitting with an early arabesque inlay
A chamber viewing that must be arranged with Shimoichi Town
Photo notes
The town's page does not state visitor photography permissions for the chamber. Ask when arranging your visit, follow staff instructions, and do not photograph other visitors or cultural material where restricted.
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.
- Shimoichi Town — Okamine Kofun (updated 19 March 2026; history, chamber, visitor application and access)
- Shimoichi Town — designated cultural properties (prefectural designation)
- Nara Kotsu — Bus Navi live timetable and fare lookup (select stops and travel date)
- Nara Kotsu — timetable revision effective 21 July 2026
- Nara Prefecture — Ikasu Nara heritage record (regional context and related Makigamine Kofun; updated 27 February 2026)
- Ooyodo Town — 2011 cultural-property survey, citing the 1977 excavation report for Okamine's structure; 1964 excavation history, protected setting and 18 m measurement (historical survey, compared with the town's current 15 m estimate)
- Archaeological Institute of Kashihara Museum — Sanri Kofun and comparative distribution of stone-shelf chambers