Suyama Kofun: A Special Historic Site and Its Burial Boat

Directions

See the landscape of a 220-metre royal-scale tomb from the park's south area, and learn why a wooden boat found in its moat changed the story of ancient funerals.

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Discover Suyama Kofun: A Special Historic Site and Its Burial Boat

Suyama is the largest tomb in the Umami cluster: a north-facing keyhole mound about 220 metres long, with a broad moat and evidence of carefully staged rites. A wooden boat was recovered from the moat, alongside evidence of an island-like feature and a projecting ritual structure. The site is designated a Special Historic Site. It lies outside Umami Hillside Park's formal boundary, but the mound can be viewed from the park's south area. Excavation and conservation work have continued for years; check current signs and do not enter restricted areas. The scale, boat and water features offer a rare way to think about how a powerful community organized burial and ceremony in the late fourth century.

Read the mound from the south park area

Suyama faces north and measures about 220 metres. The rear mound is around 130 metres across and 19 metres high, while the front measures about 112 metres wide and 16.5 metres high. Its scale is easier to grasp from a distance than from beside the mound. The park's southern area provides an official viewing direction; remember that Suyama itself is outside the park boundary.

Look beyond the familiar keyhole outline

The mound has projecting structures at both waist sections. Archaeologists have also identified an island-like feature and a projecting structure at the front's western side. Haniwa finds include representations of a lid, house, shield, water bird, enclosure and fence. Together, these features point to a designed ceremonial landscape around the mound, rather than an isolated earthwork.

The boat in the moat

Wooden boat components were found in the moat, including a substantial boat interpreted as part of a funerary procession. It is a material clue to how the dead may have been carried or honored, not a surviving complete vessel on display at the site. A pair of vertical-stone burial chambers was built in the centre of the rear mound, and another chamber was made in the front section. Finds included beads and carved stone ornaments.

Keep certainty and interpretation separate

Suyama is a Special Historic Site and the largest mound in the Umami group. Its scale and rich finds have led to interpretations that it was the tomb of a leading ruler, but the individual buried here has not been securely identified. The prefecture connects the boat evidence with the funeral-boat account in the Kojiki while presenting the archaeological evidence separately. Treat proposed identities and textual connections as interpretations, not proven biography.

Plan a respectful exterior visit

The mound is outside Umami Hillside Park and has undergone ongoing excavation and conservation work. The prefecture directs visitors to view it from the park's south area; this does not mean the whole mound is a freely accessible visitor route. Follow current barriers and local signs, and confirm access before a dedicated trip. The park is free, but access routes, parking schedules and seasonal closures can change. Commercial filming and reuse of agency or town photographs require separate permission.

See finds at the town's cultural-property center

Koryo Town's Cultural Property Preservation Center displays haniwa from Suyama, including house, shield, fence and water-bird forms, alongside finds from other local tombs. It also exhibits a replica of the wooden funerary boat recovered from Suyama's moat. The center is at the town-hall site, not beside the mound, so treat it as a separate stop and check its weekday schedule before combining the two.

What to look for

A 220-metre Special Historic Site, the largest mound in the Umami group

Wooden funerary-boat components recovered from the moat

Best understood from the south area of Umami Hillside Park; the mound is outside the park boundary

Photo notes

Photograph from public park paths and obey site barriers. Do not enter excavation or conservation areas. Commercial filming requires prior permission; photographs provided by Nara Prefecture or Koryo Town are not cleared for MyNara reuse.

Plan your visit

LocationMiyoshi, Koryo, Kitakatsuragi District; immediately south of Umami Hillside Park

Visitor detailsLocation: Miyoshi, Koryo, Nara Prefecture; outside Umami Hillside ParkForm and size: North-facing keyhole tomb; about 220 m longDate: Late fourth century, according to the prefectural listingDesignation: National Special Historic SiteAccess: View from Umami Hillside Park's south area; follow current access restrictionsSouth-area approach: From the Takedori-koen Higashi bus stop, the prefecture estimates about a 5-minute walk to the park's south areaRelated interpretation: Koryo Town Cultural Property Preservation Center displays Suyama haniwa and a funerary-boat replica; separate weekday facilityAdmission: No separate visitor facility or ticket is listed; park admission is freeVisitor information sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Confirm current hours and fees before visiting.Check source for visitor details Checked 2026-10-20. The prefecture identifies the mound as outside the park boundary and directs visitors to view it from the south area; ongoing conservation work and access restrictions may apply. The town separately describes visitors accessing the mound, so follow current signs and confirm with the cultural-property office before entering the mound itself.

Getting thereFor the mound's south-side viewing area, the prefecture says the Takedori-koen Higashi bus stop is about a five-minute walk from the park's south area; buses run from Kintetsu Yamato-Takada Station, so check the current Nara Kotsu timetable. A separate route runs from Kintetsu Goido Station to the park's central parking area, which is not the same as the south-side approach. Follow the park map and signs. Suyama itself is outside the park boundary, and access to the mound may differ from viewing it from the park. The town's Cultural Property Preservation Center is at 583-1 Nango, on the town-hall grounds, and is a separate weekday stop; the town lists 9:00–17:00 and closes it on weekends, public holidays and year-end/New Year.

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Sources & editorial status

Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.