Scattered among the region’s villages and fields are some of Japan’s oldest temples and Burial Mounds or Burial Tombs. Two mounds, the Ishibutai and Takamatsuzuka, are preserved in their original state, while artifacts and recreations have been relocated to museums.
The Ishibutai Burial Mound is believe to be the tomb of Sogana Umako (a man of power who lived in the late Sixth Century-early Seventh Century) and is the largest square-shaped burial mound in Japan. It is made up of more than 30 stones weighing a total of about 2,300 tons. The mound’s ceiling stone alone weighs about 77 tons and indicates how high technological and engineering levels were.
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Another important burial mound which we didn’t visit is the Takamatsuzuka burial mound. This mound was excavated in 1972, and is known for its full-color murals showing the Four Gods, White Tiger of the West, a group of women and constellations.
Visitors pay an admission fee, wait their turn to walk down a series of steps into the humungous cavern, gawk, turn around and walk out for…ice cream at a nearby stand. No one in the group ever tired of trying unusual ice flavors like…purple sweet potato. (It’s the little things that count when touring.)
Finished with Asuka, it was time for a marathon afternoon of bus, train and subway to busy Osaka Ferry Port
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