NISANZAI TUMULUS
Location
Mozunishino-cho 3, Sakai City
Located on the eastern edge of the Mozu Tumulus Group, this large-scale keyhole-shaped burial mound lies with its front square portion facing west. This mound is under the protection of the Imperial Household Agency and is considered part of the Imperial Burial Ground.
The overall length is approx. 290 meters. The diameter of the rear circular portion is approx. 156 meters and its height is roughly 24.6 meters. The front square portion is approx. 224 meters wide with a height of approx. 25.9 meters. These dimensions make this burial mound the 8th largest in Japan.
The shape of the immense front square portion remains in beautiful condition. It has a three-tiered construction and there are protruding areas attached to each side of the mound at the constricted center.
The structure and artifacts of the main portion of the mound remain unclear, but it has been confirmed that stone buttresses and clay figures exist.
Presently, there is a single moat in the shape of a shield which surrounds the mound, but in a excavation performed in 1976, it was confirmed that there existed an additional outer moat as well.
However, it is believed that the outer moat was interrupted at a point behind the rear circular portion due to the high geographical feature of the land.
It is also believed that on this high ground are three circular burial mounds of the Imperial Entourage: the Hijirinotsuuka Tomb, the Kyozuka Tomb and the Hijirizuka Tomb. Of these three, however, only the Hijirizuka tomb remains today.