Mystery No.2 What is Mozu Kofungun?

Mozu Kofungun is a group of kofun mounded tombs scattered within a radius of 4km extending over the city’s Sakai-ku, Kita-ku and Nishi-ku. It is considered that many of them were constructed around the fifth century. One of its features is that the group consists of a variety of kofun in sizes. The national largest Nintoku-tenno-ryo kofun (486 m long keyhole-shaped), the third largest Richu-tenno-ryo Kofun (365 m long keyhole-shaped) and seventh Nisanzai Kofun (300 m long keyhole-shaped) are all in the group as well as some tiny ones. Those kofun were built on the plateau from where once you could have a view of Osaka Bay. In fact, Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun and Ricyu-tenno-ryo Kofun were constructed parallel to the coastal line. Thus, it is possible that the landscape of how they looked from the sea was figured out well when constructed. Originally over a hundred kofun existed. However, due to housing development and earth and sand excavation, only forty-four remain today.

※Green…existing　　　Red…disappeared
※Hori moats were omitted with some exceptions.