Huge Tombs to be  Registered on the World  Cultural Heritage List

Close Up Japan | 最大級の墓が世界文化遺産に

Huge Tombs to be Registered on the World Cultural Heritage List

The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun group of ancient tombs in Osaka have been judged appropriate to be added to the World Cultural Heritage list. These consist of a total of 49 huge tombs that were built between the latter-half of the fourth century and the latter-half of the fifth century. Among them Emperor Nintoku’s tomb is one of the world’s largest of its type, along with the First Qin (China) Emperor’s and Egyptian King Khufu’s tombs. It is said that back in the day, the surface was covered in stones, but now with trees growing all over it, it almost looks like a forest. The unique keyhole-shaped tomb mound is called “zenpou kouenfun,” and the reason why it’s shaped this way has become the subject of many studies. Near the Emperor Nintoku’s tomb there are two big tombs that are said to belong to his sons. Just as with the pyramids, these three lined up together are quite awe inspiring. In those days the sea was close to them and it is said that the intention was to demonstrate how civilized Japan was to foreign visitors arriving by sea. Among the 49 tombs including the Nintoku Emperor ’s tomb, 29 are managed by the Imperial Household Agency, as they are tombs of past Emperors, Empresses, and other members of the royal family. The Imperial Household Agency has a duty to protect the dignity of its ancestors and ensure that they rest in peace. Because of that an excavation survey has not been carried out. So actually it is not certain who is buried in these tombs.

大阪おおさか
oosaka
Osaka
no
in
百舌鳥もず古市ふるいち
mozu furuichi
(the) Mozu-Furuichi
古墳群こふんぐん
kofunngunn ga
ancient tombs Kofun group (of)
世界せかい文化遺産ぶんかいさん
sekai bunnka isann
the World Cultural Heritage (list)
登録とうろく
touroku ni
to be added to
あたいすると
atai suru to
appropriate
みとめられました。
mitome raremashita.
have been judged
これらは
koreraha
these
49基よんじゅうきゅうき
yonnjyuukyuuki no
(a total of) forty-nine
巨大きょだい
kyodai ha
huge
はか
haka de
tombs
構成こうせいされ、
kousei sare,
consist of
4世紀よんせいき後半こうはん
yonnseiki kouhann
the fourth century the latter-half of
から
kara
and
5世紀ごせいき後半こうはん
goseiki kouhann
(the) fifth century the latter-half of
ni
between
つくられました。
tsukuraremashita.
(that) were built
その
sono
them
なか
naka no
among
仁徳にんとく天皇てんのう
ninntoku tennnou no
Emperor Nintoku’s
はかは、
haka ha,
tomb
しん
shinn
Qin
中国ちゅうごく)の
chuugoku no
China
始皇帝しこうてい
shikoutei
the First (Qin) Emperor’s
ya
and
エジプトえじぷと
ejiputo no
Egyptian
クフくふおう
kufu ou no
King Khufu’s
はか
haka to
tombs
なら
narabu
along with
世界せかい最大級さいだいきゅう
sekai saidaikyuu no
the world’s largest [class]
はか
haka
of its type <tomb>
no
of
ひと
hitotsu
one (of)
です。
desu
is
当時とうじ
touji ha
back in the day
表面ひょうめん
hyoumenn ni
(the) surface
いし
ishi ga
stones in
められていたと
shikitsumerareteita to
was covered in
いわれます
iwaremasu
(it) is said (that)
が、
ga,
but
現在げんざい
gennzai ha
now
ki ga
trees with
しげり、
shigeri,
growing (all over it)
まるで
marude
almost
もり
mori
(a) forest
のようです。
no you desu.
(it) looks like
独特どくとく
dokutoku no
the unique
かぎがた
kagigata no
keyhole-shaped
古墳こふん
kofunn ha
tomb mound
前方ぜんぽう後円墳こうえんふん
zennpou kouenn funn to
zenpou kouenfun
ばれています
yobarete imasu
is called
が、
ga,
and
なぜ
naze
(the reason) why
このような
konoyouna
this way
かたちなのかも
katachi nanoka mo
(it)’s shaped
研究けんきゅう対象たいしょう
kennkyuu taishou to
(many) studies (the) subject (of)
なっています。
natte imasu.
has become
仁徳にんとく天皇陵てんのうりょう
ninntoku tennnou ryou no
the Emperor Nintoku’s tomb
ちかくには、
chikaku niha,
near
息子むすこのもの
musuko no mono
(his) sons
とされる
to sareru
(that) are said to belong to
ふたつつの
futatsu no
two
おおきな
ookina
big
はか
haka ga
tombs
あります。
arimasu.
there are
ピラミッド
piramiddo
(the) pyramids
同様どうように、
to douyou ni,
just as with
みっ
mittu
three
ならぶと
narabu to
lined up together
さらに
sarani
quite
圧倒的あっとうてき
attouteki na
awe
存在そんざいかんがあります。
sonnzaikann ga arimasu.
(these) are inspiring
当時とうじ
touji ha
in those days
うみ
umiga
(the) sea
このちかくまであり、
kono chikaku made ari,
was close to (them) and
海外かいがいからの
kaigai karano
sea
来訪者らいほうしゃ
raihousha
arriving (foreign) visitors
に、
ni,
to
日本にほん
nihonn ga
Japan
文明国ぶんめいこくであることを
bunnmeikoku dearukotowo
how civilized was
しめ
shimesu
to demonstrate
目的もくてきがあった
mokutekigaatta
(the) intention was
to
that
いわれています。
iwareteimasu.
(it) is said
49基よんじゅうきゅうきちゅう
yonnjyuukyuu'ki tyuu
(the) forty-nine tombs among
仁徳にんとく天皇陵てんのうりょう
ninntoku tennnou'ryou wo
(the) Nintoku Emperor’s tomb
はじめとする
hajime tosuru
including
29基にじゅうきゅうき
nijyuukyuu'ki ga
twenty-nine
歴代れきだい
rekidai
past
天皇てんのう
tennnou
Emperors
ya
and
皇后こうごう
kougou,
Empresses
皇族こうぞく
kouzoku
other members of (the) royal family
no
of
はか
haka
(they are) tombs
であるとして、
dearu toshite,
as
宮内庁くないちょう
kunaichou
(the) Imperial Household Agency
ga
by
管理かんりしています。
kannri shiteimasu.
are managed
宮内庁くないちょうは、
kunaichou ha,
(the) Imperial Household Agency
祖先そせん
sosenn
(its) ancestors
no
of
尊厳そんげん
sonngenn wo
(the) dignity
まもりし、
omamori shi
to protect and
やすらかに
yasuraka ni
in peace
ねむっていただくことを
nemutteitadaku kotowo
ensure that (they) rest
責務せきむとしています。
sekimu to shiteimasu.
has (a) duty
こうした理由りゆうから、
koushita riyuu kara,
because of that
発掘はっくつ調査ちょうさ
hakkutsu chousa ha
(an) excavation on survey
これまでおこなわれてきませんでした。
koremade okonawarete kimasenn deshita.
has not been carried out
そのため、
sonotame,
so
実際じっさい
jissai no
actually
埋葬まいそうしゃだれかは
maisousha ga dareka ha
who is buried in (these tombs)
たしかではありません。
tashika deha arimasenn.
(it) is not certain

More from Hiragana Times

Learn anytime, anywhere and experience more on app

Explore Japanese culture with Hiragana Times

Subscribe
00:00 / 00:00