News On Japan

Unearthing the Secrets of Ancient Japan

NARA, Mar 16 (News On Japan) - The Tomioka Maruyama Kofun in Nara City, which gained significant attention with the discovery of East Asia's largest serpentine sword and a unique shield-shaped bronze mirror, dubbed a "national treasure-level discovery," holds another secret.

Beneath the serpentine sword and bronze mirror, an untouched coffin was buried. In late 2023, Nara City initiated an excavation of the coffin, with numerous archaeology students participating in the dig. Who was buried in this coffin? We delved into this challenge to unravel the mysteries of Japan's ancient history.

The discovery was not an easy journey; it required meticulous work at the excavation site. The goal was to shed light on Japan's history from 1600 years ago, by studying the soil and what lies beneath. The question loomed: who was buried in this tomb?

The Tomioka Maruyama Kofun, a circular tomb about 100 meters in diameter, is considered one of the largest of its kind in Japan. It is believed to have been the burial site of a person of high status, but the tomb at its summit was destroyed, leaving the identity of the occupant unknown. However, last year's excavation revealed not only the serpentine sword and the shield-shaped bronze mirror but also a coffin untouched by time, promising to be a significant clue in solving the mystery of the tomb.

The discovery of the coffin marked the beginning of a challenging endeavor to illuminate a significant period in Japan's ancient history. The excavation, which involves facing the earth and careful digging, is expected to be a study that will leave a lasting impact on the field of archaeology.

As the excavation progressed, the team uncovered three black, circular plates resembling dishes, stacked one on top of another, at the foot of the coffin. Digging further, they found a third plate, identical to the first two, suggesting the presence of a set of three mirrors, each about 20 centimeters in diameter. Additionally, nine lacquered skewers, each 14 centimeters long, were found, indicating that no weapons were buried with the occupant, suggesting a possible ceremonial or religious significance.

According to the excavation director, the serpentine sword and the vertical bronze mirror found last year were likely belongings of a male buried at the top of the tomb, while the mirrors found in the coffin could belong to a female, possibly a sister or relative of the man. This leads to speculation that the occupant of the coffin might have been a female shaman or a priestess, similar to the role of Himeko in ancient Japan, who communicated with the gods.

The investigation into the coffin's contents is ongoing, with further analysis of the soil and scientific examination planned to determine the identity of the person buried. The examination of the wood used in the coffin may also provide a more accurate estimate of when it was constructed.

As the students continue their excavation, they are not only uncovering artifacts but also gaining valuable experience and insights into ancient Japanese culture and history.

Source: YOMIURI

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Southern Kyushu has entered the rainy season, marking the first time in 49 years that it has done so earlier than Okinawa. It is also the earliest rainy season start for any region in Japan since the Meteorological Agency began keeping records. Authorities are warning of heavy rainfall not only in Kyushu but across other parts of the country as well.

A road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture is expected to take five to seven years to fully restore, local officials said on Friday, following the recovery of a truck cab that had remained lodged in the sewer system since the January accident.

Eighty years have passed since the end of World War II, yet the memories of its fiercest battles continue to echo in the heart of Okinawa. The district of Omoromachi in central Naha, now a lively urban hub filled with people, was once the site of one of the bloodiest clashes of the Battle of Okinawa—the Battle of Sugar Loaf Hill.

The Aoi Festival, one of Kyoto’s three major traditional festivals, began on May 15th with a vibrant procession of around 500 people dressed in elegant Heian-period garments making their way through the streets of the ancient capital.

Japan’s prototypes of the kilogram and meter, which once served as national standards for weight and length, were presented to the press this week ahead of the 150th anniversary of the Meter Convention, the international treaty that standardized global measurement systems, to be marked on May 20th.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Education NEWS

Japan’s policy to provide free high school tuition for both public and private schools is expanding options for families who once gave up on private education due to cost. However, in Osaka, where this policy was implemented ahead of other regions, even prestigious public high schools are now struggling to fill seats.

Firefighters selected from Kasuga, Onojo, and Nakagawa in Fukuoka Prefecture demonstrated their rescue techniques on May 16th ahead of an upcoming skills competition designed to test emergency response capabilities.

Many Japanese people agree that Japanese is a difficult language, especially for foreigners. They point out the complexity of homonyms, kanji characters, multiple writing systems (hiragana, katakana, kanji), and the different intonations that can change meaning—for example, the word "hashi" can mean either "bridge" or "chopsticks" depending on pronunciation. Even native speakers find this confusing.

In this video, watercolor artist Shibasaki brings an adorable Shiba Inu to life using acrylic gouache. From the initial pencil sketch to layering warm colors and creating soft, fluffy fur, you'll see every step of the process – almost entirely uncut! (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

A bill to revise the Kyūtoku Law, aiming to improve the treatment of Japan's public school teachers by gradually raising the salary supplement in place of overtime pay from 4% to 10%, was approved by the Lower House Committee on Education on Wednesday after ruling and opposition parties agreed on revisions.

A lawsuit over the right to education in Japanese Sign Language concluded at the Sapporo High Court on May 13th, with a junior high school girl using the language in court to state that "Japanese Sign Language is my identity."

A growing number of people report experiencing physical and mental fatigue after Japan's Golden Week holiday, a phenomenon often referred to as "May sickness."

A century after the 1925 Kita-Tajima Earthquake, the city of Toyooka is hosting a special exhibition to preserve the memory of the disaster and its aftermath.