Ishibutai Tumulus

Ishibutai is Japan's largest known megalithic tomb, believed to be the burial chamber of Soga no Umako, a powerful 7th-century statesman. The earthen mound that once covered it has long since eroded, leaving roughly 30 massive granite boulders exposed in a dramatic open-air formation, the largest weighing an estimated 77 tons. You can walk inside the stone chamber and stand beneath the enormous capstones, an experience that drives home the engineering ambition of the Asuka period. The surrounding park is a popular cherry blossom spot in spring and a peaceful picnic area the rest of the year.