Mukō-Hakayama Tomb (Mukōhakayama Kofun)

The Mukohakayama Kofun sits just east of Hakayama Tomb, its name meaning 'beyond Hakayama.' Built at the start of the fifth century, the burial mound stands 10.7 meters high and covers roughly 0.3 hectares. Its original two-tier surface was covered with fist-sized stones and rimmed with haniwa pottery figures. A 1989 excavation revealed that the builders alternated layers of sand and silt, tamping each layer down before adding the next, creating a structure resistant to both earthquakes and erosion. Archaeologists also found evidence of two earth bridges that connected this mound to the adjacent Hakayama kofun, likely used during burial rituals.