The Heiseikan, built to commemorate the crown prince's wedding in 1993, serves primarily as the space for special exhibitions. For this purpose there are four special exhibition galleries on the second floor, as well as the Japanese Archaeological Gallery.
Tomb Sculpture (Haniwa): Dressed-Up Woman
Excavated at Yokozuka, Toyoshiro-cho, Isesaki-shi, Gunma, Kofun period, 6th century (Important Cultural Property)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Woman in full dress Haniwa) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 20, 2022 (Tue) - June 18, 2023 (Sun)
Terracotta statues known as haniwa were placed on large burial mounds that were created in great numbers during the Kofun period (ca. 3rd century–ca. 7th century). Most haniwa of women show them from the waist up, making this full-length depiction unusual. This woman appears to be wearing a sleeveless garment with wave-like patterns over a plain, long-sleeved one. Her legs are hidden by a skirt decorated with vertical lines. Women of the preceding Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–ca. 3rd century AD) wore clothes similar to one-piece dresses. In the Kofun period, however, garments separated into top and bottom sections as seen here were introduced from China and Korea.
Her outfit is also more elaborate than it first appears: Her hair is made up in a topknot unique to women of the time and is held in place with a comb. She also wears a headband and two large earrings with a cluster of beads above each one, as well as a beaded necklace and bracelets. A knife or something similar is at her hip. Judging from the lavish attire, this haniwa probably depicts a woman of a high social standing who is participating in some kind of elaborate ceremony such as a funerary procession or rite.
Projectile Point in the Shape of a Spearhead, Found in Tsurugashima City, Saitama, Paleolithic period, 18,000 BC
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
People first settled in Japan about 40,000 years ago, marking the beginning of the Paleolithic era, which continued until pottery was first created approximately 13,000 years ago. This era coincided with an ice age during which Japan was still connected to the Asian continent via land bridges and inhabited by large mammals such as mammoths. People led nomadic lives and made tools from stone and animal bone, using them to hunt and forage.
This section explores how Paleolithic tools changed over time through common examples: trapezoids with cutting edges, knives, spearheads, and miniature blades for making composite tools such as harpoons. Generally, Paleolithic tools were made by chipping stone into the desired shapes, while polished stone tools first appeared in the following Neolithic era. Japan’s Paleolithic era, however, is characterized by the use of stone axe heads with partially-polished blades.
The most common material for tools was obsidian, a type of volcanic glass found in abundance across most of Japan. The sedimentary rock siliceous shale was used in northeastern Japan, where obsidian was scarce, while the volcanic rock sanukite was used in the Kinki region and around the Seto Inland Sea. All of these materials were suitable for making tools because they were relatively hard and fine-grained, allowing sharp edges to be formed by chipping.
Deep Pot, Found in Niigata City, Niigata, Jōmon period, 4000–3000 BC, Gift of Mr. Uehara Kōshirō
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
Rising sea levels formed the Japanese islands when the ice age ended about 13,000 years ago. In response to their changing environment, people began using the bow and arrow for hunting, invented pottery, and began living in permanent settlements. This was the beginning of Japan’s Neolithic era, which lasted for approximately 10,000 years. Although farming and the rearing of livestock usually began during this era in other societies, life in Japan continued to be centered on foraging, fishing, and hunting.
Jar with Human Face Ornament, Found at Ozakata Site, Ibaraki, Yayoi period, 2nd–1st century BC, Gift of Mr. Tanaka Kunio
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
About 2,400 years ago, bronze and iron tools as well as rice cultivation were introduced from China and Korea, later spreading throughout most of Japan. People began living in villages with irrigated rice fields, marking the beginning of the agricultural Yayoi period. Two unique cultures developed in parallel with Yayoi society: the Post-Jomon culture on the island of Hokkaido to the northeast, where rice cultivation did not take root, and the Late Shell Mound culture on the Nansei Islands to the southwest.
Yayoi pottery was used during this period. Although it was unglazed like the Jomon pottery of the previous period, it was thinner and fired at a higher temperature, making it more durable and lighter in color. Vessels with specific functions such as urns for boiling, jars for storage, and stemmed bowls for serving food were created to meet the needs of this new agricultural society.
In the first half of the Yayoi period (ca. 4th–3rd century BC), pottery with shared characteristics known as Ongagawa-type pottery was created throughout western Japan. Vessels showing influence from this pottery have been excavated in eastern and northern Japan, suggesting the diffusion of a shared culture. Moreover, during the mid-Yayoi period (ca. 2nd–1st century BC) use of the potter’s wheel and other new techniques were adopted.
Mirror with Triangular Rim, Design of Dragon and Tiger
Found at Izumikoganezuka Tumulus, Osaka, Kofun period, 4th-5th century (Important Cultural Property)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 6, 2022 (Tue) - July 9, 2023 (Sun)
Around the end of the Yayoi period in the first half of the 3rd century, large burial mounds with regionally-distinct shapes began to appear in various areas from Kanto to Kyushu. Villages in Japan were changing to states, with some gaining the power to unify others. A Chinese historical document even noted that in 239 and 240, Queen Himiko, the ruler of Japan’s Yamatai Kingdom, sent envoys to the Wei dynasty.
During the latter half of the 3rd century, keyhole-shaped burial mounds of unprecedented size and construction began to appear in the Kinai region, with the largest concentration in the Nara basin. Objects symbolizing political authority, such as bronze mirrors and ornaments, accompanied those buried inside. These developments show that politics in Japan had matured under the new Yamato Kingdom, which was even more powerful than Yamatai. These burial mounds were constructed on a wide scale until the 7th century, giving this era the name Kofun (ancient burial mound) period.
The pottery of the Kofun period was haji earthenware. Unlike earlier Yayoi pottery, it was uniform in design and did not feature regionally-distinct decorative patterns. This section explores the beginning of the Kofun period through haji pottery and bronze mirrors that were brought from China and placed in burial mounds.
Sword with a House-Shaped Ring Pommel
Found at Tōdaijiyama Tumulus, Nara, Kofun period, 4th century (National Treasure)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 6, 2022 (Tue) - July 9, 2023 (Sun)
From the 4th century, Chinese-style bronze mirrors were created in Japan and placed in burial mounds. These large mirrors were finely-crafted with unique designs, and, as this burial practice suggests, held special meaning in the Yamato Kingdom. Jasper, bronze, and stone copies of various ornaments were also buried in these mounds. They included distinctive hoe-shaped stone objects modeled after shell bracelets that were valued in the preceding Yayoi period. The Yamato government began creating such objects to show its political and religious authority. Moreover, certain objects, such as those made of jasper, were created with the aid of provincial clans.
Use of these objects and the construction of burial mounds for high-ranking rulers (these mounds featured stone chambers that were sealed from the top) spread from the Yamato Kingdom to the west. It is believed that provincial clans used these objects as evidence of their alliance with Yamato and as symbols of their own prestige.
The establishment and expansion of the Yamato Kingdom was also related to political developments in other East Asian countries. In China, the fall of the Western Jin dynasty ushered in the Sixteen Kingdoms period (316–420), while the three kingdoms of Korea – Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla– began to annex neighboring regions.
Beaked HelmetFound at the Kutsukawa Kurumazuka Tumulus, Kyoto, Kofun period, 5th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 6, 2022 (Tue) - July 9, 2023 (Sun)
Around the end of the 4th century, large keyhole-shaped burial mounds began to appear around the Osaka plain and Nara basin. Royal authority was expressed through burial practices, with grand arrangements of haniwa tomb figurines displayed on these mounds. Central to these arrangements were house-shaped haniwa as well as those representing tools, weapons, and other objects. Moreover, the number of small- and medium-sized burial mounds containing metal weapons and armor began to increase, suggesting that connections between the Yamato Kingdom and provincial clans became more militaristic, and that these connections began to extend to lesser clans as well. Metal production also increased significantly as shown by the large amount of ingots placed in burial mounds.
Chinese records state that from 421, the Five Kings of Wa (Japan) regularly offered tribute to the Southern Dynasties and requested that their military titles in Japan and Korea be recognized in China. The mass-production of metal weapons and armor further suggests the inclusion of Yamato in an international order centered on China.
Footed Wide-Mouthed Jar with Small Vessels
Found at the Kaibōzuka Tumulus, Osaka, Kofun period, 6th century (Gift of Mr. Kitaura Tomoshichi)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 6, 2022 (Tue) - July 9, 2023 (Sun)
Local production of weapons, armor, and horse tack, which had originally been brought from Korea, began around the end of the 5th century. While gold and silver were often used in Korea, production in Japan was characterized by the extensive use of gilded bronze plates. From around the mid-6th century, unique metal objects such as large ornamental swords were also created. It is believed that these objects were distributed to provincial clans as proof of the Yamato Kingdom’s authority and as signs of an alliance.
Small Ceramic Coffin
Found in Ōta City, Gunma, Kofun (Asuka)–Nara period, 7th–8th century (Gift of Mr. Takano Yasaburō)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 6, 2022 (Tue) - July 9, 2023 (Sun)
At the end of the 6th century, significant changes accompanied the shift from the Kofun to the Asuka (593–710) period. Rulers constructed round or rectangular burial mounds, which replaced the older keyhole-shaped variety. In the mid-7th century, octagonal burial mounds were created for the Kings of Yamato, the most powerful rulers in Japan. Moreover, small burial mounds for individuals, which consisted of a stone chamber with an entrance, were built in the Kinai region. These developments reflect significant changes in burial practices.
These “late burial mounds” featured the latest technology imported from the Asian continent. Earth was tightly packed to strengthen construction, cut stones were stacked to create walls, and lacquered coffins were used. Some of these mounds, foremost of which are Takamatsu and Kitora, had burial chambers with painted murals that reflected imported beliefs.
Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan in the mid-6th century, spread among powerful clans while temples such as Asukadera and Horyuji were constructed in Nara. Meanwhile, China was unified under the Sui in 581 and the Tang in 618. Japanese envoys dispatched to China brought the latest culture to Japan. In Korea, the kingdom of Baekje fell in 660 to the combined armies of Tang and Silla despite Japanese aid. The creation of a unified state continued in Japan during this time of international tension.
Coffin (Fragment), Found at Oharida no Yasumaro's Tomb, Nara, Nara period, 729 (Important Cultural Property)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 14, 2023 (Tue) - September 17, 2023 (Sun)
In 701, a system of law and administration (ritsuryo) modeled after Tang China was established in Japan under the emperor. A new imperial capital was founded at Nara in 710, with the following 74 years known as the Nara period. During this period, large-scale projects such as the construction of national roads and government-administered Buddhist temples were undertaken. Such events were preceded by the dispatch of envoys to China from the 7th century. These envoys brought the latest institutions, religions, technology, and cultural objects to Japan, contributing greatly to the political and cultural reforms that followed.
Buddhism in particular affected Japan. One Buddhist tradition that spread through society, beginning with the emperor and powerful aristocrats, was cremation. This section displays vessels for cremated remains, items buried with the deceased, and epitaphs noting individuals’ achievements.
Roof tiles, which were introduced to Japan at the end of the 6th century, were initially used for Buddhist temples. After an earlier imperial capital was established in 694, their use was extended to the imperial palace and government buildings. When Emperor Shomu ordered the construction of government-administered temples across Japan in 741, the production of roof tiles gained momentum in the provinces. This section also exhibits distinctive tiles from various regions, ranging from Tohoku in the north to Kyushu in the south.
Repousse Image of the Deity Zaō Gongen
Found at Mount Ōmine Peak Site, Nara, Heian period, 10th–12th century (Important Art Object)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 14, 2023 (Tue) - September 17, 2023 (Sun)
From the late Nara (710–794) to the Heian (794–1192) period, priests who worshipped in the mountains began to appear throughout Japan. Believing that Shinto and Buddhism are essentially the same faith, and that Shinto gods are in fact Buddhist deities, they climbed mountains in search of sacred sites where they could worship the mountain gods. Sites on the peaks of Mt. Omine in Nara prefecture and Mt. Nantai in Tochigi prefecture are well-known examples, with excavations revealing various objects that these priests had left as offerings. This form of mountain worship eventually developed into Shugendo, a folk religion unique to Japan.
In the mid-Heian period, the belief in Buddhism’s decline also permeated society. The age of decline was thought to begin in the year 1052, leading people to associate reoccurring natural disasters and disturbances in society with this new age. In response, aristocrats and others living in the capital began creating sutra mounds throughout Japan. Aristocrats also believed in a prophecy that the Buddhist deity Maitreya would reappear 5,670,000,000 years in the future to save all beings. Transcribing sutra scrolls and preserving them in sutra mounds was most likely a way of praying for peace in this world and the next during these troubled times. This section features excavated objects connected with mountain worship and the belief in Buddhism’s decline.
Cinerary Urn (Vase with Peonies), China, Excavated from Maeda, Ibaraki-machi, Ibaraki, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 14, 2023 (Tue) - September 17, 2023 (Sun)
From the Kamakura period (1192–1333), political power shifted from the aristocracy to the warrior class. Society and culture began to reflect the tastes and lifestyles of these new rulers, while towns were built around their castle compounds throughout Japan.
New sects of Buddhism also gained popularity in the Kamakura period. One of these was the Zen sect, which was accepted into warrior society. Tea drinking, which spread through Zen, was valued by the warrior class for providing a means for social interaction. Meanwhile, tea utensils became highly valued as symbols of prestige among the warriors. Chinese ceramics became especially prized, and local kilns such as the ones in Seto (present-day Aichi prefecture) began producing ceramics in imitation of them. These ceramics were also created for storing the remains of deceased individuals.
Itabi were stone tablets resembling gravestones, which were created to pray for the repose of deceased individuals. Beginning in the mid-Kamakura period, they were created throughout Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Kagoshima in the south, although most of them were concentrated in the Kanto region around present-day Tokyo. Many of these tablets are similar in form and are thought to have deep connections with warriors of the Kanto region.
Chakra Wheel, Found at site of Honmaru Palace, Edo Castle, Tokyo, Edo period, 17th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 14, 2023 (Tue) - September 17, 2023 (Sun)
Tokugawa Ieyasu became the shogun of Japan in 1603, establishing his government in Edo (present-day Tokyo). Edo then became the political and cultural center of Japan, with 70% of its land occupied by residences for feudal lords and members of the Tokugawa clan. In addition to these residences, temples, shrines, commoners’ homes, and post towns with accommodations for travelers were sectioned into different areas around Edo Castle, while the castle itself served as the shogun’s residence and place of business. Large fires occurred frequently in Edo because of the dense concentration of wooden buildings. After each fire, land was divided and reassigned, sometimes to create open spaces to prevent future fires from spreading. Land reclamation and other projects for coping with a rising population were also undertaken, with Edo developing into one of Asia’s largest cities.
The appearance of Edo has come to light in recent years through excavations. In particular, large-scale excavations have shown where the residences of feudal lords were located and how they were laid out. Moreover, unearthed objects have revealed the luxurious lifestyles these lords enjoyed, made possible in part by a monetary system based on gold, silver, and copper coinage, which led to the increased distribution of goods. In fact, goods from across Japan were brought to Edo for consumption. This section features excavated objects that vividly illustrate the lifestyles of Edo people.
Toggling Harpoon Head, In shape of swallow tail, Excavated at Nakazawahama Shell Mound, Rikuzentakata-shi, Iwate, Jomon period, 1000-400 BC (Gift of Mr. Tokugawa Yorisada)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
From the Jomon period (ca. 11,000 BC–ca. 5th century BC) onward, means of obtaining food changed in accordance with changes in the natural environment resulting from a milder climate. The bow and arrow was invented, while tools such as fishhooks, fishing spears, and harpoon heads were created in quantity. Grinding slabs and grindstones as well as stone mortars and hammerstones were used to process nuts and other foods.
Clay Earring, Found in Akiruno City, Tokyo, Jomon period, 2000–400 BC (Gift of Mr. Shiono Hanjuro)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
Accessories in the Jomon period (ca. 11,000 BC–ca. 5th century BC) included hair ornaments, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and waist ornaments. They had the additional function of indicating the age and sex of the wearer, as well as protecting him or her from evil spirits. Stone rods, which were male symbols, were made in prayer for fertility and the birth of many children.
Clay Figurine (Dogūk) with Goggle-Lie Eyes
Found in Tsugaru City, Aomori, Jōmon period, 1000–400 BC (Important Cultural Property)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
The most prominent objects of prayer from the Jomon period (ca. 11,000 BC–ca. 5th century BC) are dogu clay figurines. Even the earliest examples of these figurines have breasts, which suggests that they represent women, and their protruding bellies probably symbolize pregnancy. Therefore, it is believed that dogu figurines were created to pray for easy delivery of children, the birth of many children, and fertility.
Tip of Bronze Spade Blade, Found in Fukuoka City, Yayoi period, 1st–3rd century (Gift of Mr. Nakahara Tasaburo)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
In the Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–3rd century AD), polished stone and metal tools were introduced from China and the Korean Peninsula along with wet rice cultivation. Stone tools included rice reapers for harvesting, a range of polished axes and adzes for making wooden agricultural tools, and polished arrowheads that could have been used as weapons. These tools were subsequently made with iron.
Cylindrical Beads (Kudatama) and Small Beads, Found in Itoshima City, Fukuoka, Yayoi period, 1st–3rd century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
In the Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–3rd century AD), bronze bracelets and glass necklaces began to appear. Production techniques for glass objects were developed based on metal casting techniques. Stone tools that were modeled on metal weapons were also created. These objects were buried with the deceased and used in rituals.
Bronze Bell (Dōtaku)
Reportedly found in Kagawa Prefecture, Yayoi period, 2nd–1st century BC (National Treasure)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
This section features ritual objects from the Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–ca. 3rd century AD), with a focus on bronze spears, swords, halberds, and bell-shaped dotaku. Early in this period, the first bronze and iron implements were brought to Kyushu in southwestern Japan from Korea. Among these were bronze weapons such as swords, spears, and halberds. Soon these objects were being created locally and they became larger and flatter, showing a shift to ritual use.
Most bell-shaped dotaku have been excavated from the Kinki region. Although they may have originated from similar bells made in China and Korea, they were created in larger sizes and with unique surface decorations. Initially, they were approximately 20 cm in height but their size increased over time as they changed into ornamental objects no longer used to produce sound. Experts believe that these ritual bells were used to pray for bountiful harvests and the prosperity of settlements.
Spade, Whale bone, Found in Muroran City, Hokkaido, Epi-Jōmon period, 2nd–1st century BC
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 7, 2023 (Tue) - September 3, 2023 (Sun)
A variety of stone tools were used during this period, including single- and double-edged polished stone axes, as well as stone knives and harpoon heads for hunting and butchering sea mammals and other animals. There are also unique fish-shaped stones that were probably used as bait for fishing. Pottery continued to feature rich decorations. Additionally, cylindrical jewelry made out of jasper from Sado island, objects made out of seashells from Japan’s southern seas, and iron tools have also been excavated. These objects suggest interaction with the Yayoi culture on the mainland as well as cultures on the Asian continent via the island of Sakhalin to the north.
Short-necked Jar with Handles
Kofun period, 4th-5th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 13, 2022 (Tue) - June 25, 2023 (Sun)
This technique originated in China’s gray pottery and was later introduced from Korea to Japan, where local production began in the 5th century.
At the Suemura site in present-day Osaka in particular, many kilns were in operation until the Heian period (794–1192). From the late 5th century, sue ware kilns were built in various regions of Japan, and the pottery they produced was also placed in burial mounds with the deceased. Even after the Nara and Heian periods, sue ware was used at temples and government offices. The techniques for making it were later used to create new types of pottery.
Mirror, Deity and imaginary creature design
From Izumikoganezuka Tumulus, Izumi-shi, Osaka, Kofun period, 4th century (Chinese-made: 3rd century, dated Keisho 3) (Important Cultural Property)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 13, 2022 (Tue) - June 25, 2023 (Sun)
The mirrors displayed here comprise two types: ones inscribed with their respective years of production, and ones that were passed down through multiple generations before burial in tumuli. The former type are inscribed with Chinese era names from dynasties such as the Wei (220–265) and the Wu (222–280), and have been excavated in limited number from Japanese tumuli. The latter were buried in tumuli years after being produced, and are invaluable for shedding light on the establishment of Kofun-period culture.
Comma-Shaped Beads (Magatama)
Found at Tōdaijiyama Tumulus, Nara, Kofun period, 4th century (National Treasure)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 13, 2022 (Tue) - June 25, 2023 (Sun)
Beads produced in the Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century), which changed in complicated ways over time, show great variety both in terms of type and material. They were combined in various ways depending on who wore them and what rituals they were used for. In the first half of the Kofun period, the Hokuriku and San’in regions – located along the Sea of Japan – were the main centers of the bead production, while the latter half of the period saw mass production even in the Kinki region, where Kyoto and Osaka are located today.
Mirror with Eight Phoenixes
Found at the Nasu Hachimanzuka Tumulus, Tochigi, Kofun period, 4th century (Created in China, 3rd century)
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 13, 2022 (Tue) - June 25, 2023 (Sun)
The Japanese archipelago saw extensive construction of tumuli during the Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century). In eastern Japan, two types of keyhole-shaped tumuli were built in great numbers. This section of the gallery introduces grave goods unearthed from the Nasu Hachimanzuka Tumulus, a typical keyhole-shaped tumulus in the Nasu area in the northern Kantō region, north of Tokyo.
Ritual Clogs, Stone (Steatite)
Found at the Kagamiyama Tumulus, Kyoto, Kofun period, 5th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 13, 2022 (Tue) - June 25, 2023 (Sun)
From around the 4th century, miniature stone models were interred with the dead in burial mounds. Not intended for practical use, they were made of relatively soft stone such as steatite and imitated a wide range of items. This exhibit attempts to unveil details about people’s lives and the tools they used in the Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century) through these miniature stone models.
Sword with a Curled Pommel (Warabite)
Found at Kashiwagi Higashi Site (Moizari No. 11 Tumulus), Hokkaido, Satsumon period, 8th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 13, 2022 (Tue) - June 25, 2023 (Sun)
In the 7th to 8th centuries, iron swords with hilts shaped like fern fronds (called "warabite swords" in Japanese) were disseminated throughout the Japanese archipelago. In eastern Japan, and the northeastern Tōhoku region in particular, these swords have been excavated in great quantities from tumuli and ancient graves. Their use as grave goods shows that burial practices were different from those practiced in the capital in modern-day Nara Prefecture.
Ring Pommel with a Phoenix
Found at the Inarizuka Tumulus, Saitama, Kofun period, 6th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 13, 2022 (Tue) - June 25, 2023 (Sun)
In Japan, inlaid iron swords became prevalent by the 6th century, during the Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century). A pommel named Ring Pommel with a Phoenix that was found at the Inarizuka Tumulus in Saitama Prefecture would have been attached to one of these swords. Noted for its gold and silver inlay decoration, this pommel shares similar characteristics with Korean pommels featuring dragons and phoenixes.
These Korean pommels were made for swords that were widely used in the regions around Dae Gaya, a small state that existed in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.
Mirror with Seven Bells
Found at Mikuradō Site, Nara, Kofun period, 5th–6th century
1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
