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Living with Horses During the Kofun Period

  • Image of "Horse BitFound at the Hōsōgamizuka Tumulus, Nagano, Kofun period, 6th century (Important Art Object)"

    Horse Bit
    Found at the Hōsōgamizuka Tumulus, Nagano, Kofun period, 6th century (Important Art Object)

    Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Thematic Exhibition Room
    September 29, 2026 (Tue) - December 20, 2026 (Sun)

    2026 is the Year of the Horse. Horses were brought to the Japanese archipelago from the Korean Peninsula during the Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century). Following this, modern-day Nagano Prefecture flourished as a horse-breeding hub after a major traveling route opened in the 5th century. Horse farms were established throughout the region, where people who migrated from the Korean Peninsula provided guidance on horse breeding.
     
    As horse breeding became widely practiced, a wide range of horse-riding equipment was buried as grave goods in tomb mounds. Moreover, warriors on horseback came to demonstrate substantial presence in political upheavals of the central government.
     
    This thematic exhibition introduces artifacts excavated from tomb mounds in Nagano Prefecture. By bringing together a total of eighteen little-known Important Art Objects, including artifacts excavated from the Kingaisan Tumulus, the exhibition aims to offer an opportunity to rediscover the appeal of tomb mounds in Nagano Prefecture.
     
    List of Exhibits

Major works in this exhibition

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.

Horse Bit　Found at the Hōsōgamizuka Tumulus, Nagano　Kofun period, 6th century (Important Art Object)

Comma-Shaped Bead (Magatama) with Smaller Beads　Found at the Ishida Residence Site, Nagano　Kofun period, 6th century

Horse Bit with Ring Cheek Plates　Found on Toriuchi Pass, Nagano　Kofun period, 6th century

Mirror with Five Bells　Found at the Kingaisan Tumulus, Nagano　Kofun period, 5th century (Important Art Object)

Ring with Three Bells　Found at the Kingaisan Tumulus, Nagano　Kofun period, 5th century (Important Art Object)

Ring Pommel with a Lone Dragon　Found in Iida City, Nagano　Kofun period, 6th–7th century

Sword Guard with Eight Openings　Found at the Doai Tomb No. 1, Nagano　Kofun period, 6th–7th century

Sword with a Curled Pommel (Warabite)　Found in Tōmi City, Nagano　Kofun (Asuka)–Nara period, 7th–8th century

Leaflet

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Living with Horses During the Kofun Period

This leaflet is also available at the information desk in the Honkan during the exhibition period.
［Download Leaflet (PDF)］（1.3MB）

 

Exhibitions