More than 200 burial mounds have been confirmed in Nagoya City, and 66 burial mounds, about one-third of them, are located in Kamishidami, Moriyama Ward. And 7 of them are designated as national historic sites as "Shidami Kofun Tumulus Group"!

In order to preserve the valuable burial mounds and the rich natural environment around them for future generations, the city of Nagoya established the "Village of Ancient History Shidami Kofungun." As part of this, on April 1, 2019 Experience! Shidami Kofun Museum SHIDAMU opened on the premises.

This time, we will approach the charm of SHIDAMU! Let's go!

How to Get There?

SHIDAMU is located in Kamishidami, Moriyama Ward, Nagoya City. About 10 minutes from Tomei Expressway "Moriyama Smart IC". 101 parking spaces are provided. (Paid only at specific events)

[When using public transportation]
<JR / Aichi Loop Railway>
・From Kozoji Station on the JR Chuo Main Line/Aichi Loop Railway
About 24 minutes on foot to the south

<Yutorito Line>
・From JR Chuo Main Line/ Nagoya Municipal Subway "Ozone" Station
About 35 minutes to "Kamishidami" stop About 7 minutes on foot from the stop
・From Kozoji Station on the JR Chuo Main Line/Aichi Loop Railway
About 3 minutes to the "Shin-tougoku-bashi Minami" stop About 8 minutes on foot from the stop

<City Bus Shidami Tour>
・From Kozoji Station on the JR Chuo Main Line/Aichi Loop Railway
About 6 minutes to the "Kattezuka" stop About 1 minute on foot from the stop

About the Village of Ancient History Shidami Kofungun

There are approximately 200 Kofun tumuli in Nagoya City, 66 of which are concentrated in Kamishidami, Moriyama Ward. They are collectively called "Shidami Kofun Tumulus Group," and were built between the first half of the 4th century and the 7th century.

The Village of Ancient History Shidami Kofungun was established as a place where visitors can experience ancient times through the preservation and utilization of the Shidami Kofun Tumulus Group, which is very rare in Japan since the tumuli that symbolize each period of the Kofun Period are concentrated in a very limited area. Here, visitors can actually walk through the tombs, which differ in shape, size, and period of creation, to see their various characteristics.

What is Kofun?

Whether you know it or not, here is another review of the Kofun.

Kofun tumuli are tombs of kings and other high ranking or powerful people that were built in various parts of Japan between the 3rd and 7th centuries. The shape and size of the tombs differ depending on how powerful they were in the region at the time and their relationship with other kings.

Facility Highlights!

Experience! Shidami Kofun Museum SHIDAMU we are introducing this time, has opened on the grounds of Village of Ancient History Shidami Kofungun Shidami Burial Mounds.

SHIDAMU consists of a guided tour of ancient burial mounds built 1,700 years ago in various shapes and sizes, a hands-on activity room where you can experience ancient times, and an exhibition room where you can view valuable excavated artifacts.

The exhibition room is the biggest highlight of the museum. In addition to a large-screen animation explaining the formation of the Shidami Kofun tumulus group, there are reproductions of cylindrical haniwa clay figurines that can be touched, a model of a kofun tumulus, and a corner where visitors can take commemorative photos wearing ancient costumes, among other features.

In the hands-on activity room, you can experience not only making haniwa, but also making magatama (clay beads), and kudatama (tube-shaped beads).

Click here for details of each program

Upon entering the museum, a large mural caught my eye. This art work is made by Toshio Iwai, a picture book artist from Nishio City. The artist imagined the life of people in the Kofun period and painted this picture.

The touch of the pretty picture warms your heart.

The sofas and cushions placed in the facility are also in the shape of Kofun. They are made by Uchu-Isu (cosmic chair) Fukutoku, who is famous for his Kofun-shaped cushions in Nara Prefecture. They feel so good to touch that we wanted to take them home with us.

At the SHIDAMU museum shop, you can purchase original Shidami Otsuka Kofun cushions.

Exhibition Room where Visitors Can Learn about the Kofun Period in an Easy-to-Understand Way  

Let's start with the exhibition room on the 1st floor. In the exhibition room, there is a guidance movie that clearly shows the characteristics of Shidami Kofun Tumulus Group and how they change over time, an exhibition of valuable excavated items discovered from Shidami Kofun Tumulus Group, and a hands-on exhibition of life-size haniwa reproductions and burial mound models. .

On a large screen, visitors get to know the origins of the Shidami Kofun tumulus group. The storybook style makes it easy for children to learn and understand.

In addition to exhibits of excavated artifacts, there are a number of items on display in the exhibition room that visitors can touch, such as replicas of Haniwa clay figurines and models of Kofun tumuli. By actually touching them, you can feel the Kofun period more realistically.

A 1/120 scale model of the Nakayashiro Kofun. The brownish clay grains lining the perimeter are Haniwa figures. Comparing those, you can see the size of the Kofun.

This is the head of a horse-shaped Haniwa. The harness for riding a horse, such as a tazuna, is also expressed. The form is also very cool.

There are also chicken and wild boar haniwa, so please check them out.