TRENDS IN ARCHAEOLOGY IN JAPANKofun Period
JOKURA Masayoshi1
In recent years, society and the research environment surrounding archaeology ismaking big changes, not limited to the Kofun period study. The international research
environment regarding the placement of East Asian history is changing rapidly due
to China’s political and economic rise, and diversiﬁcation is required for Japanese“international information sharing,” which was directed toward Western countries in thepast. It is necessary to reconsider how and to whom to send information on “universalvalues” of cultural properties. Also, administration of buried cultural properties andcollege education are changing with the aging society due to a decreasing birthrates.
In the period of these changes, we are tested in the pursuit of the value of culturalproperties from every angle based on detailed study of features and artifacts, and anattitude to appeal to the world.
In the main article, major directions of the ﬁscal 2016 Kofun period study wereorganized. For excavation reports, publication of “overview reports” is increasing that
include reevaluation of research results in the past and preservation and utilizationof archaeological sites. At symposiums and study meetings, compilation works wereaccumulated as they are a strong point of the Kofun period study. For international
information sharing WAC-8 should be mentioned. Development of digital technology
and its application to archaeology are outstanding, such as three-dimensional survey,
ground-penetrating radar (GPR), three-dimensional measurement and so on. Also,
digital archiving of excavation reports and theses is becoming an important topic. The
Kumamoto Earthquake in 2016 gave serious damage to decorated mounded tombs
similar to the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. As the Japanese Archipelago always
faces various disasters, it is important to utilize its memories and teachings for the next
disaster. Attention should be given to the promotion project for designation of Mozu/
Furuichi mounded tombs as a World Heritage site. On the other hand, there is a needto sincerely listen to proposals of researchers asking for academic results of post-war
archaeology and values of cultural properties, such as the naming problem of “imperialmausoleums.”
1 c/o

Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, 1–2–4–1 Toyama, Shinjyuku Ward,
Tokyo 162–8644, Japan(E-mail address not disclosed)JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 6 (2018): 69–70© Japanese Archaeological Association

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JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 6 (2018): 69–70

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ARCHAEOLOGIA

Taking the above into account, movements of the Kofun period study were discussed
under ﬁve topics.
1) International Exchanges and Social Theory
Focusing on Japanese-Korean archaeology, it was conﬁrmed that study isprogressing from discussing easy subjects such as “continental artifacts” and“Japanese artifacts,” to discussion of bidirectional comparison and historicalbackground. It was also pointed out that important issues are reexamination of the“centrality of Kinai,” and how to deepen the relationship between archaeology anddocument history.
2) Region and Settlement Study
Major themes were the relation of “central” Kinai and “regions” or the difﬁcultyof locating archaeological phenomenon within history. Also, a possibility waspointed out that a viewpoint to compare and discuss movements of settlements andmounded tombs may become a new viewpoint to reconstruct images of the Kofunperiod, such as discussion on lineages of tombs for chiefs.
3) Tumulus and Burial/Surface
Facilities Attention was given to nondestructive research methods for tumulus andstone chambers, such as digital three-dimensional surveying, GPR, and SfM/MVS
as three-dimensional measurements.
4) Pottery and Burial Rites
The importance of experimental methods and ethnological examination wereconﬁrmed for the study of Haji-ware pottery, and chronological reexamination
at production sites is progressing for Sue-ware pottery. As for burial rites, it isimportant that veriﬁcation is progressing for analysis of examples based on detailedexcavation.
5) Funerary Equipment
This is a ﬁeld the Kofun period study is most good at, and numbers of detailed andminute analyses were accumulated.
Thus, it was understood that there were fewer macroscopic descriptions of the Kofun
period, an indication of theoretical frameworks, and international information sharing
compared to accumulation of detailed study on features and artifacts. As the society
surrounding archaeology is changing drastically, now it is necessary to strengthen theability to share our knowledge internationally by means of empirical study based on
detailed analysis for which the Kofun period study is good at, while sublimating study
results theoretically and from diversiﬁed standpoints.

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