TRENDS IN ARCHAEOLOGY IN JAPANKofun Period
YAMADA Shunsuke1
FUKUNAGA Shinya’s Zenpo Koenfun no Seiritsu (Establishment of Key-hole Shaped
Burial Mounds) organized various studies on the formation of the Kofun period andindicated his understanding on the formation processes of the Kofun period. Furthermore,he pointed out the need for a hypothesis that could stand comparative examination withoverseas examples and study results in order to locate Kofun society within humanhistory. HIROSE Kazuo’s Kofun Jidaizo wo Saiko Suru (Reconsideration of Kofun
Period Images) (Doseisha) pointed out problems of Kofun period study in the past, anddiscussed the need for constructing systematic interpretation of the period in which
key-hole shaped kofun (burial mounds) were constructed by rationally and consistently
explaining the enormous accumulation of archaeological data.
Attention was given to ﬁelds that were being recognized as marginal zones of Kofun
culture, like coastal peoples or peripheral region of kofun construction, such as Umi noKofun wo Kangaeru III: Kii no Kodai Ujizoku to Kitan Kaikyo Shuhen Chiiki no Kofun(Thoughts on Kofun of the Sea III: Ancient Clans in Kii and Kofun in Surrounding Areas)(Daisankai Umino Kofun wo Kangaeru Kai) and Kofun Chikuzo Shuenki ni Okeru
Kofun Jidai Zen/Chuki no Shakai to Chiikikan Kankei (Early/Middle Kofun Societyand Regional Relationships in Peripheral Region of Kofun Construction) (Tohoku andKanto Zenpokoenfun Kenkyukai). As these ﬁelds have the possibility to relativize Kofun
period study in the past and bring new development to the study, solid progress with well
examined analysis angles and disciplined methodology is desired.
Shibagahara Kofun (Joyo City Board of Education), Motoinari Kofun (Muko City
Board of Education), Shiseki Higashinomiya Kofun (Historical Site HigashinomiyaKofun) (Inuyama City Board of Education), Nagamezuka Kofun no Kenkyu (Nagamezuka
Kofun Study) (Department of Literature, Kumamoto University), Shichikan Kofun noKenkyu (Shichikan Kofun Study) (Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University), andNonaka Kofun to ‘Wa no Go Oh’ no Jidai (Nonaka Kofun and the Era of ‘Five Kingsof Wa’) (Museum of Osaka University) were published reports and an exhibition thatput emphasis on reexamination of kofun researched in the past, precise documentationof excavated artifacts and analysis, as well as opening of exhibitions to the public. This
1 Faculty of Letters, Chiba University, 1–33 Yayoi-cho, Inage Ward, Chiba 263–8522, Japan(s-yamada@L.chiba-u.ac.jp)

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JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 3 (2015): 57–58

Author JAPONICA
ARCHAEOLOGIA

fundamental research is becoming a study trend in Kofun period study.
ICHINOSE Kazuo, FUKUNAGA Shin’ya, and HOJO Yoshitaka’s Kofun Jidai noKokogaku 4: Fukusohin no Keishiki to Hennen (Kofun Period Archaeology 4: Typologyand Chronology of Burial Equipment) (Doseisha) organized research history of 17 itemsof burial equipment, and indicated research prospects for each researcher. Japaneseand Korean researchers discussed lineage, chronology, and trapping decorations ofharnesses in East Asia in Nikkan Kosho no Kokogaku: Kofun Jidai (Archaeology ofNegotiation between Japan and Korea: Kofun Period). Further development of East
Asian harness culture study is expected from mutual information exchanges and sharingof understandings.
ICHINOSE Kazuo, FUKUNAGA Shin’ya, HOJO Yoshitaka’s Kofun Jidai noKokogaku 6: Hitobito no Kurashi to Shakai (Kofun Period Archaeology 6: Life of People
and Soceity) (Doseisha) contained theses that approach the life of Kofun period people.
Theses that recognized the importance of understanding Kofun period society with abroad view were outstanding rather than just an analysis of each archaeological event.
Although Japan is a small country, it has not only an abundant quantity of archaeologicalresearch, but also world class levels of excavation and study accuracy of excavation.
Today’s Japanese Archaeology has a foundation to reveal what happened in the nationalformation phase and how social transformation progressed, based on actual data. This
research stage is beginning to develop.

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