Burial Swords of the Kofun Period: Reading Royal Power and Political Meaning in the Swords of Fujinoki and Inariyama Tombs

Swords of the Kofun Period—The Power Revealed Through Burial Goods

The Kofun period (late 3rd century to 7th century) was an era when various regional chieftains and kingdoms with monumental burial mounds (kofun) became established across the Japanese archipelago. The swords of this era—primarily chokutō (straight swords without curvature)—differed completely from modern "Japanese swords," yet they were buried in large quantities as symbols of power.

The types, quantities, and placement of swords excavated from kofun are important archaeological materials for understanding the political structures, diplomatic relations, and spiritual worldviews of the time.

Types of Kofun-Period Swords

The main types of swords used and buried during the Kofun period were as follows.

Soken-tō (Simple Ring-Headed Large Sword)

A large straight sword whose pommel (tsuka-gashira) was a simple ring shape (soken). This style was introduced from the Korean Peninsula and Chinese mainland, and frequently appears in 4th-5th century kofun burials. The ring-shaped pommel was considered a symbol of authority and was typically buried in the tombs of chieftain-class individuals.

Kei-tō (Polygonal-Headed Large Sword)

A large sword whose pommel is shaped like a kei (a polygonal form resembling a type of jade ornament). This style was influenced by Chinese Six Dynasties culture.

Kondō-sō Tachi (Gold-Bronze-Mounted Large Sword)

An ornate large sword with the hilt, scabbard, and metal fittings decorated in kondō (gold-plated copper). This prestigious sword was buried in the tombs of royalty and the highest-ranking chieftains, serving primarily ritual and authority purposes rather than practical combat functions.

Kenuki-gata Tachi (Tweezers-Shaped Large Sword)

A large sword with a tweezers-shaped (U-shaped) openwork metal hilt. This style developed through the Nara period and was used as formal attire for military officials.

The Burial Swords of Fujinoki Kofun—Ultimate Magnificence

What is Fujinoki Kofun

Fujinoki Kofun is a circular mound (approximately 48 meters in diameter) located in Ikaruga Town, Ikoma County, Nara Prefecture (west of Hōryū-ji Temple), believed to have been constructed in the late 6th century. During excavations conducted from 1985 to 1988, an exceptionally rich collection of burial goods was discovered in an undisturbed stone coffin, making it one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the Kofun period.

The Sword Assemblage

The swords excavated from the stone coffin were as follows.

Two gold-bronze-mounted large swords (kondō-sō tachi): Ornate large swords with hilts, scabbards, and belt fittings entirely covered in kondō (gold-plated copper). Each has a blade length of approximately 80 centimeters, making them large examples. The scabbards are finely carved with fish-scale patterns, arabesque designs, and dragon motifs. The manufacturing technique represents the highest technical level in Japan at the time, and it is believed that craftsmen from Baekje (Korean Peninsula) may have been involved in their production.

Other swords: Multiple silver-mounted swords and iron straight swords were also excavated. In addition to swords, horse gear, beads, crowns, and other items were buried in profusion, filling the stone coffin.

Whose Tomb Was It?

The identity of the individual buried in Fujinoki Kofun has not yet been conclusively determined. Since Ikaruga (the area around Hōryū-ji Temple) is associated with Prince Shōtoku, members of the imperial family in the rank of the prince's brothers or cousins are strong candidates. The high prestige of the gold-bronze-mounted swords buried with the deceased suggests that the interred person was a member of the highest-ranking royal family.

The Inscribed Iron Sword of Inari-yama Kofun—Evidence of Yamato Sovereignty

What is Inari-yama Kofun

Inari-yama Kofun in Gyōda City, Saitama Prefecture, is one of the Saitama kofun group and is believed to have been constructed from the late 5th to 6th century. An iron sword (chokkin: iron straight sword) was excavated in 1968, and subsequent X-ray examination in 1978 revealed that 115 characters in gold inlay were inscribed on the blade.

Content and Significance of the Gold-Inlaid Inscription

The inscription records that a man named "Owake no Omi" served "Wakatakeru no Ōkimi" (Emperor Yūryaku).

This inscription is historically significant for the following reasons.

Confirmation of Yamato Sovereignty's Domain: It provides evidence that local chieftains in Saitama (the Kanto region) served a "great king" in Yamato (the Kinki region), demonstrating that Yamato sovereignty extended its political control as far as the Kanto region by the late 5th century.

Use of the "Ōkimi" Title: It is one of the earliest examples of the "Ōkimi" (great king) title being used in domestic Japanese documents (archaeological finds rather than historical texts). It is a crucial primary source for understanding the origins and development of the imperial system.

Level of Gold-Inlay Technique: The sophisticated technique of inlaying gold into an iron sword was a method transmitted from the continent (China and Korean Peninsula), demonstrating that Yamato sovereignty actively adopted continental culture.

Political and Religious Significance of Burial Swords

Swords as a Visualization of Power

In the Kofun period, the burial of swords was not merely an act of "burying weapons." The quantity, prestige, and magnificence of buried swords were political acts meant to demonstrate the deceased's power, status, and diplomatic relationships even after death.

A chieftain who could afford to bury ornate gold-bronze-mounted swords possessed corresponding wealth and diplomatic networks. Burying swords manufactured on the continent was also a way of displaying "connections with advanced continental civilization."

Magical and Religious Significance

Swords also functioned as magical objects with the power to "ward off evil" and "protect the spirit." The burial practice of placing swords around or near the coffin was a religious act meant to pray for the deceased's peace in the afterlife and the protection of their soul.

The later veneration of swords in Shinto practice (sacred swords such as the Kusanagi Sword and Futo Mitama Sword) continues this Kofun-period belief in the spiritual power of swords.

The Influence of Continental Culture—Relations with the Korean Peninsula and China

Most of the swords buried in Kofun-period tombs were either "imported goods" obtained through diplomatic relations or trade with the Korean Peninsula (Baekje, Gaya, Silla) or Chinese mainland, or "imitation wares" manufactured in Japan by continental craftsmen (immigrants from the continent).

Relations with Baekje (southwestern Korean Peninsula) were particularly deep, and through royal family exchanges, swords, horse gear, and metalworking techniques were transmitted to Japan. The gold-bronze-mounted swords of Fujinoki Kofun are a typical example of this.

The adoption of this continental culture created a flow that led to the establishment of the Nara-period ritsuryō state system and further development into Japan's unique swords (tachi) of the Heian period.

Conclusion—The Dawn of Japanese History as Told by Kofun Swords

The swords buried in Kofun-period tombs are not the direct ancestors of modern "Japanese swords." However, the roles these swords carried—as "symbols of royal authority," "vessels of spiritual power," and "evidence of the adoption of continental culture"—form the spiritual foundation of later Japanese sword culture.

The concept of "swords crafted with the finest techniques and resources" as shown by Fujinoki Kofun's gold-bronze-mounted swords, and the culture of "inscribing records on swords" demonstrated by Inari-yama Kofun's inscribed iron sword—these have endured through 1500 years and continue to live on in modern Japanese sword culture.