Daisenryô Tomb and Emperor Nintoku Overview

Do you know which are the three largest tombs in the world? The great pyramid of Cheops. The tomb of the first emperor of China. And the Daisenryô in Japan. Let's go? Hello everyone and welcome to 'Ruin my life'! Today, I present to you the Daisenryô alias the tomb attributed to Emperor Nintoku of Japan. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019 along with 48 other tombs, it is one of the most famous historical sites in Japan. But why this weird shape? When is it from? And who was Emperor Nintoku? I will explain all this to you in detail. The tomb attributed to Emperor Nintoku is what is called in Japanese a kofun. Kofun means "ancient tumulus", so it is an artificial hill-shaped tomb. There are several types of kofun in Japan but their emblematic shape is this shape. Westerners call it “keyhole shape”, in connection with its particular shape seen from the sky. But of course, this form seen from the sky is a coincidence and has nothing to do with a keyhole. Japanese archaeologists call it "zenpôkôenfun", which means "tumulus with a circular rear and a quadrangular front". And that means what we're talking about. Very pragmatic the Japanese. A kofun is therefore a tomb built for a very important figure, man or woman who lived between the 3rd and 7th centuries of our era. The kofun are so numerous in Japan (about 160,000 are still known today) and so typical that they gave their name to an entire period of Japanese prehistory: the kofun period. For a short summary of the Prehistory of Japan, it's here! So why this UNESCO World Heritage listing? Among the 160,000 kofun that have survived the vagaries of history, the tomb attributed to Emperor Nintoku is the largest. This kofun is so huge that it is even part of the top 3 of the largest tombs in the world with the great pyramid of Cheops and the tomb of the first Emperor of China. I have not found a reliable source that would confirm that it is THE biggest. Although lower than the other two, it is larger in area and overall volume. Located in the south of the Osaka plain, more precisely in the city of Sakai, the tumulus itself is 486 m long and about 35 m high. But if we add the triple moat that surrounds it, we reach 840 m in length! Researchers estimated that it took about 15 years and 8 months with 2000 men a day to build this monster. We are therefore in front of an exceptional monument. And Emperor Nintoku's kofun, while the largest, is not the only kofun on the Osaka Plain. In all, about 90 kofun have survived to the present day despite the very strong urbanization of the area, 49 of which are part of the classification. They are divided into two groups: Mozu's group and Furuichi's group. With kofun built from 350 CE, Furuichi's group is the oldest. There is the second largest kofun in Japan, the one attributed to Emperor Ôjin, considered the father of Nintoku. The tumulus is 425 m long with a maximum height of 36 m and is surrounded by a double moat. The Mozu group, on the other hand, was inaugurated by the tomb of Nintoku from about 400 CE . There is also the third largest kofun, the one attributed to Emperor Richû whose tumulus is 365 m long. Richû would be Nintoku's eldest son and successor , which is probably why the two tombs are close and aligned. This alignment of the two largest tombs of the group is moreover not insignificant because at the time of their construction, we could only see them from the sea. And, you can imagine, it is by the sea that he majority of travelers and envoys arrived from other parts of Japan and even from continental Asia (China or Korea). Because these gigantic tombs were built by the rulers of a kingdom called Yamato, located in the central region of present-day Japan and which is considered the embryo of Japan. Japan which did not yet exist at that time. So these tombs weren't for these kings only their final resting place, it was also a way to impress their subjects, their allies and even their enemies. It's me that has the biggest kkk….ofun, na! So these two groups of kofun have been classified as World Heritage for all these reasons: the age of the tombs (about 1600 years), the gigantism of some, testimony to one of the first kingdoms known in Japan. But back to Nintoku's kofun. It is therefore a zenpôkôenfun, a tumulus with a circular rear part and a quadrangular front part. In such a kofun, the main grave is dug in the center of the rear part. But his plan is a little more sophisticated than that: at the narrow part of the kofun there are also two small projections. Then comes the system of the triple moat in which are included two other small circular kofun. We will come back to it. It is the only known kofun with a triple moat. Other grand kofun may have a double but Nintoku is the only one of this type. The tumulus itself is made up of several layers of rammed earth, organized into three terraces to allow the stability of the work. And its entire surface is covered with a layer of pebbles that prevent the earth from being washed away due to runoff. And for those who have ever been to Japan in June (aka the rainy season), they know that it can rain in Japan! And for the others: going on vacation to Japan in June, until mid-July for that matter, is a very bad idea. Unless you like rain and humidity, of course. Anyway, back to our kofun. So Nintoku's kofun and all other kofun by extension looked like this originally and not like this as we can see them today. But over time, the maintenance was not done and trees grew. That said, I prefer them with trees these kofun. And you, what do you think ? As it is an imperial tomb, the Nintoku kofun has not been excavated by archaeologists, it is prohibited. Nevertheless, the archives tell us that in the 18th century a stone sarcophagus was found at the top of the circular part (so it was possibly that of Nintoku). Measuring approximately 3.20 m long and 1.67 m wide, it is the largest of its type known in Japan. But we don't have any more information. In 1872, a grave was also accidentally found on the quadrangular part of the kofun. Finding a second tomb there is no surprise as many great kofun have a second tomb. This tomb contained a stone sarcophagus in the form of a chest about 2.70 m long installed in a stone burial chamber. Inside we found a gilt bronze armor breastplate, it is also the only known example from this period. Glass containers have also been found there that would come from Western Asia. And for this question of glass found in tombs in Japan, I refer you to this video. This time, drawings were made and they came down to us. But not the objects nor the sarcophagus which were all reburied in the tomb and which must therefore still be there to this day. We do not know who could be this person buried on the same kofun as Emperor Nintoku but probably a relative. This is also the case of the two people buried in the two small circular kofun inserted between the second and third moats. The position of these two small tombs is unique in Japan. But these two tombs have not been excavated either, we do not have answers to our questions. We also know that there were haniwa on the Nintoku mound and on the two small kofun satellites because a few fragments have been found. The haniwa are clay figurines placed on the kofun and they have different functions. If you want to know more, I recommend the video I made on the subject. It is a man's head (the oldest known in Japan) and fragments of very large horses. There were also cylindrical haniwa lined up all around the mound. Their total number is estimated at around 20,000 cylindrical haniwa lined up all around the tomb. It really is the kofun of all records. And all for one man, possibly Emperor Nintoku. But in fact, who was he? It is not easy to answer this question since this emperor is known only in Japanese written sources written almost 300 years after his death. Some scholars even consider him to be a legendary emperor. Moreover Nintoku is not his real name, it is a posthumous name, a name which was given to him after his death at an indeterminate time and on the Chinese model (thus probably in the 8th century during the writing of the chronicles of the Japanese imperial family, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki). In these chronicles, he is called Oho-sazaki (or Ô-sasagi). But the content of these chronicles poses a problem. Already because they were written with the aim of justifying the power of the reigning family of Yamato, the first great kingdom of the Japanese archipelago which will then become Japan. These chronicles tell how the imperial family is descended from the gods and more specifically from the sun goddess Amaterasu. A large part of the accounts of the reigns of the ancestors of the 8th century emperors who wrote these chronicles is tinged with mythical deeds, divine interventions, etc. Moreover, these ancestors of the emperors of the 8th century are only called emperors a posteriori because there is no emperor in Japan before the end of the 7th century. Before that, the leaders of Yamato bear the title of Yamato okimi (great king of Yamato) and the Chinese texts call them "king of the Wa". The Wa being the name that the Chinese gave to the inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago at the time. Second problem, in the first half of the 5th century AD, so at the time of the construction of the Daisenryô, the kofun attributed much later to Nintoku, there was no writing in the Japanese archipelago. The first Japanese written chronicles telling the story of the imperial family, which I have just mentioned, were written respectively in 714 for the Kojiki and in 720 for the Nihon Shoki. Even if, a priori, they are drawn from more restricted sources and existing in the middle of the 6th century. But these sources have not reached us. And between the time in which Nintoku supposedly lived and the writing of these chronicles, approximately 300 years of oral tradition have passed. Moreover, in the Kojiki, if we are told that Nintoku lived 83 years, in the Nihon Shoki, he is attributed 87 years of reign, which implies that he lived approximately 132 years… I know well that Japan is famous for its life expectancy but still! There is also a little problem with the dates of his reign since according to the Nihon Shoki, he would have reigned in the 4th century AD while his tomb is supposed to date from the middle of the 5th century. And of this dating we are sure thanks to archaeology. So be careful with Japanese texts. If we look at contemporary Chinese texts, we have the mention for the 5th century of "5 kings of Wa", that is to say 5 kings of the Japanese archipelago, named San, Chin, Sei, Kô and Bu . These kings send emissaries and tributes to the Song court. Is Nintoku one of them? Scholars believe he could be King San or King Chin because the dates correspond to his reign considering that the Daisenryō is indeed his tomb and therefore Japanese chronicles are unreliable in terms of dates. Small positive point nevertheless in favor of a certain reliability of the account of Nintoku's life in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki (except these stories of dates of reign and longevity), it is that it is precisely from the reign of his father and his own reign that there are hardly any more divine interventions and other miracles in the stories. It would seem that the oral tradition up to the 8th century has preserved in memory above all facts that are quite possible and credible. So, what are we told about Nintoku, alias Ô-sasagi, in these texts? Well, he's been remembered as a good man, wise and caring for his people. His reign begins with a feud between the Crown Prince and himself as the Crown Prince (who is also his older half-brother) does not want to rule and gives the throne to Nintoku, who does not want it. The quarrel between the two lasts three years, each remaining on his positions, until the half-brother, to settle the problem, commits suicide and thus forces Nintoku to become king. Nice gift... A large part of the stories developed concern Nintoku's marital problems: like any king of the Wa, he has an official empress and many concubines. But the Empress is jealous of the concubines. So she puts misery on all her rivals and on her king of husbands. More interestingly, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki also tell us that it was under his reign that many canals were dug, thus making it possible to gain cultivable land through irrigation but also to better control the devastating floods of the rivers. Roads were laid out, ports fitted out. And all this corresponds to what is found on archaeological sites for the first half of the 5th century and after. At this time, Yamato was a kingdom in full political and economic development, boosted by the installation of craftsmen and other people from the continent (especially Korean kingdoms) and by its diplomatic relations with the continent. These relations, well attested in the Chinese chronicles of the Song dynasty, are also so in the Nihon Shoki. It was also during the reign of Nintoku, again according to the Nihon Shoki, that a Korean noble taught them falconry or that an envoy from Nintoku to the Korean kingdom of Baekje learned to write and, by extension, to maintain records of land demarcation and yield. The emperor would even have deprived himself of taxes for 3 years so that his then very poor people could prosper, dressing himself in rags and leaving his palace to half collapse for lack of money to make repairs. Nice like king! The Daisenryô, the largest kofun in Japan and probably the largest tomb in the world, is more than an exceptional monument which amply deserves its classification as a World Heritage Site. It is the witness of a key moment in the development of the kingdom of Yamato which will later become Japan. It symbolizes the power of the one who is still buried there and his elevation to the rank of divinity for his people. I hope you enjoyed this episode, do not hesitate to share, like and comment to make the channel known. Thank you for being more and more numerous to follow me, it's really nice. I quoted a number of my previous videos in this episode, all related or able to complete this one, I put the list in the description so that you can find your way around. With that, I'll tell you very soon for a next video and... take care of yourself.

Do you know which are the three largest 
tombs in the world? The great pyramid of Cheops. The tomb of the first emperor of China. And the Daisenryô in Japan. Let's go? Hello everyone and welcome to 'Ruin my life'! Today, I present to you the Daisenryô alias the tomb attributed to Emperor Nintoku of Japan. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019 along with 48 other tombs, it is one of the most famous historical sites in Japan. But why this weird shape? When is it from? And who was Emperor Nintoku? I will explain all this to you in detail. The tomb attributed to Emperor Nintoku is what is called in Japanese a kofun. Kofun means "ancient tumulus", so it is an artificial hill-shaped tomb. There are several types of kofun in Japan but their emblematic shape is this shape. Westerners call it “keyhole shape”, in connection with its particular shape seen from the sky. But of course, this form seen from the sky is a coincidence and has nothing to do with a keyhole. Japanese archaeologists call it "zenpôkôenfun", which means "tumulus with a circular rear and a quadrangular front". And that means what we're talking about. Very pragmatic the Japanese. A kofun is therefore a tomb built for a very important figure, man or woman who lived between the 3rd and 7th centuries of our era. The kofun are so numerous in Japan (about 160,000 are still known today) and so typical that they gave their name to an entire period of Japanese prehistory: the kofun period. For a short summary of the Prehistory of Japan, it's here! So why this UNESCO World Heritage listing? Among the 160,000 kofun that have survived the vagaries of history, the tomb attributed to Emperor Nintoku is the largest. This kofun is so huge that it is even part of the top 3 of the largest tombs in the world with the great pyramid of Cheops and the tomb of the first Emperor of China. I have not found a reliable source that would confirm that it is THE biggest. Although lower than the other two, it is larger in area and overall volume. Located in the south of the Osaka plain, more precisely in the city of Sakai, the tumulus itself is 486 m long and about 35 m high. But if we add the triple moat that surrounds it, we reach 840 m in length! Researchers estimated that it took about 15 years and 8 months with 2000 men a day to build this monster. We are therefore in front of an exceptional monument. And Emperor Nintoku's kofun, while the largest, is not the only kofun on the Osaka Plain. In all, about 90 kofun have survived to the present day despite the very strong urbanization of the area, 49 of which are part of the classification. They are divided into two groups: Mozu's group and Furuichi's group. With kofun built from 350 CE, Furuichi's group is the oldest. There is the second largest kofun in Japan, the one attributed to Emperor Ôjin, considered the father of Nintoku. The tumulus is 425 m long with a maximum height of 36 m and is surrounded by a double moat. The Mozu group, on the other hand, was inaugurated by the tomb of Nintoku from about 400 CE . There is also the third largest kofun, the one attributed to Emperor Richû whose tumulus is 365 m long. Richû would be Nintoku's eldest son and successor , which is probably why the two tombs are close and aligned. This alignment of the two largest tombs of the group is moreover not insignificant because at the time of their construction, we could only see them from the sea. And, you can imagine, it is by the sea that he majority of travelers and envoys arrived from other parts of Japan and even from continental Asia (China or Korea). Because these gigantic tombs were built by the rulers of a kingdom called Yamato, located in the central region of present-day Japan and which is considered the embryo of Japan. Japan which did not yet exist at that time. So these tombs weren't for these kings only their final resting place, it was also a way to impress their subjects, their allies and even their enemies. It's me that has the biggest kkk….ofun, na! So these two groups of kofun have been classified as World Heritage for all these reasons: the age of the tombs (about 1600 years), the gigantism of some, testimony to one of the first kingdoms known in Japan. But back to Nintoku's kofun. It is therefore a zenpôkôenfun, a tumulus with a circular rear part and a quadrangular front part. In such a kofun, the main grave is dug in the center of the rear part. But his plan is a little more sophisticated than that: at the narrow part of the kofun there are also two small projections. Then comes the system of the triple moat in which are included two other small circular kofun. We will come back to it. It is the only known kofun with a triple moat. Other grand kofun may have a double but Nintoku is the only one of this type. The tumulus itself is made up of several layers of rammed earth, organized into three terraces to allow the stability of the work. And its entire surface is covered with a layer of pebbles that prevent the earth from being washed away due to runoff. And for those who have ever been to Japan in June (aka the rainy season), they know that it can rain in Japan! And for the others: going on vacation to Japan in June, until mid-July for that matter, is a very bad idea. Unless you like rain and humidity, of course. Anyway, back to our kofun. So Nintoku's kofun and all other kofun by extension looked like this originally and not like this as we can see them today. But over time, the maintenance was not done and trees grew. That said, I prefer them with trees these kofun. And you, what do you think ? As it is an imperial tomb, the Nintoku kofun has not been excavated by archaeologists, it is prohibited. Nevertheless, the archives tell us that in the 18th century a stone sarcophagus was found at the top of the circular part (so it was possibly that of Nintoku). Measuring approximately 3.20 m long and 1.67 m wide, it is the largest of its type known in Japan. But we don't have any more information. In 1872, a grave was also accidentally found on the quadrangular part of the kofun. Finding a second tomb there is no surprise as many great kofun have a second tomb. This tomb contained a stone sarcophagus in the form of a chest about 2.70 m long installed in a stone burial chamber. Inside we found a gilt bronze armor breastplate, it is also the only known example from this period. Glass containers have also been found there that would come from Western Asia. And for this question of glass found in tombs in Japan, I refer you to this video. This time, drawings were made and they came down to us. But not the objects nor the sarcophagus which were all reburied in the tomb and which must therefore still be there to this day. We do not know who could be this person buried on the same kofun as Emperor Nintoku but probably a relative. This is also the case of the two people buried in the two small circular kofun inserted between the second and third moats. The position of these two small tombs is unique in Japan. But these two tombs have not been excavated either, we do not have answers to our questions. We also know that there were haniwa on the Nintoku mound and on the two small kofun satellites because a few fragments have been found. The haniwa are clay figurines placed on the kofun and they have different functions. If you want to know more, I recommend the video I made on the subject. It is a man's head (the oldest known in Japan) and fragments of very large horses. There were also cylindrical haniwa lined up all around the mound. Their total number is estimated at around 20,000 cylindrical haniwa lined up all around the tomb. It really is the kofun of all records. And all for one man, possibly Emperor Nintoku. But in fact, who was he? It is not easy to answer this question since this emperor is known only in Japanese written sources written almost 300 years after his death. Some scholars even consider him to be a legendary emperor. Moreover Nintoku is not his real name, it is a posthumous name, a name which was given to him after his death at an indeterminate time and on the Chinese model (thus probably in the 8th century during the writing of the chronicles of the Japanese imperial family, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki). In these chronicles, he is called Oho-sazaki (or Ô-sasagi). But the content of these chronicles poses a problem. Already because they were written with the aim of justifying the power of the reigning family of Yamato, the first great kingdom of the Japanese archipelago which will then become Japan. These chronicles tell how the imperial family is descended from the gods and more specifically from the sun goddess Amaterasu. A large part of the accounts of the reigns of the ancestors of the 8th century emperors who wrote these chronicles is tinged with mythical deeds, divine interventions, etc. Moreover, these ancestors of the emperors of the 8th century are only called emperors a posteriori because there is no emperor in Japan before the end of the 7th century. Before that, the leaders of Yamato bear the title of Yamato okimi (great king of Yamato) and the Chinese texts call them "king of the Wa". The Wa being the name that the Chinese gave to the inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago at the time. Second problem, in the first half of the 5th century AD, so at the time of the construction of the Daisenryô, the kofun attributed much later to Nintoku, there was no writing in the Japanese archipelago. The first Japanese written chronicles telling the story of the imperial family, which I have just mentioned, were written respectively in 714 for the Kojiki and in 720 for the Nihon Shoki. Even if, a priori, they are drawn from more restricted sources and existing in the middle of the 6th century. But these sources have not reached us. And between the time in which Nintoku supposedly lived and the writing of these chronicles, approximately 300 years of oral tradition have passed. Moreover, in the Kojiki, if we are told that Nintoku lived 83 years, in the Nihon Shoki, he is attributed 87 years of reign, which implies that he lived approximately 132 years… I know well that Japan is famous for its life expectancy but still! There is also a little problem with the dates of his reign since according to the Nihon Shoki, he would have reigned in the 4th century AD while his tomb is supposed to date from the middle of the 5th century. And of this dating we are sure thanks to archaeology. So be careful with Japanese texts. If we look at contemporary Chinese texts, we have the mention for the 5th century of "5 kings of Wa", that is to say 5 kings of the Japanese archipelago, named San, Chin, Sei, Kô and Bu . These kings send emissaries and tributes to the Song court. Is Nintoku one of them? Scholars believe he could be King San or King Chin because the dates correspond to his reign considering that the Daisenryō is indeed his tomb and therefore Japanese chronicles are unreliable in terms of dates. Small positive point nevertheless in favor of a certain reliability of the account of Nintoku's life in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki (except these stories of dates of reign and longevity), it is that it is precisely from the reign of his father and his own reign that there are hardly any more divine interventions and other miracles in the stories. It would seem that the oral tradition up to the 8th century has preserved in memory above all facts that are quite possible and credible. So, what are we told about Nintoku, alias Ô-sasagi, in these texts? Well, he's been remembered as a good man, wise and caring for his people. His reign begins with a feud between the Crown Prince and himself as the Crown Prince (who is also his older half-brother) does not want to rule and gives the throne to Nintoku, who does not want it. The quarrel between the two lasts three years, each remaining on his positions, until the half-brother, to settle the problem, commits suicide and thus forces Nintoku to become king. Nice gift... A large part of the stories developed concern Nintoku's marital problems: like any king of the Wa, he has an official empress and many concubines. But the Empress is jealous of the concubines. So she puts misery on all her rivals and on her king of husbands. More interestingly, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki also tell us that it was under his reign that many canals were dug, thus making it possible to gain cultivable land through irrigation but also to better control the devastating floods of the rivers. Roads were laid out, ports fitted out. And all this corresponds to what is found on archaeological sites for the first half of the 5th century and after. At this time, Yamato was a kingdom in full political and economic development, boosted by the installation of craftsmen and other people from the continent (especially Korean kingdoms) and by its diplomatic relations with the continent. These relations, well attested in the Chinese chronicles of the Song dynasty, are also so in the Nihon Shoki. It was also during the reign of Nintoku, again according to the Nihon Shoki, that a Korean noble taught them falconry or that an envoy from Nintoku to the Korean kingdom of Baekje learned to write and, by extension, to maintain records of land demarcation and yield. The emperor would even have deprived himself of taxes for 3 years so that his then very poor people could prosper, dressing himself in rags and leaving his palace to half collapse for lack of money to make repairs. Nice like king! The Daisenryô, the largest kofun in Japan and probably the largest tomb in the world, is more than an exceptional monument which amply deserves its classification as a World Heritage Site. It is the witness of a key moment in the development of the kingdom of Yamato which will later become Japan. It symbolizes the power of the one who is still buried there and his elevation to the rank of divinity for his people. I hope you enjoyed this episode, do not hesitate to share, like and comment to make the channel known. Thank you for being more and more numerous to follow me, it's really nice. I quoted a number of my previous videos in this episode, all related or able to complete this one, I put the list in the description so that you can find your way around. With that, I'll tell you very soon for a next video and... take care of yourself.

Transcript for:Daisenryô Tomb and Emperor Nintoku Overview

Transcript for:
Daisenryô Tomb and Emperor Nintoku Overview