Stones and Temples of Asuka: From Shobuike Kofun Burial Mound to Mausoleum of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito, Kame-ishi Stone, Kawara-dera Temple, and Tachibana-dera Temple

This walking course exploring the stones and temples of Asuka takes you from Kintetsu Okadera Station to view the sarcophagi of Shobuike Kofun Burial Mound through a fence, pay respects at the joint resting place of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito, gaze upon Kame-ishi Stone in the rice fields, and visit Kawara-dera Temple Site and Tachibana-dera Temple facing each other across a prefectural road.

History and Regional Appeal

On this route, you will visit 7th-century Asuka tombs, temples, and mysterious stone monuments in sequence. Shobuike Kofun Burial Mound is a square burial mound dating to the mid-7th century. Two house-shaped stone sarcophagi are placed inside the stone chamber, though the identity of the interred remains unknown. Theories suggest it could belong to imperial family members or members of the Soga clan, with some pointing to the possibility that they are the sarcophagi of Soga no Emishi and Soga no Iruka.

The Mausoleum of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito holds Emperor Tenmu alongside his consort, Empress Jito, who later constructed Fujiwara-kyo. The Nihon Shoki records that construction of the Ouchi mausoleum began in 687. Emperor Tenmu was buried using traditional methods practiced since the Kofun period, while Empress Jito is considered the first Japanese emperor to be cremated. This single tomb reflects a shift in burial customs.

Among the temples, Kawara-dera Temple and Tachibana-dera Temple face each other across the prefectural road. Kawara-dera Temple is said to have been founded by Emperor Tenji for his mother, Empress Saimei, and was counted among the four great temples during the reign of Emperor Monmu. Tachibana-dera Temple has strong ties to Prince Shotoku; according to temple tradition, the prince was born at a palace that once stood on this site. In the rice fields to the west of the two temples lies Kame-ishi Stone, whose original purpose remains unknown. The Asuka-period remains of Shobuike Kofun Burial Mound, Kawara-dera Temple Site, and Tachibana-dera Temple are included in the World Heritage site "Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara."

Highlights

• ​Shobuike Kofun Burial Mound​​: A burial mound where visitors on site can view inside the burial chamber of the corridor-style stone chamber through a fence. Two house-shaped stone sarcophagi, hollowed out from Tatsuyama stone quarried in what is now Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture, are placed one behind the other in a single line. The lids of the coffins are shaped like hipped roofs, and lacquer was applied only to the interiors of the coffins, attracting attention as an unprecedented type of stone sarcophagus.
• ​Mausoleum of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito​​: An imperial mausoleum managed by the Imperial Household Agency; visitors cannot enter the grounds and instead offer prayers from the worship area. While it appears round from the outside, its actual mound shape is octagonal. It aligns directly south of Suzaku-oji Avenue, the central axis of Fujiwara Palace, demonstrating that the tomb and the palace were developed in an integrated manner.
• ​Kame-ishi Stone​​: A stone monument utilizing a massive granite boulder with an estimated weight of 40 tons, retaining its natural rock surface. Legend has it that it was sculpted to memorialize turtles that died after Taima, on the opposite shore, took the water from the lake, and it is said that if it ever faces west toward Taima, the Yamato Basin will become a lake. It currently faces southwest.
• ​Kawara-dera Temple Site​​: A temple precinct once measuring approximately 333 meters from north to south, laid out in a "one-pagoda, two-golden-halls" plan. The central precinct has been developed with reconstructed platforms and exposed foundation stones on display. In the precinct of Gufuku-ji Temple, which stands on the site of the Central Golden Hall, marble foundation stones known as "agate stones" remain.
• ​Tachibana-dera Temple​​: To the left of the Taishi-den main hall stands the Nimenseki (Two-Faced Stone), an Asuka-period stone sculpture whose two faces on the left and right are said to represent the dual nature of good and evil in the human heart. The coffered ceiling of the Ojo-in Hall is adorned with 260 floral paintings. The central foundation stone of a five-story pagoda remaining beside the approach preserves the memory of the temple's grand scale at its founding.

Suggested Route & Travel Time

The recommended time is about 4 hours, covering a walking distance of approximately 3 kilometers. From Kintetsu Okadera Station, it takes about 20 minutes on foot to reach Shobuike Kofun Burial Mound. The stone chamber is protected by a shelter; you open the viewing door yourself and view the inside of the burial chamber through a fence.

Walking south from the burial mound for about 470 meters brings you to the Mausoleum of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito. If walking from Kintetsu Asuka Station, it takes about 17 minutes to the mausoleum. After paying your respects at the worship area, head northeast for about 440 meters toward Kame-ishi Stone. A detour approximately 260 meters west of the mausoleum to Oni-no-Setchin lets you view it together with Oni-no-Manaita, situated just across the path.

From Kame-ishi Stone, it is about 580 meters east to Kawara-dera Temple Site. Walk north from the remains of the South Great Gate near the prefectural road, passing through the traces of the Middle Gate, the Pagoda, and the West Golden Hall to proceed to Gufuku-ji Temple on the site of the Central Golden Hall. After exploring Kawara-dera Temple Site, walk south for about 250 meters across the prefectural road to Tachibana-dera Temple. On the grounds, look for the statue of the black horse said to have carried Prince Shotoku between Ikaruga Palace and Asuka.

For the return trip, board the Asuka Loop Bus (Akakame) at the "Kawara" bus stop, a 3-minute walk from Tachibana-dera Temple. Akakame is a bus that loops between Kintetsu Kashiharajingu-mae Station and Asuka Station. If you have extra time, you can also extend your walk about 830 meters east-southeast from Tachibana-dera Temple to Ishibutai Kofun Burial Mound.

Experience Summary

A burial mound thought by some to possibly house sarcophagi of the Soga clan; the resting place of Empress Jito, regarded as the first Japanese emperor to be cremated; and the enigmatic Kame-ishi Stone, its purpose and creator unknown. Add to these Kawara-dera Temple, which flourished as an imperial prayer temple, and Tachibana-dera Temple, said by tradition to be the birthplace of Prince Shotoku. Along a route of just a few kilometers, the mysteries and prayers of 7th-century Asuka are brought together. At Kame-ishi Stone, compare the western direction of legendary Taima with the southwest direction the turtle currently faces.