Ishibutai Kofun

An Asuka-period tomb stripped of its earth mound, its giant stones laid bare. Walk into a chamber of 30-odd boulders and feel 1,400-year-old engineering.

A "stone stage" laid bare

Ishibutai Kofun is an ancient tomb in Asuka village, Nara Prefecture. A kofun is a burial mound: a tomb built for a powerful figure in ancient Japan by piling up earth.

Kofun are normally covered in earth, but at Ishibutai the mound has gone completely, leaving the huge stones of the sekishitsu (the stone chamber where the body was laid) exposed. The top of the ceiling stone is broad and flat and looks like a stage, which is how it came to be called Ishibutai, "stone stage".

It is thought to have been built in the early 7th century. No one knows who was buried here, but the leading theory is that it is the tomb of Soga no Umako, head of a powerful clan who held great power at the time.

Giant stones weighing about 2,300 tonnes

The chamber is built from 30-odd huge stones with an estimated total weight of about 2,300 tonnes; the largest ceiling stone alone weighs about 77 tonnes. It feels all the more powerful when you imagine how, in an age without heavy machinery, people moved and stacked stones like these.

The original tomb was a hofun (a square burial mound) about 50m on each side, surrounded by a moat. Excavations that began in 1933 confirmed this shape. It is a designated national Special Historic Site.

You can walk inside the chamber and look up at the enormous ceiling stone from below. There are steps into the chamber, so wheelchairs cannot go inside it.

Getting there and nearby

The tomb stands at the centre of the Ishibutai area of Asuka Historical National Government Park, surrounded by a lawn. From Asuka Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line, take the Asuka loop bus (Nara Kotsu) and get off at the Ishibutai stop; it is right there.

There is an admission fee; check the Asuka village tourism association's information for opening hours and prices. There is also a paid car park.

Tips

• Tombs and archaeological sites are dotted all over Asuka village. Ishibutai Kofun is part of Asuka Historical National Government Park, so it is worth planning a full day to take in the sights around it too.
• There are several flights of steps around the stone chamber, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Pets are not allowed.

Sources

• 石舞台古墳 | 国営飛鳥歴史公園 (opens in a new tab)
• 石舞台地区の主な見どころ | 国営飛鳥歴史公園 (opens in a new tab)
• 石舞台古墳（国指定特別史跡）| 明日香村 (opens in a new tab)
• 石舞台古墳 | 公益財団法人 古都飛鳥保存財団 (opens in a new tab)
• 石舞台古墳 | 明日香村観光協会 (opens in a new tab)

Updated 30 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.