A Decorated Tomb with Red Concentric Circles
The Shimobaba Kofun (下馬場古墳) is a round Kofun-period tomb at the northern foot of the Minou mountains in Kusano-machi, Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, which in 1944 was designated a Historic Site.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it under the criterion for shell mounds, settlements, tombs and similar sites; the designated area was enlarged in 2013.
The Agency calls it a notable decorated tomb, its chamber painted in red with concentric circles and other motifs.
Mound and Chamber
According to the designation text, it is a round mound on a terrace at the northern foot of the Minou mountains, about 70 shaku (about 21 metres) across and 18 shaku (about 5.5 metres) high, with a corridor-style stone chamber opening roughly west.
The chamber has a passage and a burial room divided into front and rear chambers. The rear chamber is about 11.6 shaku (about 3.5 metres) long, 6.7 shaku (about 2 metres) wide and 9 shaku (about 2.7 metres) high.
What to Look For
According to the Agency, red concentric circles and other motifs are painted on the back and side walls of the rear chamber and the side walls of the front chamber.
The Agency's photographs record the decoration on the back wall. The red concentric circles deep inside the two-room chamber are the tomb's defining feature.
Visiting the Shimobaba Kofun
No official information on access to the chamber could be found. Check with Kurume City, as access may be restricted to protect the paintings.
Q&A
- When was the Shimobaba Kofun designated?
- In 1944; the area was enlarged in 2013.
- What decoration does it have?
- Red concentric circles and other motifs painted on the chamber walls.
- How is the chamber built?
- A corridor-style chamber with front and rear rooms.
- How big is the mound?
- About 21 metres across and 5.5 metres high, per the designation text.
- Where is it?
- At the northern foot of the Minou mountains in Kusano, Kurume City.
Basic Information
| Name | Shimobaba Kofun (下馬場古墳) |
|---|---|
| Location | Kusano-machi, Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Historic Site |
| Year Designated | Designated 1944/11/7 (Showa 19); enlarged 2013 |
| Quantity | 1 tomb |
| Dimensions | About 70 shaku across and 18 shaku high (at designation) |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | No official visitor information found |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Shimobaba Kofun (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/2638
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shimobaba Kofun (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/191942
Last verified: 2026.09.28