Yayoi Cemeteries on the Karatsu Plain, Close to Korea
The Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group (Hayamajiri Dolmen Group, Otomo Site, Morita Dolmen Group and Sakurababa Site) (唐津松浦墳墓群, Karatsu Matsuura Funbogun) brings together four Yayoi-period cemeteries in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, first designated a Historic Site in 1966 as the Hayamajiri Dolmen Group and enlarged and renamed in 2014.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs explains that in 2014 the Otomo Site, Morita Dolmen Group and Sakurababa Site were added to the Hayamajiri Dolmen Group, and the whole was renamed the Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group to protect the four together. The Agency records a further addition on 28 September 2023.
The Agency describes the Karatsu Plain in northwest Saga, from which the Genkai Sea leads north via Iki and Tsushima to the Korean Peninsula; the region's history and culture have always been shaped by contact with Korea.
The Four Sites
The Hayamajiri Dolmen Group lies on a hillside about 20 metres above sea level in the east of the plain. A jar burial with jasper beads found in 1951 led to excavation that revealed the dolmens, with jar coffins and grave pits beneath their capstones.
The Otomo Site is on the coast at the northern tip of the Higashimatsuura Peninsula, facing the Genkai Sea. Its Initial Yayoi dolmens have stone-lined pits beneath them, closer to Korean examples than other dolmens in northern Kyushu. Grave goods include bracelets of southern shells and beads.
The Morita Dolmen Group, on a hill above the plain, was surveyed jointly by Kyushu University and the French School of the Far East, which identified 16 dolmens. The Sakurababa Site, on a dune facing Karatsu Bay, was found by chance in 1944 when an air-raid shelter was dug; a jar burial yielded a Later Han mirror, a sword and bronze ornaments. Re-excavation in 2007 located that burial and added more than 2,400 beads.
Why It Matters: The Royal Tomb of Matsuro
The Agency notes that the Hayamajiri, Otomo and Morita sites show dolmens, a new way of burial adopted in the Initial and Early Yayoi periods.
The Karatsu Plain is identified with Matsuro, a country named in the Chinese chronicle known in Japan as the Gishi Wajinden. The Sakurababa Site is thought to be its royal tomb, allowing direct comparison with the royal tombs of Ito and Na named in the same text.
The Agency values the group for showing how new burial customs were adopted, how burial changed on the Karatsu Plain from the Early to the Late Yayoi period, and how burial practice varied within northern Kyushu.
Visiting the Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group
The Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group is spread over four locations in Karatsu. No official information on visiting conditions could be found.
Digging within the sites or removing finds is not permitted. Enquiries go to the Karatsu City board of education.
Q&A
- When was the Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group designated?
- It was designated in 1966 as the Hayamajiri Dolmen Group, then enlarged and renamed in 2014.
- Which sites make up the Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group?
- The Hayamajiri Dolmen Group, the Otomo Site, the Morita Dolmen Group and the Sakurababa Site.
- What is a dolmen?
- A burial marked by a large capstone set over the grave, a new custom on the Karatsu Plain in the Initial and Early Yayoi periods.
- Why is the Sakurababa Site important?
- It is thought to be the royal tomb of Matsuro, named in a Chinese chronicle, and yielded a Later Han mirror and bronze ornaments.
- Can I visit the Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group?
- The four sites are spread across Karatsu and no official visitor information was found; contact the Karatsu board of education.
Basic Information
| Name | Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group (Hayamajiri Dolmen Group, Otomo Site, Morita Dolmen Group and Sakurababa Site) (唐津松浦墳墓群) |
|---|---|
| Location | Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture |
| Designation | Historic Site |
| Year Designated | Designated 1966/12/19 (Showa 41); enlarged and renamed 2014 (Heisei 26); further addition 2023/9/28 (Reiwa 5) |
| Quantity | 4 sites |
| Dimensions | Designated area 8,875.83 square metres |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | No official visitor information found |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/2723
- Cultural Heritage Online: Karatsu Matsuura Tomb Group (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/139787
Last verified: 2026.09.28