13 Historic sites in Tottori worth your time

Explore an ancient settlement and burial ground from the Yayoi and Kofun periods.

What it is

• A settlement and complex ruin from ancient Japan.
• Dates from the late Yayoi to mid-Kofun period.
• Designated as a National Historic Site.
• Discovered during excavations in 1966-1968.

What to see

• 217 structures detected over a large area.
• Pit dwellings, pit graves, kofun, and horizontal tombs.
• About 35,000 unearthed artifacts.
• Pottery, stone tools, and unique items.
• Artifacts displayed at the Fukuichi Archaeological Museum.
• The adjacent Aoki Site.

Read more about Fukuichi Site

Explore the ruins of an ancient provincial office, a National Historic Site with excavated buildings and artifacts.

What it is

• Site of a provincial government office under the Ritsuryo system.
• Designated as a National Historic Site.
• Otomo Yakamochi served as the provincial governor here.

What to see

• Foundations of over 10 pillar-supported buildings.
• Two ancient wells.
• Artifacts including stone belts, inkstones, and wooden tablets.
• Central structures dating from the early Heian period.

Getting there

• About 10 kilometers east of Tottori City.

Read more about Inaba provincial office

Explore an extensive archaeological site spanning millennia, revealing ancient Japanese life and significant discoveries.

What it is

• A complex archaeological site, known as the 'Yayoi Underground Museum'.
• Spans from the Jomon to Heian periods.
• Designated a National Historic Site in 2008.
• Known as a Yayoi period settlement site.

What to see

• Numerous pit dwellings and pits.
• Paddy fields in low-wetland areas.
• Shore protection facilities made of cedar planks.
• An eastern ditch where over 5,300 human bones were found.
• Discoveries include three Yayoi period brains.

Read more about Aoyakamiji Site

Explore a 6th-century burial mound with a unique multi-chambered stone interior.

What it is

• A kofun, an ancient burial mound.
• Built late 6th to early 7th century.
• Designated a Tottori Prefecture historic site in 1991.

What to see

• Multi-chambered horizontal stone burial chamber.
• Chamber opens to the southwest.
• Cut andesite stones form the chamber walls.
• Back wall of the main chamber is a single stone.
• Carved-out stone entrance gate.
• Main chamber is 3.6m long, 2m wide, 2.4m high.

Read more about Idekami Iwaya Kofun

Explore a 7th-century burial mound with a unique stone passage tomb.

What it is

• An ancient burial mound, dating to the early 7th century.
• Part of the Hahaki Jinja Kofun Group.
• Designated a Tottori Prefecture Historic Site since 1956.

What to see

• A circular mound, 35 meters in diameter and 4 meters high.
• A cut-stone horizontal passage tomb.
• The stone chamber is 9.5 meters long.
• The main chamber is 2.9 meters long, 2.2 meters wide, 2.2 meters high.

Address

倉吉市福庭 Map

Official site

db.pref.tottori.jp

Read more about Fukuba Kofun

Explore a large Yayoi settlement on a hill, offering insights into ancient Japanese life.

What it is

• A large Yayoi period settlement.
• Designated a National Historic Site.
• Discovered during resort development plans.
• Operated from late Middle Yayoi to early Kofun period.

What to see

• 395 pit dwellings and 502 pillar-supported buildings.
• Twenty-four Yayoi burial mounds.
• Artifacts: pottery, stone tools, iron tools, broken mirrors.
• Views over Miho Bay from the hill.

Read more about Mukibanda Site

Explore a 6th-century keyhole-shaped burial mound, a National Historic Site with excavated artifacts.

What it is

• A keyhole-shaped burial mound, part of the Mukouyama Kofun Group.
• Designated as a National Historic Site.
• Built in the late 6th century.

What to see

• A 52-meter long keyhole-shaped burial mound.
• The rear circular part has a 30-meter diameter.
• The front rectangular part is 20 meters wide.
• Excavated artifacts are at Kami-Yodohakuho-no-oka Exhibition Hall.

Read more about Iwaya Kofun

Explore a unique scallop-shaped burial mound from the 6th century, revealing ancient treasures.

What it is

• A scallop-shell shaped burial mound.
• Part of the Mukouyama Kofun Group.
• Built around the mid-6th century.
• Not a designated historic site.

What to see

• The scallop-shell shape of the kofun.
• A 10.3-meter long horizontal stone chamber.
• A small stone coffin discovered in 1901.
• Reported iron swords and spears.
• A gilt bronze crown found in the coffin.

Official site

www.city.yonago.lg.jp

Read more about Chōjaganaru Kofun

Explore this 7th-century circular burial mound, a National Historic Site revealing ancient regional connections.

What it is

• A kofun, or ancient burial mound, from the early 7th century.
• Part of the Mukōyama Kofun Group in Kurayoshi City.
• Designated a National Historic Site since 1931.

What to see

• A circular mound, 18 meters in diameter and 6 meters high.
• A cut-stone double-sleeved horizontal stone chamber.
• A stone enclosure inside the chamber, similar to Kyushu designs.

Official site

db.pref.tottori.jp

Read more about Sanmyōji Kofun

Sagiyama Kofun is a circular burial mound with rare ancient line drawings.

What it is

• A tumulus, a type of ancient burial mound.
• Designated a historic site by Tottori Prefecture.
• Discovered in 1966.
• Dates to the late 6th century.

What to see

• A circular mound, 10 meters in diameter.
• A horizontal stone burial chamber.
• Chamber entrance faces south.
• Many line drawings on the chamber walls.
• A large fish drawing, 1.2 meters long.

Address

鳥取市国府町町屋 Map

Read more about Sagiyama Kofun

Explore an ancient archaeological site spanning the Yayoi to Nara periods.

What it is

• A complex archaeological site.
• Spans from the middle Yayoi period to the Nara period.
• Discovered during excavations from 1971 to 1977.
• Designated a National Historic Site.

What to see

• Over 1,000 detected remains.
• Pit dwellings and pillar-supported buildings.
• Storage pits and early Kofun tombs.
• Excavated pottery, stone tools, and ironware.

Read more about Aoki Site

Explore an ancient burial mound, one of Japan's oldest, revealing early Kofun period history.

What it is

• An ancient burial mound, a kofun, from the early 4th century.
• Designated as a Kurayoshi City historic site.
• One of the oldest kofun in the eastern Hoki region.

What to see

• A 50-meter long burial mound, partially damaged.
• A clay coffin burial facility in the posterior part.
• Excavated artifacts: three bronze mirrors, many iron implements.

Read more about Kokubunji Kofun

Yamagahana Kofun is a rare 7th-century square burial mound with a unique stone coffin.

What it is

• A kofun, or ancient burial mound.
• Part of the Furumi Kofun Group.
• Dates to the mid-7th century.
• Designated a Tottori Prefecture Historic Site in 1991.

What to see

• Presumed to be a square-shaped kofun.
• Located on a ridge end along the Nosaka River.
• A horizontal-entry stone coffin made of tuff.
• The stone coffin opens to the south.

Read more about Yamagahana Kofun