About
In a corner of a residential area in Higashi-Iko, Adachi Ward, stands the Shirahatatsuka Kofun, quietly transcending the flow of time. This round burial mound, approximately 12 meters in diameter and 2.5 meters in height, is estimated to have been constructed between the 5th and 6th centuries. In the past, this area was dotted with many burial mounds such as Suribachizuka, Kabutotsuka, and Funayamazuka, forming the Iko Kofun Group. However, swept away by waves of urban development, today only the Shirahatatsuka Kofun quietly retains its form. (city.adachi.tokyo.jp)
The name of this mound originates from a legend that Minamoto no Yoshiie and his father Yoriyoshi, on their way to suppress a rebellion in Oshu, stopped at this place and raised a white flag on the mound. Later, the Shirahata Shrine was enshrined atop the mound, becoming an object of faith for local people. However, as times changed, a custom arose of avoiding approaching the mound, and the shrine eventually fell into disuse. (tesshow.jp)
Currently, the Shirahatatsuka Kofun has been developed as the Shirahatatsuka Historic Site Park. Within the park, there are haniwa (clay figure) objects and stone monuments engraved with ancient characters representing the four cardinal directions, conveying the breath of ancient times to visitors. Additionally, the seven flowers of autumn are planted, each accompanied by related tanka poems, creating a space where history and nature are harmoniously integrated. (city.adachi.tokyo.jp)
A moat encircles the mound, and at its center stands the Shirahata Shrine. In the past, six cedar trees known as "Ropponsugi" towered atop the mound, but they withered away by around 1935 (Showa 10), and now pine trees have taken their place. (adachikanko.net)
The Shirahatatsuka Kofun quietly passes down history amid the bustle of the city. Visitors can feel the ancient wind here and let their thoughts drift to stories from long ago. Standing on this ground, one feels as if time momentarily stops, enveloped in a mysterious sensation where past and present intersect.