Chikatsu-Asuka, an area in the southern part of Osaka Prefecture, has one of the best collections of tumuli (kofun) in Japan. There are over 200 mounds including four imperial tombs, the site of the tomb of Prince Shotoku and the tomb of Ono-no-Imoko. It was an important place at the start of Japanese history.
This is a museum for exhibiting and studying the kofun culture. In contrast to past museums, this will not be just a facility for exhibiting unearthed objects. As a part of a new endeavor, it will show the entire group of tumuli scattered over the area. For this reason, the building has been conceived as a hill from which one can see the entire excavated area.
The building was stepped up in order to provide a view of the surrounding area because it is in a basin.
Nearby are a grove of plum trees and a pond, and around it are paths over hills mentioned in the Fudoki. This museum is enveloped by a rich natural environment. In early spring, the plum blossoms are beautiful, in early summer there is the new greenery, and in autumn the foliage paints the area in vivid colors. The building will become a center of outdoor activity in this environment and will no doubt function as the nucleus of the region. The roof is a stepped plaza and will be used for drama and music festivals, various performances, and lectures.
Once inside the building, the darkness spreads.
The unearthed objects are exhibited in the same way that they were found in the tumuli. People experience the sensation of entering a kofun. A visit to the building represents a journey to the under-world of ancient times.
This is a place where the Japanese encounter their own history. It is also a tumulus built in the Heisei era and dedicated to the Japanese love of nature.
by Tadao Ando
