Trip report – Masuda Iwafune 2025

Hi all I noticed somebody posted about this place so I wanted to add my trip report!

• I went here in October and it was everything I dreamt of and more. It's a bit difficult to find but I was helped by a local school boy on his bike during late Japanese summer. The heat was coming down hard. The sun was starting to set, he warned me of snakes in the area, and I took his advise, being on the look out.

I eventually found the entrance and wondered up a small hill. The air was rather still, the cracking of bamboo overhead made me quite jumpy. After stumbling up the path and absolutely sweating my balls off, I was struck with the sheer size of this object. It towered above me. I stuck my thumbs behind my rucksack and stood under this object. The chisel marks I ran my fingers across.

I was astounded how big this was. I climbed the hill slightly above it to see the holes cut out above. I took a few photos with my camera which I hope has uploaded. I'll try to upload a video too of me there.

Thanks!

Just for the record I think it's kofun.

You can clearly see the attempts to chisel away at the stone. I think whoever started to make this had very impressive skill. Wether it is kofun, or perhaps older can be debated.