Kofun period

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/kofun-period

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What were kofun and why were they built?Kofun were giant burial mounds made of earth and stone. They were built as final resting places for Japan’s powerful leaders and to show their strength and family ties.
2. Why were some kofun so huge?Some kofun could be hundreds of meters long and needed many workers to build. Their size showed how much power and resources the leaders had.

Kofun Jidai: The Japanese name for the Kofun period, emphasizing its characteristic burial mounds.
Yamato Polity: The early state or political entity centered around the Yamato clan in ancient Japan.
Cultural Diffusion: The spread of cultural beliefs, social activities, and innovations from one group to another.
Nihon Shoki: An early Japanese chronicle compiled in 720 AD, offering historical accounts but requiring critical analysis.