Minegazuka Kofun and Daigo-ji

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Minegazuka Kofun

   East of the great ranges, the Osaka plain narrows toward the Yamato river, and this is where the old tomb country of the Furuichi group begins. Minegazuka is one of the burial mounds scattered through the districts of Habikino, Fujiidera and Kashiwara, all of them tucked into a landscape that is now mostly suburbs, vineyards and small factories. These monuments belong to the same fifth-century family of tombs as the ones around Sakai, and together the two clusters make up a single World Heritage property. The largest mound in this neighbourhood, close by in Habikino, is the tomb traditionally given to the emperor Ojin, one of the largest mounds in the country by volume.

   Read the complete Minegazuka Kofun write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Minegazuka Kofun is where the day begins. Next is Gangô-ji.

2. 2. Gangô-ji

   Nara lives in the shadow of its grand temples, Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji, but Gango-ji is the one with the best sense of age. It started life in Asuka, in the late sixth century, as Asuka-dera, the first true Buddhist temple in Japan, founded by the powerful Soga clan. When the capital moved to Heijo-kyo in the early eighth century, the monks followed, and the temple was rebuilt on a new site in what is now the Naramachi district, with some of the original roof tiles carried across the plain and reused. You can still pick out the older, darker tiles on the roof of the main hall, a faint line of continuity across thirteen centuries.

   Read the complete Gangô-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Gangô-ji comes up about 32 km into the recorded legs. Next is Daigo-ji.

3. 3. Daigo-ji

   The oldest building in Kyoto does not stand in the city centre but in the southeastern hills, at the temple of Daigo-ji: a five storey pagoda completed in 951, which has survived fires, earthquakes and wars that destroyed almost everything else of its age in the city. The temple was founded in the ninth century on Mount Daigo, and its grounds spread from the foot of the mountain to the summit, linked by a steep path, with halls, gardens and sub temples along the way. It is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage Site.

   Read the complete Daigo-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 68 km into the recorded legs you reach Daigo-ji. Next is back through Gangô-ji.

4. 4. back through Gangô-ji

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Gangô-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Gangô-ji, late in the day. Next is Minegazuka Kofun.

5. 5. Minegazuka Kofun

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Minegazuka Kofun write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Minegazuka Kofun. That is the ride.