HANIWAThe Japanese also placed unglazed ceramic sculptures
called haniwa on and around the Kofun tumuli. These sculptures,
usually several feet in height, as is the warrior shown here (FIG. 8-5),
are distinctly Japanese. Compared with the Chinese terracotta sol-
diers and horses (FIG. 7-6) buried with the First Emperor of Qin,
these statues appear deceptively whimsical as variations on a cylin-
drical theme (hani means “clay”;wa means “circle”). Yet haniwa
sculptors skillfully adapted the basic clay cylinder into a host of
forms, from abstract shapes to objects, animals (for example, deer,
bears, horses, and monkeys), and human figures, such as warriors
and female shamans. These artists altered the shapes of the cylin-
ders, emblazoned them with applied ornaments, excised or built up
forms, and then painted the haniwa. The variety of figure types sug-
gests that haniwa functioned not as military guards but as a spiritual
barrier protecting both the living and the dead from contamination.The Japanese of the Kofun period set the statues both in curving
rows around the tumulus and in groups around a haniwa house
placed directly over the deceased’s burial chamber. Presumably, the
number of sculptures reflected the stature of the dead person. Em-
peror Nintoku’s tumulus had about 20,000 haniwa statues placed
around the mound.
SHRINE OF AMATERASU The religious system the Japa-
nese embraced during the Yayoi and Kofun eras is known as Shinto
(see “Shinto,” page 211). The Japanese imperial clan traces its origins
to the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu. Her shrine (FIG. 8-6) at Ise is
the most important Shinto religious center. The location, use, and
ritual reconstruction of this shrine every 20 years reflect the primary
characteristics of Shinto—sacred space, ritual renewal, and purifica-
tion. The Ise shrine is traditionally dated to the Kofun period. Many
scholars now favor a later date, but the shrine still serves as a repre-
sentative example of sacred architecture in ancient Japan. Although
Japanese shrine architecture varies tremendously, scholars believe
the Ise shrine preserves some of the very earliest design elements. Yet
the Ise shrine is unique. Because of its connection to the Japanese
imperial family, no other shrines may be constructed with the iden-
tical design. The original source for the form of the Ise complex’s
main hall appears to be Japanese granaries. Granaries were among
the most important buildings in Japan’s early agrarian society. Al-
though not every aspect of the Ise shrine is equally ancient, the three
main structures of the inner shrine convey some sense of Japanese
architecture before the introduction of Buddhism and before the de-
velopment of more elaborately constructed and adorned buildings.
Aside from the thatched roofs and some metallic decorations,
the sole construction material at Ise is wood, fitted together in a
mortise-and-tenon system, in which the builders slip the wallboards
into slots in the pillars. Two massive freestanding posts (once great
cypress trunks), one at each end of the main sanctuary, support
most of the weight of the ridgepole,the beam at the crest of the roof.
The golden-hued cypress columns and planks contrast in color and
texture with the white gravel covering the sacred grounds. The roof
was originally constructed of thatch, which was smoked, sewn into
bundles, and then laid in layers. The smooth shearing of the entire
surface produced a gently changing contour. Today, cypress bark
covers the roof. Decorative elements (originally having a structural
function) enhance the roofline and include chigi,extensions of the
rafters at each end of the roof, and katsuogi,wooden logs placed at
right angles across the ridgepole to hold the thatch of the roof in
place. The Amaterasu shrine highlights the connection, central to
Shinto, between nature and spirit. Not only are the construction ma-
terials derived from the natural world, but the shrine also stands at a
specific location where a kami is believed to have taken up residence.Buddhist Japan
In 552, according to traditional interpretation, the ruler of Paekche,
one of Korea’s Three Kingdoms (see Chapter 7), sent Japan’s ruler a
gilded bronze statue of the Buddha along with sutras (Buddhist
scriptures) translated into Chinese, at the time the written language
of eastern Asia. This event marked the beginning of the Asuka pe-
riod (552–645), when Japan’s ruling elite embraced major elements
of continental Asian culture that had been gradually filtering into
Japan. These cultural components became firmly established in
Japan and included Chinese writing, Confucianism (see “Daoism
and Confucianism,” Chapter 7, page 186), and Buddhism (see “Bud-
dhism and Buddhist Iconography,” Chapter 6, page 161). In 645 a210 Chapter 8 JAPAN BEFORE 13338-5Haniwa warrior, from Gunma Prefecture, Japan, Kofun period,
fifth to mid-sixth century. Low-fired clay, 4 31 – 4 high. Tokyo National
Museum, Tokyo.
During the Kofun period, the Japanese set up cylindrical clay statues
(haniwa) of humans, animals, and objects on burial tumuli. They served
as a protective spiritual barrier between the living and the dead.1 ft.