“Kibi no Makibi,” the namesake of the place name Mabi.
Even though I knew his name, I didn’t know much about what he did or how he was connected to Mabi.
However, at the March 2026 Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku lecture, I heard fascinating stories about Mabi’s rich and intriguing history and archaeological sites, including sites where many artifacts have been found, and why Kibi no Makibi risked his life to travel to Tang China.
In this article, I introduce the lecture’s content, including stories about the many important archaeological sites in Mabi and Kibi no Makibi.
The information presented is current as of the article’s publication in April 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku?
Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku is a lecture series held on the second Thursday of every month, focusing on the history and culture of the Bitchu and Kurashiki regions. It marked its 20th anniversary in 2025, and this was the 201st lecture.
It is open to everyone, with no advance registration required and no admission fee. For dates and lecture details, please check the official website.
The venue is Kurashiki Community Center, in the Bikan Historical Area. The striking white-walled building is near the Ohara Museum of Art and the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery. Many people gathered at the venue, showing how much interest there was.
The theme: “Mabi’s Archaeological Sites and Kibi no Makibi”
This lecture was given by Fujiwara Noriyoshi of the Kurashiki City Cultural Properties Protection Division and Japan Heritage Promotion Office.
What are kofun? / Ancient Kibi
The ancient Kingdom of Kibi refers to a vast region comprising present-day Okayama Prefecture (Bizen, Bitchu, and Mimasaka) and eastern Hiroshima Prefecture (Bingo).
Facing the warm Seto Inland Sea, with three major rivers and broad plains, Kibi was ideal for rice cultivation and is thought to have wielded considerable power in ancient times.
A kofun is a tomb built for an ancient powerful figure between the 3rd and 7th centuries.
Kofun were ranked according to their shape and size; for example, keyhole-shaped kofun were considered prestigious. Similarly, even if a tomb was built for a king by piling up earth, if it dates from the Yayoi period, it is not called a “kofun” but a “Yayoi burial mound.” Kurashiki’s Tatetsuki Site is a Yayoi burial mound.
A prime example of Kibi’s prosperity is the presence of large kofun.
Ancient Kibi had Tsukuriyama Kofun, the fourth-largest in Japan by mound length, and Sakuzan Kofun, the tenth-largest. The Imperial Household Agency manages all other kofun ranked among the largest in Japan as imperial tombs.
This shows that ancient Kibi wielded great power, second only to Yamato.
Kibi’s rebellions and the expansion of the Yamato court
However, in the latter half of the 5th century, Kibi rebelled against the Yamato court three times and was defeated each time.
The first rebellion was sparked by a cockfight.
A Kibi chieftain pitted chickens representing Yamato and Kibi against each other. When the Yamato side won, he became angry and beheaded the chicken, which was deemed treason and led to his suppression.
The second was sparked when Emperor Yuryaku took a liking to one of his vassal’s wives and demanded that she be handed over. The vassal refused, so the emperor sent him to the Korean Peninsula with troops. While he was away, the emperor took his wife, prompting a rebellion that was put down.
In the third rebellion, the son born to the abducted wife and Emperor Yuryaku rebelled after the emperor’s death, seeking the throne, but failed.
In this way, Kibi lost its power, and no more giant kofun were built there.
In the 4th and 5th centuries, there were giant kofun hundreds of meters long, but by the 6th century they had disappeared.
Notable archaeological sites in Mabi
The area around Mabi, where the Shimotsumichi clan—a family of Kibi chieftains whose power had waned—are said to have settled, is home to a cluster of ancient archaeological sites.
These include the Kuromiya Otsuka Yayoi-period burial mound, with its stone burial chamber built underground; Tengu-yama Kofun, which offers a panoramic view of the Mabi plain from its summit; and Shobuza Kofun, where armor, weapons, and horse gear were unearthed intact from an unlooted tomb. These nationally significant sites are scattered throughout this small town.
The most notable is the Yata Otsuka Burial Mound.
Its stone burial chamber is 19.1 meters long, about the same size as—or possibly larger than—the Ishibutai Kofun in Nara, making it one of Okayama Prefecture’s three largest megalithic tombs. The hilt ornament of a sword unearthed there was gold-plated, a striking testament to the level of technology possessed by local chieftains in ancient times.
Also, after the Kofun period ended, rulers began building temples. There are three temple sites in Mabi dating to the early Asuka period. They were built in locations where they could be seen by ships arriving from the sea.
It is thought that temples may have been used not only to display power, but also as a cover for protecting wealth.
Why did Kibi no Makibi risk his life to travel to Tang China?
With this historical background in mind, we heard about the course of Kibi no Makibi’s life.
Born in 695, Kibi no Makibi was a descendant of the Shimotsumichi clan.
His father was a government official in the capital of Nara, but they were not a powerful clan among the many aristocrats there. It is thought that, faced with the gap between his family’s pride as a clan that had once ruled Kibi and the reality of life in the capital, Kibi no Makibi decided to risk his life studying abroad in Tang China after his father told him, “Even if you succeed me, your chances of rising any further are slim.”
After spending about 19 years in the Tang capital of Chang’an, absorbing a wide range of knowledge in Confucianism, mathematics, music, military strategy, and other fields, Kibi no Makibi returned to Japan. He earned the trust of the crown prince, who would later become emperor, as his tutor. On his second trip to Tang China, he was also involved in bringing the eminent monk Ganjin back to Japan.
Although his life was turbulent—he was demoted to Dazaifu by his political rival Fujiwarano Nakamaro—he ultimately rose to the number-two position, behind the Minister of the Right and the Minister of the Left. His rise to such heights despite coming from a local chieftain family is thought to have been made possible by the knowledge he acquired in Tang China.
Archaeological sites in Mabi worth visiting
The lecture also covered the Tatetsuki Site and the Yamatai Kingdom, among other topics. The history of Japan beginning in Kibi is fascinating, and I was surprised to learn that Kurashiki and Mabi have such an interesting and rich history.
After the lecture, I wanted to explore Mabi’s archaeological sites on foot. I’m sure that visiting with what I learned about Kibi no Makibi in mind would let me see the area in a whole new light.
Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku is held on the second Thursday of every month, and is free to attend with no registration required. Why not learn about the history and culture of the region?
Articles about Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku
Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku, 201st Session: “Mabi’s Archaeological Sites and Kibi no Makibi: Japanese History Begins in Kibi” — Information
| Name | Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku, 201st Session: “Mabi’s Archaeological Sites and Kibi no Makibi: Japanese History Begins in Kibi” |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, March 12, 2026 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Kurashiki Community Center |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Bitchu Kurashiki-gaku |
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