Cultural Heritage of Hibikini City

The Abroad Grade 5. along with some elementary students from a few different schools around Habikino,  went to view the ancient burial mounds at Habikino, Osaka. The class learned that the mounds were constructed in the 5th century and that only some of them have been excavated. Many are now protected as world heritage sites. The class was able to view the clay artifacts, such as coffins and statues of animals and buildings,  in a small museum. 

After viewing the mounds, the students experienced haniwa making. Haniwa is a blanket term to cover all the clay artifacts found in these tombs. Instructors worked with the students and showed them how to layer the clay and how to add details that wouldn’t fall off when the clay was later fired. Most students chose to make class statues of little people, but they could also have worked on horses or replicas of the coffins found in the mounds. 

It was a very fun trip overall.