The tombs take the form of tumuli or earthen mounds piled over stone chambers as well as caves excavated from the living rock.
The decoration may be on the inner walls, on stone screens, on sarcophagi or, in the case of cave tombs, around the entrance on the exterior.
Of the 161,560 ancient burials identified to date, around two hundred and fifty are so decorated.
[1][2][3][4][note 1] Decorative motifs include the chokkomon (an X-shape forming triangular zones that intersect irregular curves), circles, concentric circles, triangles, human figures, horses, birds, boats, swords, shields, and quivers.
[5][note 2] This list is of the decorated kofun of ancient Japan, located in Fukuoka prefecture.