Wolgye-dong Long Drum Tomb

A Japanese-style ancient tomb, a keyhole-shaped tumulus located in Gwangju

Hello, Gwangju City has long flourished as the center of Jeollanam-do in the southwest of Korea. About 10 kilometers from Gwangju Bus Terminal, there is a Japanese-style ancient tomb, a keyhole-shaped tumulus, which was actively built in ancient Japan. In Korea, it is called a jangko tomb because it resembles the jangko, a traditional Korean musical instrument shaped like a gourd.

In conjunction with the creation of the Gwangju High-Tech Science and Industry Zone, the Wolgye-dong Janggo Tomb was excavated in 1993 and 1995. Although much of the tomb has been lost due to grave robbery and cultivation of the surrounding area, gold earrings, iron arrowheads, fragments of earthenware, and cylindrical earthenware have been unearthed from the two tombs, making them valuable materials for research into Baekje society at the time and cultural exchange between ancient Korea and Japan. The restored No. 2 tomb is 1 meters long and 45.3 to 2.8 meters high.

Tomb No. 2 is larger than Tomb No. 1, and its stone chamber was apparently used as an air-raid shelter during the Korean War (1950-1953). However, the entrance to the chamber is currently locked in order to preserve and manage the tomb, and viewing hours are also limited.

Compared to other keyhole-shaped tombs in Jeolla Province, centered around Gwangju, this one is located in a place with very convenient transportation access, so it is worth a visit for those who are interested in the history of South Jeolla Province.