During Japan’s Kofun period, from 300 to 710, the dead were laid to rest in massive burial mounds filled with goods meant for the afterlife. Surrounding these tombs stood haniwa — clay cylinders that evolved into sculpted figures of people, animals, and objects.
Archaeologists say they served as grave markers and offerings. In some traditions, the figurines were even believed to imprison the souls of the dead.
Discovery of the “Dancing People”
The Tokyo National Museum houses two of the most striking examples, known as the “Dancing People” or “Haniwa Terracotta Dancers.” The pair was uncovered in 1930 during an excavation of a cemetery in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo. Experts date them to about 1,500 years ago.
From simple clay to elaborate forms
Museum researchers note that haniwa began as simple cylinders but evolved into increasingly elaborate forms across the centuries. Thousands have been found across Japan, revealing the importance of ritual and symbolism in burial customs.
The sculptures ranged from warriors and farmers to houses, boats, and animals, offering a snapshot of daily life alongside spiritual belief.
Simple forms with powerful meaning
The “Dancing People” figures are notable for their stark simplicity. Their eyes and mouths are hollow, giving the impression of wide-open expressions. Thin, stick-like arms curve outward, and their torsos rest on cylindrical bases tied with narrow belts.
One of the most famous of the unearthed Haniwa is the so-called Haniwa Dancing People. Scholars say the Dancing People epitomize the approach to sculpture taken during the Kofun Era, which captured people’s forms loosely instead of realistically. pic.twitter.com/NsRdoErrj9
— Unseen Japan (@UnseenJapanSite) October 27, 2024
Their posture and open mouths have led some experts to interpret them as singers or dancers, possibly performing at funerals or religious ceremonies.
Scholars debate their identity
Archaeologists continue to debate their identity. In a 2008 study, archaeologist Yoshio Negita proposed that the pair represents a man and a woman. He pointed to the smaller figure, which bears clay additions on the side of the head resembling a peasant hairstyle, suggesting it could be a male farmer.
In 2007, archaeologist Yoshimichi Tsukada offered an alternative interpretation, arguing that the figures may depict two male herders holding the reins of horses.
Guardians of the afterlife
While their exact meaning is uncertain, the figurines reflect the broader role of haniwa in ancient Japanese beliefs about life and death. Their placement around tombs reinforced boundaries between the living and the dead.
In Japan’s sixth-century Kofun period, haniwa, clay sculptures once used in burial rites, reveal a haunting connection to the past, with the iconic “Dancing People” hinting at ancient rituals that celebrate life and death alike. pic.twitter.com/otNLHeW5wc
— Nyra Kraal (@NyraKraal) September 1, 2025
The idea that some may have trapped the souls of the deceased points to the powerful spiritual role these objects held in funerary culture.
From ancient tombs to modern culture
Their legacy has also reached modern times. In the video game Animal Crossing, players unearth objects called “gyroids,” which in the Japanese version are named “haniwa.” The playful forms are directly inspired by the ancient clay sculptures that once guarded tombs.
Nearly a century after their discovery, the “Dancing People” remain a haunting reminder of how ancient Japan imagined the afterlife, with clay figures standing watch, their hollow eyes perhaps guarding, or even holding, the souls of the dead.
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