National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

Although it is believed that this epitaph was excavated from the ridge of a hill located alongside the Yoshino River, the details are unknown. The surface of the reed-shaped gold copper plate has an outer border and the peripheral edge has fish-roe patterns. According to the three-line epitaph inscribed on the plate, it was made for Yamashiro no Masaka from Yamashirogou, Ishikawa-gun, Kawachi province (in the region of today's southeastern Minamikawachi-gun, Osaka), who passed away on November 25, 728 (Boshinnen) and his wife Kaya no Ikimi Akiba, who passed away on June 14, 722. He had served four emperors since serving Emperor Monmu. According to the family register in the "Shosoin Monjyo" (721) and considering the fact that Boshinnen is the year 728 and Jinjutsunen is the year 722, Akiba's ashes were relocated to Masaka's grave.