Where did the kofun period come from?

The Kofun period, which lasted from around 250 to 538 AD in Japan, evolved from the Yayoi period. It was characterized by the construction of large burial mounds called kofun for the elite, reflecting changes in social hierarchy and political organization. The period saw the influence of continental culture, particularly from Korea and China, as Japan began to establish more complex state structures. This era laid the foundation for the subsequent formation of the Yamato state.