There are two classifications in terminology used in the burial system of the Yayoi period, which are; terms describing outside facility of burial facility (upper structure) such as shisekibo (a dolmen), funkyubo (grave mound or tumulus) and shukobo (burial mound surrounded by a moat), and terms describing individual shapes of actual burial facility (lower structure) such as kamekanbo (earthenware jar-coffin grave), dokobo (hole-shaped grave), mokkanbo (wooden coffin grave) and sekkanbo (stone coffin grave).
弥生時代の墓制を示す用語として、支石墓、墳丘墓、周溝墓などといった埋葬施設の外部施設（上部構造）を示す区分と、甕棺墓、土壙墓、木棺墓、石棺墓などといった個々の埋葬施設本体の形状（下部構造）を示す区分がある。