Beginning with the round barrow shape and square tumulus which are the basic shapes, there are many kinds of kofun such as hakkaku-fun (octagonal tumulus) (Noguchino Ono-haka) and candy-wrap (keyhole shape with one more handle) shape mound (Kushiyama Kofun and Tatetsuki Kofun).
日本の古墳には、基本的な形の円墳・方墳をはじめ、八角墳（野口王墓）・双方中円墳（櫛山古墳・楯築古墳）などの種類がある。