In the 7th century, when the Yamato kingdom came under the influence of the political system of the Chinese continent, emperors' tumuli came to be built in a large rectangular or round shape, and from the mid-7th to early 8th centuries, in an octagonal shape (e.g. Dannozuka Tumulus of Emperor Jomei, Gobyono Tumulus of Emperor Tenchi, Noguchino Imperial Tumulus of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito, and Nakaoyama Tumulus of Emperor Monmu).
7世紀になり、ヤマト王権が大陸の政治システムの影響を受けるようになると大型の方墳、円墳へと変化し、さらに7世紀中頃から8世紀初頭まで天皇陵には八角墳が採用されるようになる（舒明陵の段ノ塚古墳、天智陵の御廟野古墳、天武・持統合葬陵の野口王墓、文武陵の中尾山古墳）。