An octagonal temple hall called Nanendo, part of Kofukuji Temple in central Nara, Japan.
When people think of ancient Japan, many first think of the former capital city, Kyoto. Even many of the Japanese I meet, when I mention that I enjoy visiting historic places, one of the first questions I’m asked is if I have visited Kyoto yet. However, if you want to find the origins of Japan as a nation and as a people, you need to go back further. While it is true that Kyoto is an ancient city that was the capital of Japan for over a thousand years, it wasn’t Japan’s first capital. If you really want to see Japan’s beginnings, you need to find the city once called Heijo-kyo. You need to take the train south out of Kyoto to the beautiful city of Nara.
A pagoda attached to Kofukuji temple, located in central Nara Park, Nara, Japan. This pagoda was originally built in 730, while Nara was the capital of Japan. The current structure is a restoration finished in 1426.
Ancient Nara
Even by Japanese standards, Nara is old. Throughout Nara prefecture, there are historic sites, ruins, tombs, and temples dating back to the very beginnings of Japanese culture. The oldest Buddhist temples in Japan, which are some of the oldest in the world, can be found here. The imperial family also lived and ruled from various places in Nara prefecture. In fact, it was a common practice for each new emperor to move the capital to a new city and build a new palace when they ascended the throne. All this ended, however, in 710 A.D., when the Empress Gemmei called for the construction of a permanent palace and capital city, called Heiji-kyo. With a new capital established, the newly accepted religion of Buddhism flourished and several large temples were built in Nara as the city rapidly grew in size. And the larger the city grew, the more power the temples were able to wield. So much so that the Emperor began to fear the influence the priests and abbots were having over the imperial court. After only seventy-seven years as the political center of Japan, Nara was abandoned by the court and a new capital was built some distance away in modern Kyoto. Even after the Emperor’s departure, however, the temples in Nara continued to be powerful and they were still thought of as an unofficial southern capital. Even today, many of these temple complexes are considered to be among the most beautiful in all of Japan and most are UNESCO World Heritage sites visited by countless tourists every year. In fact, Nara prefecture has more World Heritage sites than any other, even Kyoto. That is how important Nara is to Japanese history and culture.
The deer of Nara. In ancient times, Deer were seen as the messengers of the gods. According to legend, one of the early Japanese deities rode a white stag to defend Nara. Today, there are thousands of tame deer wandering the park. If you give them shika senbe (deer crackers), they may bow in thanks.
Modern Nara
Modern Nara is a beautiful city that exists as a merger of new and old. The area around Nara station is a typical Japanese city with all of the comforts one expects to find anywhere in Japan. To the west are the partially-restored ruins of the Heijo palace, several key shaped, moat defended tombs, called kofun, and a scattering of smaller temples and shrines mixed with small neighborhoods and farm land. On the east side, the only side we had a chance to visit in the two days we had in Nara, is a huge national park area that includes several large temples and shrines, the Nara National Museum, several large, open, green spaces, various shops and restaurants, and lots of deer. Even in this section of Nara, there is more than can be seen in a day or two. With so many ancient temples and historic places within its boundaries, the entire park complex has been designated a World Heritage site. It is an incredible place to explore, and I plan on going back as soon as I get the chance. Nara really is worth a special trip, just be sure to give yourself plenty of time. It really is an amazing place.