Location: Nara prefecture Map
Nara (奈良市 Nara-shi) is the capital of the Nara Prefecture in the
south of the Japanese main island of Honshū.
Nara was the
capital of Japan from 710 to 794 under the name Heijō-kyō (平城京).
Most temple complexes and shrines were founded during this period.
The chessboard-like city, with the imperial palace in the center of
the north side, had an estimated 80-100,000 inhabitants around 780,
of which about 8-10,000 managed the country as civil servants. This
was done according to the specifications of the very detailed
Ritsuryō law code. At that time, the Yamato Empire had around 5
million inhabitants, just as many as the Empire of Charlemagne, who
ruled his peasants with a wandering chancellery and a handful of
counts much less efficiently.
In 794 Kyoto (Heian-kyō) was
newly founded and made the capital. No temples were initially
permitted there. With the loss of secular power, Nara was able to
develop into a religious center. Right at the beginning of the
Genpei War in 1180, a large part of the old structure was destroyed,
but was soon rebuilt. The Tōdai-ji, who was close to the imperial
family, and the Kōfuku-ji, who was linked to the rulers of the
powerful Fujiwara clan, were the largest landowners in the region in
the Middle Ages and competed with each other. They kept their own
troops until the beginning of the unification of the empire in the
16th century.
Modern Nara is a few kilometers east of the
ancient capital. Their road network was built like a chessboard,
based on the Chinese model. The area was largely bought up by the
state in the 1920s and extensively archaeologically studied. This
came to an end on the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the
city, which was celebrated in 2010/11, with the creation of museum
facilities there. Today, Nara is an important university town, with
Kansai Science City 関西文化学術研究都市 on the northern city limits.
Most tourists visit Nara as a day trip from Kyoto. However, there is
more to see than can be enjoyed in one day. It would be better to
plan 2-3 days, one for the buildings in and around Nara Park, one
for the National Museum and one day for the rest of the sights in
the old capital area. The well-preserved temple complexes and the
remains of the imperial palace are part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Site because of their historical significance.
Municipal Tourist Information Office (in the former station
building). English, Chinese and Korean are spoken.
Another
branch is at Kintetsu station.
Guides with foreign language
skills are also provided. Nara Walker is a commercial organization
(Apr-Sept Sat 10am; ¥2000). The guides of the Nara Sightseeing
Volunteer Guides and the Nara SGG Club are more interested in
improving their foreign language skills through conversation, for
which they work free of charge. In any case, advance booking is
recommended.
Nara Visitor Center & Inn, Ikenocho, 3 (Operated
by the prefecture, part of its administration building). Tel:
+81742818585. Money changing machine for 12 currencies, free luggage
storage during the day, prayer room for Koran believers, free WiFi.
45-minute show tea ceremony on Wednesdays. Calligraphy, origami and
cosplay instructions in English, Korean and Chinese. Open: Info
8.00-21.00; Hotel check in: 15.00.
By plane
The nearest international airport is Kansai Airport near
Osaka. Many domestic low-cost airlines land at Osaka-Itami. Both
airports have direct bus connections to Nara (train station square)
every hour during the day.
By train
JR
Nara Central Station
(奈良駅) . Shinkansen do not stop in Nara. From Kyoto, the Kansai Line goes
to Nara (Miyakoji bullet trains 40 minutes, ordinary 70 minutes) on the
main route between Nagoya and JR-Namba (Osaka). Further into the
prefecture, the Sakurai Line goes to Takada.
Nara is within the scope
of the JR Kansai Area Pass.
Kintetsu
English timetables and
route maps of the private railway Kintetsu. The Japan Rail Pass is not
valid on their routes. The Kintetsu Rail Pass Plus also covers Nara.
This also applies to the Nara Kotsu city buses.
Nara-Kintetsu
Station (近鉄奈良駅; stop number: A28). From Osaka-Nanba, the Kintesu-Nara
Line is the fastest way to get to Nara; some trains direct to/from
Kobe-Sannomiya. From Kyoto directly on the Kyoto-Kinsetsu Line, express
trains take 35 minutes, bullet trains 40 minutes
Kintetsu-Heijō
Station (平城駅; Kintetsu Kyoto Line, stop number: B25) wikipediacommons.
Closest station to visit the grounds of the old capital when coming from
Kyoto.
Yamato-Saidaiji Station (大和西大寺駅; bullet train station. Three
Kintetsu lines meet here: Kyoto, Nara, Kashihara.). Convenient to visit
the Palace Museum and the South Gate of the old capital. It takes 30
minutes by bullet train from Osaka. Last station for which the Kansai
Thru Pass is valid.Edit info
By bus
From Tokyo there are
several direct night buses that take 7-8 hours:
Kantō Bus and Willer
from Tokyo-Dineyland - Tokyo-Skytree - Tokyo Hbf.
Nara Kotsu also
departs from Shinjuku Bus Station
In the street
Prefectural
Road 359, called Omiya-dōri, is the main east-west axis.
More
pleasant for pedestrians is the Sanjō-dōri, which runs 200 m south of it
between the main station and Nara Park.
get over. However, you should set aside a full day for this,
especially if you also visit the National Museum (it's worth a day in
itself). Alternatively, you can take Ring Line 1 or 2, from JR Station
East Exit, stop 2 or 5. The vehicles are yellow, and the flat fare of
¥210 is payable to the driver upon boarding.
With all other lines
(green/beige buses) you get on in the middle, as usual in the country,
take a ticket with a number and pay the driver when you get off at the
front.
JR Nara Station is the city's main station. From the
square at the west exit, most public buses go to all attractions. There
is a special “Park Route.” A few lines run in front of the east side of
the station. English and Chinese are usually spoken at the “Bus
Information Center” counter. You can also get tourist day tickets here.
At Kintetsu Station, buses stop on both sides of the street.
Buses in the city and prefecture operates Nara Kotsu (route network
2019). Three types of day tickets are available for visitors in tourist
information offices and at the bus counter on the station square.
The
company also operates three sightseeing bus lines, half-day tours cost
¥4,800, full-day 7,800 yen, including an audio guide and entrance fees.
Lines 12 and 14 run from the train station to the remains of the old
capital. To the west, Tōshōdai-ji and Yakushi-ji temples can be reached
by bus 70 and 72 (from Kasuga-jinsha via Tōdai-ji and train station 6)
and 97 (from Tōdai-ji via station stop 6).
taxi
Night
supplement 20%. There are always some at the train station, otherwise
wave them over or call taxis:
Kintetsu: 0742-22-5501
Yamato:
0742-22-7171
Hattori: 0742-50-5521
There are several buildings in Nara that have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These are: Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Kasuga Shrine, Gangō-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tōshōdai-ji and the remains of Heijō Palace.
Even in ancient times people spoke of the "seven great temples of
Nara" (南都七大寺, Nanto-shichidaiji). The absolute obligatory program of a
visit to Nara includes:
Kofuku-ji (興福寺) . From the temple complex
with originally 175 buildings only 12 have been preserved. The remaining
buildings fell victim to fires and the like. The main hall was newly
built in 2010-6 (open from 9.00). The temple was originally built in
Asuka but was moved here in 710. It is the main temple of the Fuijwara
family. A three-story (1143) and a five-story pagoda (1426) have been
preserved. The five-storey pagoda is only a few centimeters smaller than
the Tō-ji pagoda in Kyoto, making it the second largest in Japan. The
two small octagonal halls Hokuen-dō and Nan'en-dō, both rebuilt several
times, today's 16th-century house excellent early examples of Japanese
Buddhist sculpture. Unfortunately, they are only open to the public a
few days a year. The temple is one of the few belonging to the Hossō
Buddhist school, unknown in the West, which spreads the Japanese version
of the intellectually demanding Yogācāra teachings. Today, seventeen
items from the temple are on the List of Japan's National Treasures,
most of which are in the Kokuhokan Temple Museum. The modern concrete
building is a national treasury, displaying the statues and artworks
rescued from the destroyed buildings. Open: 9.00-16.30. Price: Treasury
500 yen.
Gangō-ji (元興寺). Founded in 7th century as Asuka-dera in
older capital, moved here after 716. By the Meiji era, the temple had
fallen into disrepair. The pagoda burned down. When money was still
tight for renovations in the 1950s/60s after the Pacific War, both new
and old Nara-period roof tiles were used to cover the halls, which can
be clearly seen from the different colors. Three historical sites are
well preserved: a five-storey mini pagoda, the main hall Gangō-ji
Gokurakubō and the Zen room.
Kasuga-jinsha (春日大社, "Shrine of
10000 Lanterns"), 〒630-8212 奈良県奈良市春日野町160 (bus 7, 78, 98, stop number:
B10). The court nobleman Fujiwara no Fubito built a shrine on his estate
at the foot of Kasuga-yama (also Mikasa-yama; 283m). There, the gods of
the Kashima and Katori shrines are worshiped as Fubito's ancestors. Both
were native to the Kantō region east of modern-day Tokyo, and according
to legend they "moved there" in 767. Soon after, the other two deities -
Ame no koyane no mikoto and Hime no kami from Hiraoka - joined them. A
symbol of Ame... is the (white) stag, which today is commemorated by a
large gargoyle at the main entrance. The characteristic four-part shape
of the main building is said to date from the founding period. As with
all Shintō shrines, the buildings are repeatedly replaced by new ones,
usually identical in construction - every 20 years until 1862/3. The
four small main halls, connected side by side, are located in a
non-visitor area within the shrine complex, for which an entrance fee is
charged. Most of Kasuga Shrine's outbuildings are decorated with
innumerable metal lanterns, while the even more numerous stone lanterns
are placed along the paths leading to the shrine. These lanterns are
donations from believers that have accumulated over the centuries. Only
twice a year, at the Spring Season Change Festival (setsubun) and at the
time of the Bon Festival in August, are a few thousand lanterns lit.
Among the many other (sub)shrines scattered throughout the several
square kilometer forested grounds, the Wakamiya is the most important.
In the area of the park is the Man'yo Botanical Garden. Less
scientifically based than on seasonal blooms of iris and wisteria
8Wisteria).
Not a world heritage site, but still worth seeing is
the 4 Shin-Yakushiji (新薬師寺). The temple was founded in 747 by Empress
Kōmyō, wife of Emperor Shōmu, to pray for her husband who had an eye
disease. The original complex consisted of a main hall, teaching hall,
an east pagoda and a west pagoda, but almost all of the temple's Tempyo
period buildings were destroyed by lightning, typhoons and the
devastation of the late Heian period. Only the main hall (hondō)
survived and is thus an important testimony to the architecture of the
early Nara period. The most important artwork are the figures of the 12
heavenly generals.
Next door is the Irie Taikichi Memorial Museum
of Photography 入江泰吉記念奈良市写真美術館, open 9:30am-5:00pm. Irie Taikichi
specialized in portraits of Buddhist objects from the Nara region, most
of his photographs were taken in 1955-80.
Todai-ji (金光明四天王護国之寺). The Great Eastern Temple or Tōdai-ji is the
main sanctuary of the Kengon ('Flower Garland School') sect of Buddhism.
It was inaugurated in 752. The temple, which is actually an extensive
temple district, consists of a number of buildings, unfortunately not
all have been preserved, although they were quickly rebuilt after the
Gempei War in 1189. The main axis (south-north) of the temple complex is
Nandai-mon (“South Gate”), Chu-mon (“Middle Gate”), Daibutsuden (“Hall
of the Great Buddha”) and Kodo. To the west are Shingon-in, Sashizudo,
Shōsō'in, Kaidan-in, Saidei-mon, and Tegai-mon. East of it are Tonan-in,
the Temple Office, Tōtō Pagoda, Chisokuin Hogon-in Bell Tower, Oyuya,
Hashuin Nembutsudō, Sammai-dō, Kaisaidō, Kannon-in, Wakasai,
Sangatsu-do, Nigasu-dō and the Tamakayama Hachimangu -Shrine. Twenty-six
of the buildings have been declared National Treasures of Japan, and
another 59 are "Important Cultural Properties." The Tengai-mon is the
only surviving original structure. It was extensively renovated in
1906-13, and the current 17th-century Great Buddha Hall is a third
smaller than the original. It was completely dismantled and re-covered
in the early 1970s. Climbing a mountainside, the complex includes
numerous smaller temples, the finest of which, high on the slope
overlooking Nara, is Nigatsudō, rebuilt after a fire in 1669. Today the
site is a favorite spot for school classes and teachers with megaphones,
often just a few meters apart, all making the same thing audible over
100m. Price: Museum 800 yen, Big Buddha 1000 yen.
Nandaimon
(南大門): Entrance gate with the two 8.5m high guardian statues
(Kongōrishiki). Built at the end of the Nara period, destroyed by a
typhoon in 962, rebuilt in 1199. The two gigantic figures from the new
building period in the passageway represent Nārayāna, an incarnation of
Brahma and Vajrasattva.
Officially Hokkedō (法華堂, colloquial
Sangatsudō 三月堂): teaching hall, built according to the chronicles from
733, actually probably in the 740s under Rōben as Kōnshō-ji. Part of the
Tōdai-ji since 753. 1199/1200 expanded to include the prayer hall. A
number of original statues were moved there when the earthquake-proof
Tōdaiji Museum opened at the south gate in 2011. The main character has
been back in its original place since 2013 after the completion of a
refurbishment. Only open on a few days.
Shōsōin (正倉院): Former
imperial treasury for the preservation of Buddhist cult objects and
temple treasures. Originally two log cabins were built in 756, which
were probably enlarged by an intermediate building in the 10th century.
Open to visitors only three times during the Tokugawa era, except for
semi-annual airing. Nationalized under the control of the Court Office
since 1875. Empty since 1963, the former contents form the core of the
National Museum's holdings.
Kaidan'in (戒壇院): ordination hall, west of
the main hall. The current building had to be rebuilt around 1730.
Inside are the statues of Shakyamuni and Taho-Nyorai. In the corners are
the four heavenly kings in full armour.
Shōrō, the open bell tower,
contains the 49-ton "great bell of Nara", which was first cast in 732.
It is now a new cast from 1239, the first bell was badly damaged in a
typhoon in 989.
Rōben-dō, with a statue, commemorates the first
abbot.
Shunjō-dō contains a statue of the Pure Land-affiliated abbot
Chōgen, who presided over the temple after the time of the great fire of
1180 and reconstruction.
The main attraction is the Hall of the
"Great Buddha," the Daibustu-den. It is one of the largest wooden
structures in the world. With a length of 57m, a width of 50.5m and a
height of 48.5m, it is hard to believe that this is a scaled-down
replica. The figure in the main hall symbolizes Vairocana, with the
statue often being referred to simply as "Rochana". The bronze seated
statue itself has a height of 16.2m, it is located on a bronze seat
pedestal, which is designed as a 56-petalled, filigree decorated lotus
flower and has a circumference of 20.7m. The production of the first
cast in the 8th century, which failed several times and ultimately took
place in 41 layers, almost led to national bankruptcy. At its peak, the
Tōdaiji building office, which was set up in 743, including the Sutra
copy office, had 1,000 permanent employees and 7-8,000 craftsmen and
assistants. After fires and earthquakes, only the base is original
today, all other parts were later recast.
The 4.60 high bronze
lantern in the forecourt of the great hall is a masterpiece of finely
crafted bronze casting. The original 752 is in the museum, with a
replica outside.
The temple's two pagodas, destroyed in 1180, were
never rebuilt.
Nara was the capital of Japan during the Nara period, from 710 to
784. In those days, it was called Heijo-kyo. The city was built on the
model of the then Chinese capital of Chang'an. The legends about the
founding of the city are found in the historical chronicles of the Nihon
Shoki. According to legend, it was here that the first Japanese emperor
Jimmu set foot on Japanese soil, where he laid the foundation for
Japanese statehood.
After the transfer of the capital to
Nagaoka-kyo (784) and Heian-kyo (794), the development of the city of
Nara slowed down. It became the center of Buddhist culture. Throughout
the Middle Ages, Nara was the home of recalcitrant aristocrats and
samurai. Being significant at the time of its construction in the 8th
century, by the 19th century it remained a small provincial town. Since
the second half of the 20th century, the city began to actively develop
again, especially due to tourism.