Other Historic Site/Building Spots in Nara Area

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Category

Travel / Tourism

History / Culture / Tour

Fujiwara Palace Site

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Kashiharashi Daigochou

Modelled on the Chinese capital, the site of Japanese capital Fujiwara Palace (Shin-yaku no Miyako) contains remains from year 694 of the Emperor's residential Imperial Palace, and the Council Hall where he conducted ceremonies and politics. It is known as a famous place to see Mt. Kagu, Mt. Unebi, and Mt. Miminashi (of the Yamato Sanzan or the three mountains of Yamato), and in June of 2011 the view of Yamato Sanzan from the Fujiwara former palace site was designated as one of Nara's important sceneries. There grow a variety of flowers including rape blossom, cosmos and sacred lotus, and here one can enjoy the scenery of the changing seasons.
Imai Machiyakan

4.0

10 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Kashiharashi Imaichou 3-1-22

Imai Machiyakan is a historic building in ImaiTown,Kashihara City. Built in early 1700s, it is deemed to be of historic value as an example of a large machiya-style tradesman's house, and it was restored based on documents at the time to its initial construction. Visitors may tour it free of charge.

今井町にある古民家で、無料で見学でき、畳の上に上がることもできる。受付の方が親切に説明してくださった。
Kawaharadera/Gufukuji

3.0

9 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Takaichi-gun Asukamura Kawahara 1109

This historical site and Buddhist temple is located in Kawahara, Asuka Village. Said to have been built by Emperor Tenji, Kawara-dera Temple was once held in high regard as one of the Great Four Temples of Asuka along with Asukaji Temple, Yakushiji Temple, and Daikandai-ji Temple, but was later abandoned. The temple's former site has been designated as a national Historical Site and is now the home of Kofukuji Temple.

川原寺跡を挟んで橘寺の北に位置する寺。もともとの寺は飛鳥時代のものだったが、現在のものは江戸時代の再建。拝観料がいるようなので、門前からお参りさせてもらった。
Takamatsuzuka kofun (tomb)

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Hirata 439

A late stage kofun (burial mound) tomb erected during the time of the ancient capital Fujiwara-kyo (694–710) and located in the east of the Takamatsuzuka section of Asuka Historical National Government Park. A five meter tall two tier tomb, the upper tier is 18 meters in diameter while the lower is 23. In 1972, a richly colored mural was discovered in the tomb which won it instant notoriety. In 1973, the tomb was designated a Special Historic Site and in 1974 the mural was designated a National Treasure. The tomb may be viewed at any time but normally the mural is not available for public viewing; the workroom in which the mural is investigated is made open to public entry irregularly for special exhibitions.
Village of Yagyu

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Yagyuchou

This village located in northeast Nara City is famous for being the birthplace of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school of swordsmanship. The village features a number of noteworthy sites including the residence of the Yagyu clan's chief retainer, the Yagyu Masakisaka Swordsmanship and Zen Dojo, and Amanoiwato Shrine and its Itto-seki (sword-split stone). Another point of interest is the Yagyu Hanashobu-en, a vast 10,000 square meter garden home to more 450 varieties of Japanese iris. Peak bloom is from early June to early July each year.
Asuka Palace Ruins

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Oka

This Asuka period historic site, located north of the Asuka village hall, is believed to have been the location of the Isshi Incident, in which Soga no Iruka was assassinated by Prince Naka no Oe (later Emperor Tenji) and Nakatomi no Kamatari (Fujiwara no Kamatari). The ruins of multiple palaces lay on top of each other here, including Emperor Jomei’s Asuka no Okamoto no Miya and Empress Kogyoku’s Asuka Itabuki no Miya, and it is thought the site once held extreme historical importance. The stone-paved plaza and large well at the site are portions of the ruins of the Asuka no Kiyomihara no Miya, which were excavated via archeological digs and restored to their current state.
Sakafune-ishi

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Oka

This strangely patterned stone is approximately five meters in length, 2.3 meters wide, and one meter thick. Legend says it was used for brewing sake thus giving it its name, but there are various other theories.
Keiko Tennoryo

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Tenrishi Shibutanichou

This keyhole-shaped tomb is about 300 meters long and has a circumference of about one kilometer, making it the eighth-largest such tomb in Japan. It is believed to have been constructed in the latter half of the fourth century and authorized by Emperor Keiko, the 12th emperor.
Tomb of Emperor Sujin

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Tenrishi Yanagimotochou

The Andon-yama Ancient Tomb at the mausoleum of 10th Emperor Sujin is one of the Yanagimoto ancient tombs. It is a keyhole-shaped tumulus of a length of 242 meters. It is thought to have been built in the first half of the 4th century, with beautiful sloping ridges.
Oni no Secchin Rock

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Noguchi

These large boulders are thought to have been the rock chamber of a burial mound or part of a furnace. According to legend, and oni ogre would entrap humans and eat them, and then with his stomach full, would need to use the facilities; hence, Oni no Secchin means, the ogre’s toilet.
Matsuyama Nishiguchi Kanmon

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Udashi Oudashimocha 215-3

This is a historic site in Oudashimohon, Uda City. This historic site was built in 1600, when the city was ruled by Fukushima Takaharu, the lord of Yamato Uda Matsuyama clan, as the west gate of the Matsuyama Castle. It is also known as the black gate because of its color and is also registered as a National Cultural Property.
Rokujizo Stone Statue

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Goseshi Kujira

This is a stone Buddha statue in Kujira, Gose City. This is a large rock carved with the figures of six jizo (guardian of children) located in the middle of the hill on the old road to the west side of Kamoyamaguchi Shrine. This area has been affected by flooding since ancient times and it is believed that the villagers carved the figures of jizo on the rock when it was washed to its present location in the Muromachi period.
Asuka Mizuochi Ruins

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Asuka

These ruins located in Asuka, Asuka Village are a nationally-designated Historic Site. Based on the results of archeological studies conducted in 1972 and 1981 and descriptions in the Nihon Shoki, it is thought to be the site of Japan's first water clock, built by Emperor Tenji prior his ascension to the throne. It is believed to have used water drawn from the Asuka River to measure time.
Moto-yakushiji Temple Ruins

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Kashiharashi Kidonochou 279

The Moto-yakushiji Temple Ruins are the original site of Yakushiji Temple, which was originally built in the year 680 but would later be relocated to its current location. While today only a small shrine remains standing, the former site of the front garden still contains the cornerstone of the main temple structure, the mounds and foundation stones of both the East Pagoda and West Pagoda. One of its highlights is the common water hyacinths that bloom between mid-august to late September. During peak seasons the site is carpeted with nearly 400,000 of the beautiful purple flowers.
Asuka Stoneworks

Travel / Tourism

Nara Takaichi-gun Asukamura
Mausoleum of Emperor Kinmei

Travel / Tourism

Nara Takaichi-gun Asukamura Hirata

This is the tomb of Emperor Kinmei, father of Empress Suiko; as well as that of Empress Suiko's mother, Soga no Kitashihime. The tomb's keyhole-shaped burial mound is 138 meters long. In recent years, however, some have theorized that the Maruyama Kofun is in fact Emperor Kinmei's tomb. Stone statues carved in the shape of monkeys, previously located at the Tomb of Kibihimenomiko until 1872, are now arranged here.
Hinokuma Temple Site (Omiashi Shinto Shrine)

Travel / Tourism

Nara Takaichi-gun Asukamura Hinokuma

At this Shinto shrine, archeological excavations have found traces of a Buddhist temple, including a main temple hall and auditorium as well as their foundations, a tower, gate, and corridors. The temple is believed to have been founded between the first half of the seventh century and the beginning of the eighth. In addition, in ruins dated to the Heian period, fragments of a gilt bronze depiction of an aspara Buddhist heavenly spirit have been found, a fitting artefact for a temple that was founded as the family temple of the Hi no Kuma clan, a central branch of the Yamato no Aya clan. Today, the site is the location of Omiashi Shinto Shrine, whose primary deity is considered to be Achi no Omi; as well as a 13-tier stone pagoda erected in the Heian period which has been designated an Important Cultural Property.
Mausoleum of Emperor Jomei

Travel / Tourism

Nara Sakurai-shi Ossaka

This burial mound, today managed by the Imperial Household Agency, has an octagonal top and square bottom and was built on the end of a ridge extending south from the foot of Mt. Tokama. 80 meters long north to south, and 110 meters wide east to west, the octagonal portion is 42 meters from side to side and 12 meters high, meaning that at the time of its construction it was one of the largest burial mounds of its kind. The first octagonal burial mound for an Asuka period emperor was the Dannozuka Burial Mound, and octagonal burial mounds continued to be constructed for emperors up to Emperor Monmu, the great-grandson of Jomei.
Dainagonzuka

Travel / Tourism

Nara Yamatokoriyama-shi Minoyamacho 14

This grave is located in Minoyama-cho, Yamatokoriyama City. The grave belongs to Toyotomi Hidenaga, half-brother to the mighty samurai lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the governor of the three provinces of Yamato, Izumi, and Kii. The family temple which managed the grave was moved to Kyoto, and for a time it fell into disrepair, but today it is surrounded by a wall and is adorned with a gorinto five-part gravestone.
Uchiyama-Eikyuji Temple Ruins

Travel / Tourism

Nara Tenri-shi Somanouchicho

"This historic site is located in Somanouchi-cho, Tenri City. The temple which stood here was founded in 1114 at the request of Emperor Toba. The temple once possessed a great temple building known as the ""Nikko of Yamato (Nara),"" but this was destroyed in the Meiji period movement to abolish Buddhism and today only the pond on the temple's grounds and a few other traces remain."

Nara

Nara City Ikaruga / Yamatokoriyama Asuka Kashihara Yamanobe Road / Sakurai Yoshino Tenkawa Village / Totsukawa Village Ikoma

Travel / Tourism History / Culture / Tour Other Historic Site/Building Other Historic Site/Building

Nara Areas

With a reputation almost as stellar as that of Kyoto, Nara is a must-visit for those searching for the remains of "traditional Japan." The largely green Nara city holds the majority of the prefecture’s treasures, such as the iconic Todai-ji Temple, in which a 15-meter tall Great Buddha sits, and Nara Park, where deer flock to befriend passersby. While mountains are by no means hard to come by in this area, for hiking with a reward, head to the Kii Mountains’ Yoshino district in spring, when the hillsides put on an impressive display of white and pink cherry blossoms.