Go Deeper! Nara's Historical and Cultural Resources
There are many tales of the creation and background of Nara's historical and cultural resources, the changes of the times that provided their context, and the lives of the people that inhabited those times. Becoming familiar with these stories and the unique historical and cultural resources that are the pride of each of the areas of Nara will give you a much deeper appreciation of their value.
On this site, we introduce Nara's historical and cultural resources together with explanations and stories carefully chosen to further highlight their significance.
Learn more. Dig deeper. Here is the gateway leading to the true history of Nara.
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- The Progress of Buddhism in Nara Prefecture
- The history of Nara is inextricably linked with Buddhism. Buddhism has seen a great many changes, from its ancient origins, to struggles for acceptance, worship by powerful families, incorporation into state policy, and eventual spread through common society, and Nara served as the stage for each of these important developments. Nara is also home to temples and shrines such as the Nanto Shichi Daiji (Todai-ji Temple, Saidai-ji Temple, Horyu-ji Temple, Yakushi-ji Temple, Daian-ji Temple, Gango-ji Temple, and Kohfuku-ji Temple)—the seven famous temples of the ancient southern capital—and a bounty of other historical and cultural resources with ties to Buddhism. Kukai (774–835), the famous monk, took the esoteric teachings of the Nara period (710–794) and paved the way for a new style of Buddhism. In these and other ways, the Buddhism of Nara had a huge impact on the developments in the religion that were to follow. It is no exaggeration to say that the history of Nara cannot be told without Buddhism.
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- Kofun Burial Mounds and Imperial Tombs
- As the central government was situated in Nara Prefecture during the Kofun, Asuka and Nara periods of Japanese history, a great many kofun burial mounds and imperial tombs were constructed here, and they are notable for the fact that they remain in relatively good condition. The earliest kofun groups and kofun belonging to the highest noble families of the early Yamato Kingship are located in the cities of Sakurai and Tenri. Imperial tombs from the days when Japan’s emperor system was established are in Asuka, the center of government following the Kofun period (250-538), and a group of keyhole-shaped kofun still exist in Saki, in the northern part of Nara City. Nara Prefecture is indeed a treasure trove of kofun and imperial tombs.