Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
古都奈良の文化財 · 나라시
Contents
9 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation1:52
Welcome to Nara, a city that served as the capital of Japan during the eighth century, from 710 to 784. This brief but magnificent era, known as the Heijo period, laid the foundations for the Japanese state, its legal codes, and…
Listen in the app2Todai-ji: The Great Eastern Temple1:41
Our first stop is Todai-ji, the 'Great Eastern Temple,' which houses one of Japan's most iconic treasures: the Daibutsu, or Great Buddha. Standing within the Daibutsuden—the world's largest wooden building—the scale of this site…
Listen in the app3The Architecture of the Daibutsuden1:36
Walking around the interior of the Daibutsuden, take note of the massive wooden pillars that support the roof. One of these pillars has a hole through its base, roughly the same size as the Great Buddha's nostril. …
Listen in the app4Kasuga Grand Shrine: The Path of Three Thousand Lanterns1:37
Leaving the Buddhist realm of Todai-ji, we enter the Shinto sanctuary of Kasuga Taisha. This shrine, established in 768 by the powerful Fujiwara clan, is famous for its atmospheric approach lined with over two thousand stone…
Listen in the app5The Sacred Deer of Nara Park1:31
No visit to Nara is complete without encountering its most famous residents: the hundreds of wild deer that roam freely throughout the park and shrine grounds. In Shinto tradition, these deer are considered 'Shinroku'—sacred…
Listen in the app6Kofuku-ji and the Five-Story Pagoda1:28
Standing tall on the edge of the park is Kofuku-ji, another essential site founded by the Fujiwara family. Its five-story pagoda, rebuilt in 1426, is the second tallest wooden pagoda in Japan and serves as an iconic landmark for…
Listen in the app7The Heijo Palace Site: Ghosts of a Capital1:30
To truly understand the scale of ancient Nara, one must visit the Heijo Palace Site, located to the west of the current city center. This vast open space was once the heart of the imperial government, housing the emperor's…
Listen in the app8Shosoin: The Treasury of the Silk Road1:29
Tucked away near Todai-ji is the Shosoin, a wooden storehouse built in the 'azekura-zukuri' style, utilizing triangular logs that allow the building to breathe, naturally regulating humidity. For over 1,200 years, this structure…
Listen in the app9Closing1:23
Our journey through the historic monuments of ancient Nara concludes where it began—with a sense of deep time and enduring culture. Nara is a city that remembers its past not as a dead history, but as a living legacy that…
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What is Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara?
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara is a place in 나라시 with 9 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | 나라시 |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 9 |
| Total length | 14 min 07 s in all |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 34.6756, 135.8394 |
| Last updated |
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within a 5-minute walk
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