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A Journey to the Ancient Capital Welcomewelcome Toto Naranara

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A Journey to the Ancient Capital Welcomewelcome Toto Naranara 英語版 A journey to the ancient capital WelcomeWelcome toto NaraNara ocatedocated almostalmost atat thethe centercenter ofof thethe JapaneseJapanese archipelago,archipelago, NaraNara PrefecturePrefecture isis aann inlandinland prefecture,prefecture, surroundedsurrounded byby L thethe fourfour prefecturesprefectures ofof OsakaOsaka toto thethe west,west, KyotoKyoto toto thethe north,north, WakayamaWakayama toto thethe southsouthouth andand MieMie toto thethe east.east. NaraNara hashas a totaltotal populationpopulation ofof 1.41.4 millionmillion peoplepeople andand diversediverse geographicalgeographical sceneryscenery withwiwithth thethe YamatoYamato PlanePlane toto tthehe northnorth andand thethe KiiKii MountainMountain RangeRange toto thethe south.south. ApproximatelyApproximately 60%60% ofof thethe prefecturalprefectural areaarareaea isis coveredcovered byby forest.forest. Nara'sNara's mainmain industriesindustries areare textiles,textiles, timbertimber andand lumber,lumber, plasticplastic molding,molding, drugs,drugs, furfur andand leatherleather . ItIt isis saidsaid thatthat NaraNara isis thethe birthplacebirthplace ofof JapanJapan asas a nation,nation, soso iitt occupiesoccupies anan importantimportantmportant positionposition inin history.history. ThisThis longlong historyhistory meansmeans thatthat NaraNara isis alsoalso thethe homehome ofof historichistoric andand culturalcultural heritageheritage suchsuch asas TodaijiTodaiji TempleTemple andand HoryujiHoryuji Tem-TemTem- ple.ple. TheThe PrefecturePrefecture alsoalso hashas numerousnumerous BuddhistBuddhist wworksorks ofof aartrt andand architecturearchitecture thatthathat havehave beenbeen classifiedclassified asas NationalNational TreasuresTreasures oror ImportantImportant CulturalCultural AssetsAssets . NaraNara isis thethe onlyonly prefectureprefecture whichwhich hashas asas manymany asas threethree WorldWorld HeritageHeritage Sites,Sites, “BuddhistBuddhist MonumentsMonuments inin thethe HoryujiHoryuji AreaArea”, “HistoricHistoric MonumentsMonuments ofof AncientAncient NaraNara” andand “SacredSacred SitesSites andand PilgrimagePilgrimage RoutesRoutes inin thethe KiiKii MountainMountain RangeRange” . Tennoji 1 Area Map (Kansai Region) Kyoto Pref. ocated almost at the center of the Japanese archipelago, Nara Prefecture is an inland prefecture, surrounded by L the four prefectures of Osaka to the west, Kyoto to the north, Wakayama to the south and Mie to the east. Nara has a total population of 1.4 million people and diverse geographical scenery with the Yamato Plane to the north and the Kii Mountain Range to the south. Approximately 60% of the prefectural area is covered by forest. Nara's main industries are textiles, timber and lumber, plastic molding, drugs, fur and leather . It is said that Nara is the birthplace of Japan as a nation, so it occupies an important position in history. This long history means that Nara is also the home of historic and cultural heritage such as Todaiji Temple and Horyuji Tem- ple. The Prefecture also has numerous Buddhist works of art and architecture that have been classified as National Osaka Airport Treasures or Important Cultural Assets . Nara is the only prefecture which has as many as three World Heritage Sites, “Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area”, “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara” and “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” . Amagasaki Sannomiya Yamato Osaka-Namba Saidaiji JR Nara Tsuruhashi TennojiTennoji Kobe Airport Sakai Yamato Takada Kawachinagano Hashimoto Wakayama Pref. Koyasan NAGOYA SENDAI KYOTO OSAKA TOKYO Shinkansen HAKATA Tokyo International Airport Central Japan International Airport JR Kintetsu Kansai International Airport Other Private Railways ■ACCESSES TO NARA JR LIMITED EXPRESS HARUKA (30 MINS) JR YAMATOJI LINE YAMATOJI RAPID (30 MINS) TENNOJI JR NARA TIME REQUIRED: ABOUT 60 MINS, FARE: 2,390 YEN NANKAI LIMITED EXPRESS RAPIT α (30 MINS) KINTETSU NARA LINE RAPID EXPRESS (35 MINS) NANKAI NAMBA / OSAKA NAMBA KINTETSU NARA KANSAI TIME REQUIRED: ABOUT 65 MINS, INTERNATIONAL FARE: 1,930 YEN LIMOUSINE BUS (80 MINS) (5 MINS) AIRPORT KINTETSU NARA JR NARA TIME REQUIRED: ABOUT 85 MINS, FARE: 2,000 YEN LIMOUSINE BUS (65 MINS) YAMATO YAGI TIME REQUIRED: ABOUT 65 MINS, FARE: 1,900 YEN AIR LINE (70 MINS) OSAKA AIRPORT LIMOUSINE BUS (65 MINS) KINTETSU NARA JR NARA (ITAMI) TIME REQUIRED: ABOUT 135 MINS, JR NARA LINE FARE: 23,940YEN TOKYO MIYAKOJI RAPID (45 MINS) INTERNATIONAL JR LINE NARITA LIMITED EXPRESS JR SHINKANSEN LINE JR NARA AIRPORT (60 MINS) LIMITED EXPRESS NOZOMI (140 MINS) TIME REQUIRED: ABOUT 245 MINS, TOKYO KYOTO KINTETSU KYOTO LINE FARE: 16,550YEN LIMITED EXPRESS (35 MINS) KINTETSU NARA TIME REQUIRED: ABOUT 235 MINS, FARE: 17,340YEN 2 WorldWorld 東大寺 Todaiji Temple The Great Image of Buddha greets visitors. The world famous Todaiji Temple, designated on the World Heritage list, contains various pavilions and halls, including many designated as nation- al treasures of Japan. Among them, the “Daibutsuden Hall” is one of the world's largest wooden buildings, and the home of the popular “Great Bud- dha of Nara”. This gigantic statue is 15m tall and weighs approximately 法隆寺 380 tonnes. Horyuji Temple Preserving the ideals of Prince Shotoku and a treasure house of ancient culture According to old literature, Horyuji Temple was built in 607 A.D. by Prince Shotoku, a vigorous supporter of Buddhism. It was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1993 as the oldest wooden structure in the world. The Kudara Kannondo Hall of the Daihozoden Treasure House contains and displays various national treasures representing Japan's oldest Buddhist art, such as the statue of “Kudara Kannon”. The temple is divided into the “Sai-in” (West Precinct) and “To-in” (East Precinct). In the former are buildings from the Asuka Peri- od or 8th century. These include the five-storied pagoda and the Kondo Hall. The precinct also holds “Tamamushi-no-Zushi”, a Buddhist alter from the Asuka Peri- od, the “Yumechigai Kannon” stat- ue, as well as other temple treas- ures. The “Tamamushi-no-Zushi” is decorated with the wings of jew- el beetles laid under metal open- work. In the East Precinct is the “Yumedono”, the oldest octagonal 興福寺 hall in Japan. A life-sized wooden Kofukuji Temple statue of Prince Shotoku known as the “Guze Kannon” is kept here. The five-storied pagoda rises with a quiet dignity above the Deer Park. The statue is open to the public Originally built in 730, the five-storied pagoda is a symbol of the Deer Park from mid-April to mid-May. (Nara Park). The existing pagoda was last rebuilt in 1426 after being damaged in a succession of civil wars and is 50.8m high. Kofukuji Temple is listed as World Heritage, and in its sanctuary are a number of buildings listed as national treasures, such as Nan'endo Hall. The pretty area around Sarusawaike Pond, including the five-storied pagoda, is a must see. 春日大社 春日山原始林 Kasuga Taisha Shrine Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest Stone-lanterns line the road to the sanctuary A mountain home of the gods Kasuga Taisha Shrine was founded to protect the Heijo-kyo Capital and is Mt. Kasuga is a primeval forest of ever-green broad leaf trees such as oak the head shrine for about 3,000 Kasuga shrines all over Japan. At the and beech which has been protected against logging as it is a sacred “Mantoro Festival”, about 2,000 stone lanterns along the path leading to the mountain. Within the forest are many gigantic trees more than 400 years shrine and approx. 1,000 hanging lanterns in the main precinct are lit creat- old with trunks measuring more than 9m in circumference. It has been con- ing a solemn atmosphere. About 300 kinds of trees and plants are planted firmed that the forest is the home to rare species such as forest green tree in the “Man'yo Botanical Garden”. All of them appear in Japan's oldest po- frogs and clouded salamanders. The entire forest is designated as a World etry anthology, “Man'yoshu.” Heritage “cultural landscape”. 3 HeritageHeritage 元興寺 平城宮跡 Gangoji Temple Heijo Palace Site Temple featuring Mandala The ancient capital of Japan in the 8th century The home of a famous monk named Chiko who lived in the Nara Period Nara Heijo-kyo Capital was established in 710 A.D. and prospered as the political, economical and cul- (8th century). In 1244, the Chiko Mandala was dedicated for worship, tural heartland of the nation. Situated at the center of the capital was the gigantic Heijo Palace Site that since then the temple is called Gokurakubo, or the temple of comfort free extended 1.3 km east to west and 1km north to south (the land area: 1.2km2). The capital's main gate, from suffering. The Main Hall and Zen Room of Gokurakudo are listed as the “Suzakumon” and the “Toin Teien” Garden have been beautifully reconstructed. On top of that, in World Heritage. 2010 the reconstruction of the capital's main building, the “Daigokuden” Imperial Audience Hall has been completed just in time for the 1300th anniversary. It was the hall where national ceremonies and ceremonies for welcoming foreign delegates took place. At the Nara Palace Site Museum, the process of the palace excavation can be traced and models of the old buildings are on display. 薬師寺 唐招提寺 Yakushiji Temple Toshodaiji Temple The eastern terminus of the Silk Road Uchiwamaki - a ceremony in which paper fans are given away to ward off bad luck The 34m high Eastern Pagoda is the only building that remains from the Toshodaiji Temple was founded in 759 A.D. by Ganjin, a priest of the Tang Dynasty, as a place Hakuho Period
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