is a
prefecture of
Japan located in the
Kansai region
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...
of
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...
. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders
Kyoto Prefecture to the north,
Osaka Prefecture to the northwest,
Wakayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
to the southwest, and
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefectur ...
to the east.
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
is the capital and largest city of Nara Prefecture, with other major cities including
Kashihara
is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 124,829, with 52,034 households. Population density is around 3,176.79 persons per km2, and the total area is 39.52 km2.
The city was founded on Februa ...
,
Ikoma, and
Yamatokōriyama
is a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 84,059 and 38,944 households.
Geography
Yamato Koriyama is located in the northern part of the Nara Basin and stretches approximately 9 km from east to west and ...
. Nara Prefecture is located in the center of the
Kii Peninsula
The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is named after the ancient Kii Province.
Overview
The area south of the “ Central Tectonic Line” is called , and is home to reef-like coral communities which are among ...
on Japan's
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...
coast, and is one of only eight
landlocked prefectures. Nara Prefecture has the distinction of having more
UNESCO World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
listings than any other prefecture in Japan.
History
Nara Prefecture region is considered one of the oldest regions in Japan, having been in existence for thousands of years, and is widely viewed as the Japanese
cradle of civilization. Like
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...
, Nara was one of
Imperial Japan
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...
's earliest
capital cities. The current form of Nara Prefecture was officially created in 1887 when it became independent of
Osaka Prefecture.
Historically, Nara Prefecture was also known as
Yamato-no-kuni or Yamato Province.
Up to Nara Period
From the third century to the fourth century, a poorly documented political force existed at the foot of
Mount Miwa
or is a mountain located in the city of Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It has been an important religious and historical mountain in Japan, especially during its early history, and serves as a holy site in Shinto. The entire mountain is co ...
, east of Nara Basin. It sought unification of most parts in Japan. Since the historical beginning of Japan,
Yamato was its political center.
Ancient capitals of Japan were built on the land of Nara, namely
Asuka-kyō
was the Imperial capital of Japan during the Asuka period (538 – 710 AD), which takes its name from this place. It is located in the present-day village of Asuka, Nara Prefecture.
Etymology
Some of the many theories of what the place was nam ...
,
Fujiwara-kyō (694–710) and
Heijō-kyō (most of 710–784). The capital cities of Fujiwara and Heijō are believed to have been modeled after Chinese capitals at the time, incorporating grid layout patterns. The royal court also established relations with
Sui and then
Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...
China and sent students to the Middle Kingdom to learn high civilization. By 7th century, Nara accepted the many immigrants including refugees of
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla.
Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...
who had escaped from war disturbances of the southern part of the
Korean Peninsula
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. The first high civilization with royal patronage of
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...
flourished in today's Nara city (710–784 AD).
Nara in the Heian period
![Kofukuji12st5s3200](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Kofukuji12st5s3200.jpg)
In 784,
Emperor Kanmu
, or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the sco ...
decided to relocate the capital to
Nagaoka-kyō in
Yamashiro Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai. It overlaps the southern part of modern Kyoto Prefecture on Honshū. Aliases include , the rare , and . It is classified as an upper province in the ''Engishiki''.
Yamashiro Province included Kyoto i ...
, followed by another move in 794 to
Heian-kyō, marking the start of the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese ...
. The temples in Nara remained powerful beyond the move of political capital, thus giving Nara a synonym of "Nanto" (meaning "South Capital") as opposed to Heian-kyō, situated in the north. Close to the end of Heian period,
Taira no Shigehira, a son of
Taira no Kiyomori
was a military leader and ''kugyō'' of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan.
Early life
Kiyomori was born in Heian-kyō, Japan, in 1118 as the first so ...
, was ordered by his father to depress the power of various parties, mainly
Kōfuku-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school.
History
Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 b ...
and
Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
, who were backing up an opposition group headed by
Prince Mochihito
(died June 1180), also known as the Takakura Prince, and as Minamoto no Mochimitsu (源 以光), was a son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan. He is noted for his role in starting the Genpei War.
Believing that Taira no Kiyomori was causing suffe ...
. The movement led to a collision between the
Taira
The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divided ...
and the Nara temples in 1180. This clash eventually led to
Kōfuku-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school.
History
Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 b ...
and
Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
being set on fire, resulting in vast destruction of architectural heritage.
Medieval Nara
![Kouyou of Yoshinoyama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Kouyou_of_Yoshinoyama.JPG)
At the rise of the
Minamoto
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during th ...
to its ruling seat and the opening of
Kamakura shogunate
The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459.
The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no ...
, Nara enjoyed the support of
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1192 until 1199.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Minamoto no Yoriie" in . He was the husband of Hōjō Masako who acted as regent (''shikken'') after his ...
toward restoration.
Kōfuku-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school.
History
Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 b ...
, being the "home temple" to the
Fujiwara since its foundation, not only regained the power it had before but became a ''de facto'' regional chief of Yamato Province. With the reconstruction of
Kōfuku-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school.
History
Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 b ...
and
Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
, a town was growing again near the two temples.
The
Nanboku-chō period
The Nanboku-chō period (南北朝時代, ''Nanboku-chō jidai'', "North and South court period", also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period), spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Mur ...
, starting in 1336, brought more instability to Nara. As
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇 ''Go-Daigo-tennō'') (26 November 1288 – 19 September 1339) was the 96th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')後醍醐天皇 (96) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order ...
chose
Yoshino Yoshino may refer to:
* Yoshino cherry, another name for ''Prunus × yedoensis'', a flowering cherry tree
* Japanese cruiser Yoshino, Japanese cruiser ''Yoshino'', a protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Places
* Yoshino, Nara, a town ...
as his base, a power struggle arose in Kōfuku-ji with a group supporting the South and another siding the North court. Likewise, local clans were split into two. Kōfuku-ji recovered its control over the province for a short time at the surrender of the South Court in 1392, while the internal power game of the temple itself opened a way for the local samurai clans to spring up and fight with each other, gradually acquiring their own territories, thus diminishing the influence of Kōfuku-ji overall.
The establishment of Nara Prefecture
A first prefecture (briefly ''-fu'' in 1868, but on 15 April 1943, Nara became independent. ''-ken'' for most of the time) named Nara was established in the
Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
in 1868 as successor to the shogunate administration of the shogunate city and shogunate lands in Yamato. After the 1871
Abolition of the han system, Nara was merged with other prefectures (from former han, see
List of Han#Yamato Province) and cleared of ex-/enclaves to encompass all of Yamato province. In 1876, Nara was merged into
Sakai
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...
which in turn became part of Osaka in 1881. In 1887, Nara became independent again. The first prefectural assembly of Nara was elected in the same year and opened its first session in 1888 in the gallery of the main hall of Tōdai temple.
In the 1889 Great Meiji mergers which subdivided all (then 45) prefectures into modern
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
, Nara prefecture's 16
districts were subdivided into 154 municipalities: 10
towns
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
and 144
villages
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
. The first
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in Nara was only established in 1898 when Nara Town from
Soekami District was made district-independent to become
Nara City
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of 2022, Nara has an estimated population of 367,353 according to World Population Review, making it the largest city in Nara Prefecture and sixth-largest in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara is ...
(see
List of mergers in Nara Prefecture and
List of mergers in Osaka Prefecture
Here is a list of mergers in Osaka Prefecture, Japan since the Meiji era.
Prefectural mergers and border changes
''This list is incomplete. Many changes are missing.''
Osaka before 1881
* 1868 (Boshin war/Meiji restoration) – Osaka is esta ...
).
The Sengoku and Edo periods to present
![Koriyama Castle Nara-b](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Koriyama_Castle_Nara-b.jpg)
Later, the whole province of Yamato got drawn into the confusion of the
Sengoku period
The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
. Tōdai-ji was once again set on fire in 1567, when
Matsunaga Hisahide
Matsunaga Danjo Hisahide (松永 弾正 久秀 1508 – November 19, 1577) was a ''daimyō'' and head of the Yamato Matsunaga clan in Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.
Biography
He was a retainer of Miyoshi Nagayoshi f ...
, who was later appointed by
Oda Nobunaga to the lord of Yamato Province, fought for supremacy against his former master
Miyoshi family. Followed by short appointments of
Tsutsui Junkei
son of Tsutsui Junshō, and a ''daimyō'' of the province of Yamato. On 1571, Junkei, through the offices of Akechi Mitsuhide, pledged to service of Oda Nobunaga.
Military life
Early in his career, in 1565, Matsunaga Hisahide, one of the most ...
and
Toyotomi Hidenaga
, formerly known as .
He was a half-brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most powerful and significant warlords of Japan's Sengoku period and regarded as 'Hideyoshi's brain and right-arm'.
He was also known by his court title, . He promot ...
by
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
to the lord, the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
ultimately ruled the city of Nara directly, and most parts of Yamato province with a few feudal lords allocated at
Kōriyama
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 322,996 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 430 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city an ...
,
Takatori and other places. With industry and commerce developing in the 18th century, the economy of the province was incorporated into prosperous
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
, the commercial capital of Japan at the time.
The economic dependency to Osaka even characterizes today's Nara Prefecture, for many inhabitants commute to Osaka to work or study there.
On 8 July 2022, former Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe ( ; ja, 安倍 晋三, Hepburn: , ; 21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 20 ...
was
assassinated while making a campaign stop for his
Liberal Democratic Party in Nara.
Geography
![Map of Nara Prefecture Ja](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Map_of_Nara_Prefecture_Ja.svg)
Nara Prefecture is part of the
Kansai, or Kinki, region of Japan, and is located in the middle of the
Kii Peninsula
The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is named after the ancient Kii Province.
Overview
The area south of the “ Central Tectonic Line” is called , and is home to reef-like coral communities which are among ...
on the western half of
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...
. Nara Prefecture is landlocked. It is bordered to the west by
Wakayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
and
Osaka Prefecture; on the north by
Kyoto Prefecture and on the east by
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefectur ...
.
Nara Prefecture is from east to west and from north to south.
Most of the prefecture is covered by mountains and forests, leaving an inhabitable area of only . The ratio of inhabitable area to total area is 23%, ranked 43rd among the 47 prefectures in Japan.
Nara Prefecture is bisected by the
Japan Median Tectonic Line
, also Median Tectonic Line (MTL), is Japan's longest fault system. The MTL begins near Ibaraki Prefecture, where it connects with the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line (ISTL) and the Fossa Magna. It runs parallel to Japan's volcanic arc, passing ...
(MTL) running through its territory east to west, along the
Yoshino River
The Yoshino River (吉野川 ''Yoshino-gawa'') is a river on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is long and has a watershed of . It is the second longest river in Shikoku (slightly shorter than the Shimanto), and is the only river whose watershe ...
. On the northern side of the MTL is the so-called Inner Zone, where active
faults running north to south are still shaping the landscape. The Ikoma Mountains in the northwest form the border with Osaka Prefecture. The Nara Basin, which lies to the east of these mountains, contains the highest concentration of population in Nara Prefecture. Further east are the Kasagi Mountains, which separate the Basin from the Yamato Highlands.
South of the MTL is the Outer Zone, comprising the Kii Mountains, which occupy about 60% of the land area of the prefecture. The Ōmine Range is in the center of the Kii Mountains, running north to south, with steep valleys on both sides. The tallest mountain in Nara Prefecture, and indeed in the Kansai region, is
Mount Hakkyō. To the west, separating Nara Prefecture from Wakayama Prefecture, is the Obako Range, with peaks around . To the east, bordering Mie Prefecture, is the Daikō Range, including
Mount Ōdaigahara
, also is a mountain in the Daikō Mountain Range on the border between the prefectures of Mie and Nara, Japan. It is the highest in Mie at . Walking trails from the Nara side start from a car park at about 1400 metres. The mountain is famous ...
. This mountainous region is also home to a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
, the
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the Kii Peninsula in Japan.
Selection criteria
The locations and paths for this heritage site were based on their historical and modern i ...
".
About 17% of the total land area of the prefecture is designated as
National Park land, comprising the
Yoshino-Kumano National Park
is a national park comprising several non-contiguous areas of Mie, Nara, and Wakayama Prefectures, Japan. Established in 1936, the park includes Mount Yoshino, celebrated for its cherry blossoms, as well as elements of the UNESCO World Heritag ...
,
Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen,
Kōya-Ryūjin,
Murō-Akame-Aoyama, and
Yamato-Aogaki Quasi-National Parks; and the
Tsukigase-Kōnoyama,
Yata, and
Yoshinogawa-Tsuboro Prefectural Natural Parks.
Climate
![Tanzan jinja05s3200](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Tanzan_jinja05s3200.jpg)
In the Nara Basin, the climate has inland characteristics, as represented in the bigger temperature variance within the same day, and the difference of summer and winter temperatures. Winter temperatures average about , and in the summer with highest reaching close to . There is not a single year over the last decade (since 1990, up to 2007) with more than 10 days of snowfall recorded by Nara Local Meteorological Observatory.
The climate in the rest of the prefecture are mountainous, and especially in the south, with below being the extreme minimum in winter. Heavy rainfall is observed in summer. The annual accumulated rainfall ranges as much as , which is among the heaviest in Japan.
Spring and fall are temperate. The mountainous region of
Yoshino Yoshino may refer to:
* Yoshino cherry, another name for ''Prunus × yedoensis'', a flowering cherry tree
* Japanese cruiser Yoshino, Japanese cruiser ''Yoshino'', a protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Places
* Yoshino, Nara, a town ...
has been popular both historically and presently for its
cherry blossoms in the spring. In the fall, the southern mountains are equally striking with the changing of the
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
trees.
Cities
There are twelve cities in Nara Prefecture:
Kansai Science City
is an unincorporated city located in the , a border region between Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara Prefectures in Kansai region, Japan. The name is commonly shortened to or . The name Keihanna is constructed by extracting a representative kanji from Kyo ...
is located in the northwest.
Towns and villages
There are seven
districts in Nara, which are further divided into 15 towns and 12 villages as follows:
Mergers
Demographics
According to the 2005 Census of Japan, Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,421,310, which is a decrease of 1.5%, since the year 2000.
[ (Including official amendment of March 5, 2007)]
The decline continued in 2006, with another decrease of 4,987 people compared to 2005. This includes a natural decrease from previous year of 288 people (11,404 births minus 11,692 deaths) and a decrease due to net domestic migration of 4,627 people outbound from the prefecture, and a decrease of 72 registered foreigners. Net domestic migration has turned into a continuous outbound trend since 1998. The largest destinations of migration in 2005 were the prefectures of Kyoto, Tokyo, and Hyōgo, with respectively a net of 1,130,982 and 451 people moving over. The largest inbound migration was from
Niigata Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,227,496 (1 July 2019) and is the fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area at . Niigata Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture and ...
, contributing to a net increase of 39 people. 13.7% of its population were reported as under 15, 65.9% between 15 and 64, and 20.4% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 52.5% of the population.
As of 2004, the average density of the prefecture is 387 people per km
2. By districts, the so-called Yamato flat inland plain holds as much as about 90% of total population within the approximately 23% size of area in the north-west, including the Nara
Basin, representing a density of 1,531 people per km
2. To the contrast, the combined district
Gojō and
Yoshino District
is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
In 2020, the district had an estimated population of 37,086 and a density of 18.05 persons per km2. The total area is 2,055 km2.
On September 25, 2005, the villages of Ōtō and Nishiyoshin ...
occupies almost 64% of the land, while only 6% of people lives there, resulting in a density of 39 people km
2.
Nara prefecture had the highest rate in Japan of people commuting outbound for work, at 30.9% in 2000. A similar tendency is seen in prefectures such as
Saitama,
Chiba, and
Kanagawa
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-densest at . Its geographic area of makes it fifth-smallest. Kanagaw ...
, all three of them having over 20% of people commuting for other prefectures.
Politics
* A governor and members of prefectural assembly is elected by citizens in accordance with the
Local Autonomy Law
The , passed by the House of Representatives and the House of Peers on March 28, 1947 and promulgated as Law No. 67 of 1947 on April 17,Ministry of Justice, Japanese Law Translation Database SystemLocal Autonomy Act/ref> is an Act of devolution t ...
.
*
Shōgo Arai
is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Nara Prefecture in Japan, first elected in 2007. A graduate of the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of Transport, attending Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Syrac ...
has been governor since 2007, a former
LDP member of the national House of Councillors. In the
April 2019 gubernatorial election, he was re-elected to a fourth term with major party support (
LDP,
DPFP,
Kōmeitō
, formerly New Komeito and abbreviated NKP, is a conservative political party in Japan founded by lay members of the Buddhist Japanese new religious movement Soka Gakkai in 1964. Since 2012, it has served in government as the junior coalit ...
) with 47.5% of the vote against former Democratic Diet member and vice-minister
Kiyoshige Maekawa
is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Overview
A native of Kashihara, Nara and graduate of Kansai University
, abbreviated as or , is a private n ...
(32.3%) and independent physician Minoru Kawashima (20.2%).
* As of 2019, there are 43 seats in the Nara Prefectural Assembly, elected in 16 constituencies (4 single-member, 12 multi-member). After the April 2019 assembly election, the
LDP is by far the largest party with 21 members while no other party won more than four seats, but its members are split between several parliamentary groups; by group, the composition as of May 2019 was: LDP 10, LDP Nara 9, Sōsei Nara
f independents5, Shinsei Nara
DPFP.html" ;"title="ainly
DPFP">ainly
DPFP5,
JCP 4,
Nippon Ishin no Kai
The is a conservative and right-wing populist political party in Japan. Formed as ''Initiatives from Osaka'' in October 2015 from a split in the old Japan Innovation Party, the party became the third-biggest opposition party in the National ...
4,
Kōmeitō
, formerly New Komeito and abbreviated NKP, is a conservative political party in Japan founded by lay members of the Buddhist Japanese new religious movement Soka Gakkai in 1964. Since 2012, it has served in government as the junior coalit ...
3, LDP Kizuna 2.
* There was a clear tendency seen through the results of Lower House election in 2005, that the younger generation executes its voting right much less compared to the older. Only 48.8% of citizens age 20–29 voted, whereas all older generations (grouped by decades) votes more than its younger, reaching the highest voting rate of 86.3% at ages 60–69. The only exception was the 72.1% voting right executed by citizens of 70 or older. The overall average of the prefecture who voted was yet higher, at 70.3%, than that of nationwide average, 67.5%.
* As of October 2019, Nara's directly elected delegation to the
National Diet is all-
LDP, namely:
** in the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
where Nara has lost one district in a 2017 reapportionment
*** for the
1st district in the North consisting of most of Nara City and Ikoma City:
Shigeki Kobayashi (LDP, 2nd term) who narrowly defeated long-time incumbent
Sumio Mabuchi in the 2017 House of Representatives election,
*** for the
2nd district with southern suburbs (and a small part) of the capital:
Sanae Takaichi (LDP, 8th term) who has served as minister in several cabinets and was re-elected with 60% of the vote in 2017,
*** for the
3rd district which covers the less urbanized, central and Southern parts of Nara:
Taidō Tanose (LDP, 3rd term), member for the now-abolished 4th district before 2017,
** in the
House of Councillors
The is the upper house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or ...
where the
Nara district is one of the often decisive FPTP single-member districts
*** in the
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...
–
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
class:
Kei Satō
was a Japanese character actor and narrator. He is known for his work with Japanese New Wave director Nagisa Oshima, and for several films with Kaneto Shindo, such as '' Onibaba'' and '' Kuroneko''. He won the best actor award from ''Kinema Ju ...
(LDP, 1st term) who defeated incumbent
Kiyoshige Maekawa
is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Overview
A native of Kashihara, Nara and graduate of Kansai University
, abbreviated as or , is a private n ...
in 2016 by a twelve-point-margin in a three-way contest with an
Osaka Ishin no Kai challenger,
*** in the
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
–
2025
Predicted and scheduled events
*January 1
** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1929 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law.
** The Federal Aviation Administration, ...
class:
Iwao Horii (LDP, 2nd term) who defended the seat 55% to 40% against an "independent", joint centre-left (
CDP,
DPFP,
SDP) challenger in 2019.
Economy
![Nara brush](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Nara_brush.jpg)
The 2004 total gross prefecture product (GPP) for Nara was ¥3.8 trillion, an 0.1% growth over previous year. The per capita income was ¥2.6 million, which is a 1.3% decrease from previous year. The 2004 total gross prefecture product (GPP) for Nara was ¥3.8 trillion, an 0.1% growth over previous year. Manufacturing has the biggest share in the GPP of Nara with 20.2% of share, followed by services (19.1%) and real estates (16.3%). The share of agriculture including forestry and fishery was a mere 1.0%, only above mining, which is quasi-inexistent in Nara.
* Tourism is treated by the prefectural government as one of the most important features of Nara, because of its natural environment and historical significance.
* Nara is famed for its
Kaki persimmon.
Strawberry and tea are some other popular products of the prefecture, while rice and vegetables, including spinach, tomato, eggplants, and others are the dominant in terms of amount of production.
* Nara is a center for the production of instruments used in conducting traditional Japanese artforms. Brush and ink (''sumi'') are the best known products from Nara for
calligraphy. Wooden or bamboo instruments, especially from Takayama area (in Ikoma city) are famous products for
tea ceremony
An East Asian tea ceremony, or ''Chádào'' (), or ''Dado'' ( ko, 다도 (茶道)), is a ceremonially ritualized form of making tea (茶 ''cha'') practiced in East Asia by the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. The tea ceremony (), literally transl ...
.
*
Goldfish
The goldfish (''Carassius auratus'') is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have bec ...
from
Yamatokōriyama
is a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 84,059 and 38,944 households.
Geography
Yamato Koriyama is located in the northern part of the Nara Basin and stretches approximately 9 km from east to west and ...
in Nara have been a traditional aquacultural product since the 18th century.
* Due to its rich history, Nara is also the location of many archeological digs, with many famous ones being located in the
village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...
of
Asuka
Asuka may refer to:
People
* Asuka (name), a list of people
* Asuka (wrestler), professional wrestler
* Asuka (wrestler, born 1998), professional wrestler also known as Veny outside of Japan
Places In Japan
* , an area in Yamato Province (now ...
.
Culture
![NaraTodaijiStatue0214](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/NaraTodaijiStatue0214.jpg)
The culture of Nara is tied to the Kansai region in which it is located. However, like each of the other prefectures of Kansai, Nara has unique aspects to its culture, parts of which stem from its long history dating back to the Nara period.
Dialect
There are large differences in dialect between the north/central region of the prefecture, where Nara city is located, and the Okunoya district in the south. The north/central dialect is close to Osaka's dialect, whilst Okunoya's dialect favours a Tokyo-style accent. The lengthening of vowel sounds in the Okunoya dialect is unseen in other dialects of the
Kinki region
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropolit ...
, making it a special feature.
Food culture
Foods particular to Nara Prefecture include:
*
Narazuke, a method of pickling vegetables
*Miwa
sōmen
, ''somyeon'' ( ko, 소면; 素麵), or ''sùmiàn'' () is a very thin noodle made of wheat flour, less than 1.3 mm in diameter. The noodles are used extensively in East Asian cuisines. Japanese ''sōmen'' is made by stretching the dough ...
, a type of wheat noodle
*, a
rice porridge made with green tea
*, sushi wrapped in
persimmon
The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus '' Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-per ...
leaves
*,
rice ball
A rice ball may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a ball shape. Rice balls exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten, and are particularly prevalent in Asia. Rice b ...
s wrapped in pickled ''
takana'' leaves
Traditional arts
The following are recognized by the
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
The is a member of the Cabinet of Japan and is the leader and chief executive of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The minister is also a statutory member of the National Security Council, and is nominated by the Prime Minister of Ja ...
as being traditional arts of Nara:
*
Takayama Tea Whisk (Bamboo item category, recognized in 1975)
*Nara
Calligraphy Brush (Stationery category, recognized in 1977)
Museums
*
Nara National Museum
The is one of the pre-eminent national art museums in Japan.
Introduction
The Nara National Museum is located in Nara, which was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. Katayama Tōkuma (1854–1917) designed the original building, which is a r ...
*
Heijō Palace Museum
*
Nara Prefectural Museum of Art
*
Kashihara Archaeological Institute Museum
Education
Universities
*
Nara Women's University
is a national women's university located in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is one of two national women's universities in the country, the other being Ochanomizu University.For more about the legal status of "national universities" in Japan, s ...
*
Nara Medical University
*
Nara University of Education
*
Nara University
*
Nara Prefectural University
*
Nara Sangyo University (Nara Industrial University)
*
Nara Institute of Science and Technology )
, city = Ikoma ( Kansai Science City)
, state = Nara
, country = Japan
, postgrad = 1,043
, administrative_staff= 374
, campus = Suburban,139,967 m²,
, mascot = None
, free_label =
, free =
, endowment= US$-- billion(JP¥-- bil ...
*
Kio University
*
Tezukayama University
is a private university in Nara, Japan.
Tezukayama University has two campuses—one in Gakuen-mae (学園前) in Nara city, and the other in eastern Ikoma (東生駒). Tezukayama University has many facilities in a historical setting.
Hist ...
*
Tenri University
is a Japanese private university in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, an independent part of the secular mission of the new religious movement Tenrikyo. It was established in February 1925 as the coeducational , enrolling 104 students, and was reorganis ...
*
Hakuhō College
Sports
![Konoike-ath01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Konoike-ath01.jpg)
The sports teams listed below are based in Nara.
Football (Soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
*
Nara Club (
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
)
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
*
Bambitious Nara
The Bambitious Nara is a professional basketball team that competes in the second division of the Japanese B.League.
Roster
Notable players
*Jamar Abrams
* Ruben Boykin
*
* Josh Dollard
* Gary Hamilton
* Charles Hinkle
* Adrian ...
(
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
)
Tourism
Many
jinja (Shinto shrines), Buddhist temples, and
kofun exist in Nara Prefecture, making it is a centre for tourism. Moreover, many
world heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
sites, such as the temple
Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
and
Kasuga Shrine
is a Shinto shrine in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is the shrine of the Fujiwara family, established in 768 CE and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lan ...
, exist in the capital city of Nara.
World Heritage sites
Transportation
Railroad
*
JR West
, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, an ...
**
Yamatoji Line
The is the common name of the western portion of the Kansai Main Line. The line is owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), and starts at Kamo Station in Kyoto Prefecture and ends at JR Namba Station in Naniwa-ku, Osaka.
Op ...
**
Kansai Line
The is a railway line in Japan, which connects Nagoya Station with JR Namba Station in Osaka. It is jointly run by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), with the boundary between both compan ...
**
Manyo Mahoroba Line
**
Wakayama Line
The is a railway line that links Nara Prefecture to Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It connects Ōji Station on the Yamatoji Line to Wakayama Station on the Hanwa Line and Kisei Main Line, with t ...
*
Kintetsu ''Kintetsu'' is the abbreviation of , or Kintetsu Railway, a Japanese railway corporation.
It may also refer to:
Companies
* Kintetsu Group Holdings, the holding corporation of the Kintetsu Railway
** Kintetsu Bus, a bus company and a subsidiary ...
**
Nara Line
The is a commuter rail line in the Osaka–Kobe–Kyoto metropolitan area, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Its official termini are Kizu Station in Kizugawa and Kyōto Station in Kyoto, within Kyoto Prefecture; however ...
**
Keihanna Line
The is a railway line operated by Kintetsu Railway. There are through trains to the Chūō Line of Osaka Municipal Subway. The line name derives from a kanji acronym formed from , , and , but the name is written in hiragana.
The line is the ...
**
Kyoto Line
**
Kashihara Line
The is a north-south bound railway line in Nara Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by the Kintetsu Railway, a private railway operator. It connects Yamato-Saidaiji Station and Kashiharajingu-mae Station.
Service outline
Most Express and L ...
**
Ikoma Line
The is a railway line of Kintetsu Railway in Nara Prefecture, Japan connecting Ikoma Station in the city of Ikoma and Ōji Station in the town of Ōji. Having a total length of , the entirely electrified standard gauge line is partially doub ...
**
Ikoma Cable Line
The , referred to as , is a cable railway line owned and operated by the Kintetsu Railway, a Japanese major private railway. The line connects Toriimae to Ikomasanjo, all of which are within Ikoma, Nara, Japan.
Basic data
*Lines and distance ...
**
Tenri Line
The is a railway line of Kintetsu Railway in Nara Prefecture, Japan connecting Hirahata Station in Yamato-Kōriyama and Tenri Station in Tenri.
The line has four stations including the terminal Tenri and the transfer station Hirahata. It is mai ...
**
Osaka Line
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2.7 ...
**
Tawaramoto Line
The is a railway line owned and operated by the Kintetsu Railway, a Japanese private railway company, connecting Ōji Station (Nara) ( Ōji, Nara Prefecture) and Nishi-Tawaramoto Station ( Tawaramoto, Nara Prefecture) in Japan.
The line does ...
**
Minami Osaka Line
is a railway line operated by Kintetsu Railway connecting in Osaka and in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture via Osaka's southern suburb cities of Matsubara, Fujiidera and Habikino in Osaka Prefecture, and Katsuragi and Yamato-Takada in Nara Pref ...
**
Gose Line
The is a railway line of Kintetsu Corporation in Nara Prefecture, Japan connecting Shakudo Station in Katsuragi and Gose Station in Gose.
The line has four stations including the terminal Gose and the transfer station Shakudo. It is mainly use ...
**
Yoshino Line
Bus
from Nara and Tenri
*
Shinjuku, Tokyo
*
Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station ( ja, 東京駅, ) is a railway station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The original station is located in Chiyoda's Marunouchi business district near the Imperial Palace grounds. The newer Eastern extension is not far from the Ginza ...
*
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of T ...
*
Tokyo Disneyland
(local nickname ''TDL'') is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to ...
in
Urayasu
260px, old Urayasu
is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 170,533 in 81,136 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Urayasu is best known as the home of the Tokyo ...
*
Makuhari
is a community in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is within Hanamigawa-ku and Mihama-ku.
The seaside area of Makuhari was reclaimed from the sea. The district was constructed in a span of 10 years. Steven Poole, author of ''Trigger Hap ...
,
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to t ...
*
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
*
Osaka International Airport
, often referred to as is the primary regional airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Classified as a first class airport, it is the airport closest to Kyoto, southwest of Kyoto Station.
...
*
Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport ( ja, 関西国際空港, Kansai Kokusai Kūkō) commonly known as is the primary international airport in the Greater Osaka Area of Japan and the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and K ...
from Yamato Yagi and Gose
*Shinjuku, Tokyo
*
Shingu
*
Totsukawa
is a village located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is the largest village in Japan in terms of area. As of January 2017, the village has an estimated population of 3,488 and a density of 5.2 persons per km2. The total area is ...
Road
Expressways and toll roads
*
Nishi-Meihan Expressway
is a national expressway in the Kinki region of Japan. It is owned and operated by West Nippon Expressway Company.
Naming
Meihan is a kanji acronym of two characters. The first character represents Nagoya (名古屋) and the second character r ...
*Meihan Road
*Keinawa Expressway
*Second Hanna(
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
-Nara) Road
*South Hanna Road
National highways
*
Route 24
*
Route 25 (Osaka-Tenri-
Nabari
is a Cities of Japan, city located in central Mie Prefecture, Japan, bordering on Nara Prefecture to the west. , the city had an estimated population of 77,022 in 34,658 households and a population density of 590 persons per km². The total are ...
-
Yokkaichi
is a city located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 310,259 in 142162 households and a population density of 1500 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Yokkaichi is located in north-central ...
)
*
Route 163
*
Route 165
*
Route 166
*
Route 168 (
Hirakata
260px, Hirakata Park
is a city in northeastern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 397,681 in 183075 households and a population density of 6100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Hirakat ...
-Ikoma-Kashiba-Gojo-Totsukawa-Shingu)
*
Route 169 (Nara-Tenri-Oyodo-Yoshino-Shingu)
*
Route 308
*
Route 309
*
Route 310
*
Route 311
*
Route 368
*
Route 369
*
Route 370
*
Route 371
*
Route 422
*
Route 425
Notes
References
* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''Cambridge:
Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retirem ...
.
OCLC 58053128
External links
Nara Prefecture All Rights Reservedokuyamato.pref.nara
Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (UNESCO)Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (UNESCO)Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (UNESCO)Map of Nara City*
ttp://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/en Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
{{Authority control
Kansai region
Prefectures of Japan
Tenrikyo