Capital of Japan in the 8th century, Nara is the capital of Nara Prefecture and has a population of over 360,000. This city was built on the Yamato plateau in 710 under the name of Heijō-kyō, according to the plans in force during the Tang dynasty in China - that is to say in a square of about 4.5 km on each side and divided into several blocks or checkerboards. It was in Nara and its immediate vicinity that the six Buddhist sects (Nanto-rokushū) developed, which had such an influence on the emperors that one of them decided to transfer the capital to Heian-kyō, which became Kyoto. Thereafter, the city had to live through civil wars, not to mention the fires that the Taira clan put it through, notably in 1180. Today, Nara still has many architectural and historical treasures, seven of which have been classified as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Most of the temples and shrines are located in the huge Nara Park or in its immediate vicinity. The majority of the sites can be discovered on foot in one day. The ideal is to stay two days to take your time and visit the temples in the surroundings.

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Nara. Sean Pavone - iStockphoto
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