47-446: Nanto Shichi Daiji (南都七大寺), literally "the seven great temples of the southern capital (meaning the city of Nara )", is a historical common name generally referring to the powerful and influential seven Buddhist temples located in the Nara prefecture . There have been some changes as to which temples are included over the years, since there have been fluctuations in power. The following
94-487: A chūnagon became the favored consort of the Crown Prince Ate (later known as Heizei -tennō ), her father's power and position in court was affected. Kammu disapproved of Fujiwara no Kusuko , daughter of Fujiwara no Tanetsugu ; and Kammu had her removed from his son's household. Emperor Kammu's Imperial family included 36 children. In 2001, Japan's emperor Akihito told reporters "I, on my part, feel
141-583: A certain kinship with Korea", given the fact that it is recorded in the Chronicles of Japan that the Emperor Kammu's (737-803) mother was one of the descendant of King Muryong of Baekje (462–523). It was the first time that a Japanese emperor publicly referred to any Korean ancestry in the imperial line. According to the Shoku Nihongi , Emperor Kammu's mother, Takano no Niigasa (720–90),
188-462: A coup d'état in 782, but it failed and Kawatsugu and his mother were sent into exile. In 785 Sawara was expelled and died in exile. The Nara period saw the appointment of the first shōgun , Ōtomo no Otomaro by Emperor Kammu in 794 CE. The shōgun was the military dictator of Japan with near absolute power over territories via the military. Otomaro was declared "Sei-i Taishōgun" which means "Barbarian-subduing Great General". Emperor Kammu granted
235-676: A further surname expansion) the Hōjō clan . The waka poet Ariwara no Narihira was one of his grandsons. Kammu is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates Kashiwabara no Misasagi ( 柏原陵 , Kashiwabara Imperial Mausoleum) , in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto , as the location of Kammu's mausoleum . Kammu was an active emperor who attempted to consolidate government hierarchies and functions. Kammu appointed Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811) to lead
282-454: A military expedition against the Emishi . The years of Kammu's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name ( nengō ). Earlier Imperial sponsorship of Buddhism , beginning with Prince Shōtoku (574–622), had led to a general politicization of the clergy, along with an increase in intrigue and corruption. In 784 Kammu shifted his capital from Nara to Nagaoka-kyō in
329-409: A move that was said to be designed to encumber the powerful Nara Buddhist establishments out of state politics—while the capital moved, the major Buddhist temples, and their officials, stayed put. Indeed, there was a steady stream of edicts issued from 771 right through the period of Kūkai's studies which, for instance, sought to limit the number of Buddhist priests, and the building of temples. However,
376-571: A population density of 1,300 persons per km . There were 160,242 households residing in Nara. The highest concentration of both households and population, respectively about 46,000 and 125,000, is found along the newer bedtown districts, along the Kintetsu line connecting to Osaka . There were about 3,000 registered foreigners in the city, of which Koreans and Chinese are the two largest groups with about 1,200 and 800 people respectively. According to
423-531: A preeminent commander, Tamura Maro. Politically Kammu shored up his rule by changing the syllabus of the university. Confucian ideology still provided the raison d'être for the Imperial government. In 784 Kammu authorised the teaching of a new course based on the Spring and Autumn Annals based on two newly imported commentaries: Kung-yang and Ku-liang . These commentaries used political rhetoric to promote
470-525: A reactionary expression to the political centralization of China, the city of Nara (Heijō) was modeled after the Tang capital at Chang’an . Nara was laid out on a grid—which was based upon the Handen system —whereby the city was divided by four great roads. Likewise, according to Chinese cosmology, the ruler's place was fixed like the pole star. By dominating the capital, the ruler brought heaven to earth. Thus,
517-541: A state in which the Emperor, as "Son of Heaven," should extend his sphere of influence to barbarous lands, thereby gladdening the people. In 798 the two commentaries became required reading at the government university. Kammu also sponsored the travels of the monks Saichō and Kūkai to China , from where they returned to found the Japanese branches of, respectively, Tendai and Shingon Buddhism . Kugyō ( 公卿 )
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#1732765135866564-619: A time of penal and administrative legal order. The Taihō Code called for the establishment of administrative sects underneath the central government, and modeled many of the codes from the Chinese Tang dynasty. The code eventually disbanded, but its contents were largely preserved in the Yōrō Code of 718. Occupants of the throne during the period gradually shifted their focus from military preparation to religious rites and institutions, in an attempt to strengthen their divine authority over
611-464: Is 276.84 km (106.89 sq mi). Nara city, as well as several important settlements (such as Kashihara , Yamatokōriyama , Tenri , Yamatotakada , Sakurai and Gose ), are located in the Nara Basin . This makes it the most densely-populated region of Nara Prefecture. The downtown of Nara is on the east side of the ancient Heijō Palace site, occupying the northern part of what
658-513: Is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre- Meiji eras. In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Kammu's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included: When the daughter of
705-516: Is a list as it stood at the early stage, all of which were originally built by imperial order: Sometimes the temples were called "the fifteen great temples of the southern capital" too, including other prestigious temples such as Tōshōdai-ji (唐招提寺) and Hokke-ji (法華寺). Nara, Nara Nara ( 奈良市 , Nara-shi , [naꜜɾa] ) 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
752-472: Is among the heaviest in Japan and indeed in the world outside the equatorial zone. Spring and fall temperatures are temperate and comfortable. The mountainous region of Yoshino has been long popular for viewing cherry blossoms in the spring. In autumn, the southern mountains are also a popular destination for viewing fall foliage. As of April 1, 2017 , the city has an estimated population of 359,666 and
799-576: The Heijō Palace , together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest , collectively form the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . By the Heian period , a variety of different characters had been used to represent the name Nara: 乃楽 , 乃羅 , 平 , 平城 , 名良 , 奈良 , 奈羅 , 常 , 那良 , 那楽 , 那羅 , 楢 , 諾良 , 諾楽 , 寧 , 寧楽 and 儺羅 . A number of theories for
846-636: The Tōdaiji Gakuen , a private school founded by the temple in 1926. The main central station of Nara is Kintetsu Nara Station with JR Nara station some 500m west and much closer to Shin-Omiya station. Nara's sister cities are: Nara is featured in the anime and manga , Tonikawa: Fly Me to the Moon . Nara is the inspiring location for the 2014 album This Is All Yours by English indie rock band Alt-J Emperor Kammu Emperor Kanmu ( 桓武天皇 , Kammu-tennō , 735 – 9 April 806) , or Kammu ,
893-505: The Unification Church . The city of Nara lies in the northern end of Nara Prefecture , directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture to its north. The city is 22.22 km (13.81 mi) from North to South, from East to West. As a result of the latest merger, effective April 1, 2005, that combined the villages of Tsuge and Tsukigase with the city of Nara, the city now borders Mie Prefecture directly to its east. The total area
940-770: The Edo and Meiji periods to a modern tourist city, due to its large number of historical temples, landmarks and national monuments. Nara was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in December 1998. The architecture of some shops, ryokans and art galleries has been adapted from traditional merchant houses. Nara holds traditional festivals every year, including the Neri-Kuyo Eshiki, a spring festival held in Todaiji temple for over 1,000 years; and
987-539: The Edo period, during which several visitors' maps of Nara were widely published. During the Meiji Period, the Kofukuji Temple lost some land and its monks were converted into Shinto priests, due to Buddhism being associated with the old shogunate. Although Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 794, it was not designated a city until 1 February 1898. Nara has since developed from a town of commerce in
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#17327651358661034-540: The Kemari Festival, in which people wear costumes ranging across 700 years and play traditional games). In 1909, Tatsuno Kingo designed the Nara Hotel , whose architecture combined modern elements with traditional Japanese style. At a 2022 campaign event in Nara, former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe was shot and killed with a homemade firearm by Tetsuya Yamagami , who resented Abe's ties to
1081-411: The authority of the Emperor and led to proliferation of private armies. Then in 794 Kammu suddenly shifted the capital again, this time to Heian-kyō, which is modern day Kyoto . The new capital was started early the previous year, but the change was abrupt and led to even more confusion amongst the populace. Kammu's rule witnessed the frontiers of Japan expanding into Izawa and Shiba, under the command of
1128-487: The city of Nara. Nara Women's University is one of only two national women's universities in Japan. Nara Institute of Science and Technology is a graduate research university specializing in biological, information, and materials sciences. Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the city of Nara. Public high schools are operated by the Nara Prefecture. Private high schools in Nara include
1175-456: The court to relocate to the new capital, Nara. Once known as Heijō or Heijō-kyō , the city was established as Japan's first permanent capital in 710 CE; it was the seat of government until 784 CE, albeit with a five-year interruption, lasting from 741 to 745 CE. Heijō, as the ‘penultimate court’, however, was abandoned by the order of Emperor Kammu in 784 CE in favor of the temporary site of Nagaoka , and then Heian-kyō (Kyoto) which retained
1222-512: The deer lack fiber and other nutrients deer require, so when the deer eat too many rice crackers it causes the gut microbiome in the deer to become unbalanced, among other problems. 7 out of 8 deer dissected had a “kidney fat index” (which measures how much fat has attached to the kidneys) below 40%, which indicates malnutrition in the deer. And of those 7, some had kidney fat below 10%, which indicates starvation. Compared to male shika deer outside of Nara park, which weigh about 50 kilograms on average,
1269-459: The deer. Some deer have learned to bow in order to receive senbei from people. A 2009 study by Harumi Torii (who is the assistant professor of wildlife management at Nara University of Education,) in which necropsies of deceased shika deer in Nara park were conducted, found that the deer in Nara park were malnourished from not having enough grass to eat, and eating too many rice crackers and other human food. The rice crackers commonly fed to
1316-618: The largest city in Nara Prefecture and sixth-largest in the Kansai region of Honshu . Nara is a core city located in the northern part of Nara Prefecture bordering the Kyoto Prefecture . Nara was the capital of Japan during the Nara period from 710 to 794 as the seat of the Emperor before the capital was moved to Kyoto . Nara is home to eight temples, shrines, and ruins, specifically Tōdai-ji , Saidai-ji , Kōfuku-ji , Kasuga Shrine , Gangō-ji , Yakushi-ji , Tōshōdai-ji , and
1363-564: The legendary history of Kasuga Shrine , the god Takemikazuchi arrived in Nara on a white deer to guard the newly built capital of Heijō-kyō . Since then, the deer have been regarded as heavenly animals, protecting the city and the country. Tame sika deer (also known as spotted deer or Japanese deer) roam through the town, especially in Nara Park . In 2015, there were more than 1,200 sika deer in Nara. Snack vendors sell sika senbei (deer crackers ) to visitors so they can feed
1410-416: The like today, and it is regarded as the most likely. There are a number of megalithic tombs or kofun in Nara, including Gosashi Kofun , Hishiage Kofun ( ヒシアゲ古墳 ) , Horaisan Kofun ( 宝来山古墳 ) , Konabe Kofun ( コナベ古墳 ) , Saki Ishizukayama Kofun ( 佐紀石塚山古墳 ) , Saki Misasagiyama Kofun ( 佐紀陵山古墳 ) , and Uwanabe Kofun ( ウワナベ古墳 ) . By decree of an edict on March 11, 708 AD, Empress Genmei ordered
1457-631: The lowest is in Ikeda-cho district, with an altitude of 56.4 m (185.04 ft). The climate of Nara Prefecture is generally temperate, although there are notable differences between the north-western basin area and the rest of the prefecture which is more mountainous. The basin area climate has an inland characteristic, as represented in the higher daily temperature variance, and the difference between summer and winter temperatures. Winter temperatures average approximately 3 to 5 °C (37 to 41 °F), and from 25 to 28 °C (77 to 82 °F) in
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1504-461: The male shika deer in Nara park only weigh 30 kilograms on average. The color of the femoral marrow in Nara park’s deer was also abnormal, indicating malnourishment. When living deer in Nara park were observed during the study, it was discovered that rice crackers made up about one third of the average deer’s diet in Nara park, with grass making up about two thirds. The deer have become so excessively numerous in Nara park, that there isn’t enough grass in
1551-429: The move of the political capital to Heian-kyō in 794, thus giving Nara a synonym of Nanto ( 南都 "the southern capital"). On December 2, 724 AD, in order to increase the visual "magnificence" of the city, an edict was ordered by the government for the noblemen and the wealthy to renovate the roofs, pillars, and walls of their homes, although at that time this was unfeasible. Sightseeing in Nara city became popular in
1598-410: The move was to prove disastrous and was followed by a series of natural disasters including the flooding of half the city. In 785 the principal architect of the new capital, and royal favourite, Fujiwara no Tanetsugu , was assassinated. Meanwhile, Kammu's armies were pushing back the boundaries of his empire. This led to an uprising, and in 789 a substantial defeat for Kammu's troops. Also in 789 there
1645-404: The origin of the name "Nara" have been proposed, and some of the better-known ones are listed here. The second theory in the list, from the notable folklorist Kunio Yanagita (1875–1962), is most widely accepted at present. The "flat land" theory is adopted by Nihon Kokugo Daijiten (the largest dictionary of Japanese language), various dictionaries for place names, history books on Nara, and
1692-455: The park for all of them to live entirely on grass, creating a dependency on humans for rice crackers. This lack of grass also causes the deer to resort to eating garbage and plants that they would not normally eat. The deer in Nara park have become overpopulated due to being fed by people frequently, and having few predators. And the deer have caused extensive damage to trees (by feeding on bark,) bamboo (by eating their shoots,) and other plants in
1739-454: The park. Additionally, the deer have become aggressive towards humans in their solicitation of food (which leads to people getting injured by deer,) aggressive towards each other in competition for rice crackers, and have lost their fear of predators in general. For these reasons, tourists may want to consider not feeding the deer in Nara park, and simply observe them instead. As of 2005 , there are 16 high schools and 6 universities located in
1786-518: The population. With the establishment of the new capital, Asuka-dera , the temple of the Soga clan , was relocated within Nara. The Emperor Shōmu ordered the construction of Tōdai-ji Temple (largest wooden building in the world) and the world's largest bronze Buddha statue. The temples of Nara, known collectively as the Nanto Shichi Daiji , remained spiritually significant even beyond
1833-646: The second title of shōgun to Sakanoue no Tamuramaro for subduing the Emishi in northern Honshu . Kammu had 16 empresses and consorts, and 32 imperial sons and daughters. Among them, three sons would eventually ascend to the imperial throne: Emperor Heizei , Emperor Saga and Emperor Junna . Some of his descendants (known as the Kammu Taira or Kammu Heishi ) took the Taira hereditary clan title, and in later generations became prominent warriors. Examples include Taira no Masakado , Taira no Kiyomori , and (with
1880-456: The south-facing palace centered at the north, bisected the ancient city, instituting ‘Right Capital’ and ‘Left Capital’ zones. As Nara came to be a center of Buddhism in Japan and a prominent pilgrimage site, the city plan incorporated various pre-Heijō and Heijō period temples, of which the Yakushiji and the Todaiji still stand. A number of scholars have characterized the Nara period as
1927-473: The status of capital for 1,100 years, until the Meiji Emperor made the final move to Edo in 1869 CE. This first relocation was due to the court's transformation from an imperial nobility to a force of metropolitan elites and new technique of dynastic shedding which had refashioned the relationship between court, nobility, and country. Moreover, the ancient capital lent its name to Nara period. As
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1974-522: The summer with highest readings reaching close to 35 °C (95 °F). There has not been a single year since 1990 with more than 10 days of snowfall recorded by Nara Local Meteorological Observatory. The climate in the rest of the prefecture is that of higher elevations especially in the south, with −5 °C (23 °F) being the extreme minimum in winter. Heavy rainfall is often observed in summer. The annual accumulated rainfall totals as much as 3,000 to 5,000 mm (118.11 to 196.85 in ), which
2021-473: Was Kammu who was later named to succeed their father. After Inoe and Prince Osabe were confined and then died in 775, Osabe's sister – Kammu's half-sister Princess Sakahito – became Kammu's wife. Later, when he ascended to the throne in 781, Kammu appointed his young brother, Prince Sawara , whose mother was Takano no Niigasa, as crown prince. Hikami no Kawatsugu, a son of Emperor Tenmu 's grandson Prince Shioyaki and Shōmu's daughter Fuwa, attempted to carry out
2068-409: Was a severe drought and famine—the streets of the capital were clogged with the sick, and people avoiding being drafted into the military, or into forced labour. Many disguised themselves as Buddhist priests for the same reason. Consequently, in 792 Kammu abolished national conscription, replacing it with a system wherein each province formed a militia from the local gentry, however this system vitiated
2115-445: Was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne. According to the Shoku Nihongi ( 続日本紀 ) , Yamabe's mother, Yamato no Niigasa (later called Takano no Niigasa ), was a 10th generation descendant of Muryeong of Baekje (462–523). After his father became emperor, Kammu's half-brother, Prince Osabe was appointed to the rank of crown prince . His mother was Princess Inoe , a daughter of Emperor Shōmu ; but instead of Osabe, it
2162-736: Was called the Gekyō ( 外京 ) , literally the outer capital area. Many of the public offices (e.g. the Municipal office, the Nara Prefectural government, the Nara Police headquarters, etc.) are located on Nijō-ōji ( 二条大路 ) , while Nara branch offices of major nationwide banks are on Sanjō-ōji ( 三条大路 ) , with both avenues running east–west. The highest point in the city is at the peak of Kaigahira-yama at an altitude of 822.0 m (2,696.85 ft) (Tsugehayama-cho district), and
2209-416: Was the 50th emperor of Japan , according to the traditional order of succession . Kammu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scope of the emperor's powers reached its peak. His reign saw the transition from the Nara period to the Heian period . Kammu's personal name ( imina ) was Yamabe ( 山部 ) . He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe (later known as Emperor Kōnin ), and
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