|
 Nara
prefecture
is
situated
in
the
central
west
of
the
Japanese
mainland.
The
capital
was
placed
in
the
Asuka
region,
a
southern
part
of
Nara
Basin
in
the
northwestern
part
of
the
prefecture,
as
the
first
of
unified
Japan
in
the
mid
4th
century,
and
until
the
end
of
the
8th
century
Asuka
prospered
as
the
center
of
Japanese
politics
and
economy.
Later,
the
capital
was
moved
to
Heijyo-kyo,
the
current
Nara
City.
Under
the
protection
of
the
Imperial
family
and
aristocrats,
temples
and
shrines
such
as
Todai-ji
Temple,
the
largest
wooden
architecture
in
the
world
that
enshrines
Japan's
largest
Buddha,
Yakushi-ji
Temple
that
has
excellent
old
architectures
and
images
of
Buddha,
and
Toshodai-ji
Temple
were
built.
Thus
Heijyo-kyo
developed
as a
temple
town.
Horyu-ji
Temple
in
Ikaruga
Town,
which
is
said
to
have
been
built
in
the
early
7th
century,
is
known
as
the
oldest
existing
Buddhist
temple.
There
are
world's
oldest
wooden
architectures
as
well
as
many
paintings
and
sculptures
in
its
possession,
and
the
Temple
is
also
registered
as
the
World
Cultural
Heritage
Site. |
