Heijo-kyo Rises: Guided by Fujiwara Fuhito
Heijo-kyo, the capital of the Nara period (710–794), was relocated by imperial decree of the 43rd Reigning Empress Genmei (660-771, 元明天皇) in 710. Spanning an area similar to that of modern-day Nara City, it featured Suzakuouji Avenue, which ran straight from north to south, from the Daigokuden Palace through the Suzakumon Gate to the Rajomon Gate […]
Dazaifu Tenmangu, Enshrines Sugawara Michizane as The God of Learning
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine enshrines Sugawara Michizane (845-903, 菅原道真), a renowned scholar who supported the 59th Emperor Uda (867-931, 宇多天皇) as a ‘Monjo-hakase’ (a scholar of the highest rank), offering his extensive knowledge and insight during the emperor’s reign. The shrine is the head of the 12,000 Tenmangu shrines across Japan. Sugawara Michizane is revered as […]
Kasugataisha: A 1,300-Year-Old Sacred Shrine in Nara
Kasgataisha Shrine in Nara has a 1300-year-old history. Feeling the spituality from the sacred deer, mountains, and forests, the all are the divinity of Kasuga's God.
Osaka Castle: The Symbol of Japan’s Unification and the Rise of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Discover why Toyotomi Hideyoshi built Osaka Castle, and how his political genius—not just military power—led to the unification of Japan. Explore the hidden strategy behind one of history’s greatest rises to power after Oda Nobunaga’s death.
Asukadera, the First Full-scale Buddhist Temple in Japan
Asukadera Temple was the first full-scale Buddhist temple in Japan, spending approximately 200m from east to west and 300m from north to south. It was built in the capital province of Asuka in 596, using various advanced technologies in architecture, geology, and painting. In the face of the threat of falling into the tributary nation […]