Online dictionary of geography and travels in Japan: nara

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Great Buddha of Nara

奈良大仏
alternative words: Great Buddha, Nara buddha, Daibutsu, Nara daibutsu
keywords: nara , temple
related topics: Nara City , Todaiji Temple , Great Buddha of Kamakura
related web sites: http://www.todaiji.or.jp , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/nara.htm
explanation: Being a huge foundry statue with 15m high, the official name of the great Buddha of Todaiji Temple is Rushanabutsu (national treasure). It was built by Kuninaka Kimimaro and others as a national enterprise and its opening ceremony took place in the 4th year of Tenpyoshoho era (752).

Horyuji Temple

法隆寺
alternative words: Horyu-ji Temple, Horyu Temple, Horyuji, Horyu-ji, Horyu ji, Temple Horyu, Houryuuji temple, Houryuuji
keywords: nara , temple , world heritage
related topics: Nara Prefecture
related web sites: http://www.horyuji.or.jp , http://www.mahoroba.ne.jp/~3e/horyuji.html , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/horyuji.htm
explanation: Horyuji Temple is located in the fief of Prince Shotoku, Land of Ikaruga: there, you can see a range of the oldest wooden buildings of the world such as Kondo and Gojuno-to (five-storied pagoda). Moreover inside buildings, there exist a plenty of valuable art works and it is considered as one of the most important temples of the Japanese culture. It has been chosen as a human heritage of UNESCO in 1993.

Kansai region

関西地方近畿地方関西近畿
alternative words: Kansai area, Kansai, Kinki region, Kinki area, Kinki
keywords: kyoto , nara , osaka , region
related topics: Kyoto prefecture , Osaka prefecture , Hyogo prefecture , Hakone , Kanto region
related web sites: http://www.senri-i.or.jp/kansai/
explanation: Kansai region is the old political center of Japan. It includes actual Hyogo, Kyoto, Shiga, Osaka, Nara, Mie and Wakayama prefectures. Though the political center of Japan has moved to Tokyo, it still owns 3 cities of more than 1 million inhabitants (Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto) and remains the second Japanese economic and industrial area. Kansai means " west of customs barrier" which was at Mt Hakone, while Kinki means "near the capital" which was Kyoto.

Kinki nippon railway

近畿日本鉄道近鉄
alternative words: Kinki nippon tetsudo, Kinki nihon tetsudo, Kintetsu
keywords: company , nara , osaka , railroad
related topics: KNT , Osaka city , Nara prefecture , Nagoya city
related web sites: http://www.kintetsu.co.jp
explanation: Owing many lines in Kinki region around Osaka, Nara and Nagoya, Kintetsu is the biggest private railroad company after JR group. It was founded in 1944 and has diversified its activity to different business such as bus lines, real estates, department stores and leisure lands. It owns "Kinki nippon tourist bureau" too.

Kofukuji temple

興福寺
alternative words: Kofuku temple, Kofukuji, Kofuku ji
keywords: nara , temple
related topics: Nara city , Todaiji temple
related web sites: http://www.kohfukuji.com
explanation: With Todaiji, Kofukuji is one of the most prestigious temples in Nara and belongs together to a human heritage selected by Unesco. Built in 669, it had developed quickly as the family temple of Fujiwara clan (ujidera) and owned many warrior monks to oppose the central government. For that reason, the most of buildings were burned down by Taira clan in 1180 but they were restored during Kamakura period. Its treasure house contains invaluable sculptures of this period.

Nara City

奈良市
alternative words: Narashi city, Narashi, Nara shi, Nara
keywords: nara , tourist resort , town
related topics: Nara Prefecture , Todaiji Temple , Great Buddha of Nara
related web sites: http://www.city.nara.nara.jp , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/nara.htm
explanation: Town where the office of Nara Prefecture is situated. The population is 0.3 million. Nara has been built by Empress Genme in 710 and remained as capital of Japan until 784. By imitating Chinese capital, the town was divided into districts by horizontal and vertical streets as a checkerboard, but the western part had been abandoned. Each year, it attracts about 16 millions of tourists because it owns innumerable temples and shrines like Todaiji and Kasuga Shrine.

Nara Prefecture

奈良県
alternative words: Naraken prefecture, Naraken, Nara ken, Nara
keywords: nara , prefecture , tourist resort
related topics: Nara City , Horyuji Temple , Toshodaiji Temple , Oomiwa Shrine , Yakushiji Temple , Kinki nippon railway
related web sites: http://www.pref.nara.jp , http://dtravel.inetg.com/nara/nara.html
explanation: Nara prefecture occupies the central part of Kinki region. Its surface is 3,692 km2 and the population 1.3million. The prefectural office is at Nara City. The southern region is mountainous with heavy rain and therefore the forestry is prosperous. The northern region forms a basin where the most of the human activity is concentrated. Nara is first of all the tourist regions with innumerable shrines and temples. The farmers are cultivating fruits and vegetables because of the vicinity to Osaka.

Oomiwa Shrine

大神神社
alternative words: Omiwa Shrine, Oomiwajinja, Omiwajinja, Oomiwa-jinja, Omiwa-jinja, Oomiwa
keywords: nara , shrine
related topics: Nara prefecture , Sakurai city
related web sites: http://www.oomiwa.or.jp
explanation: Located in Nara Prefecture, between Mt Miwa and Hasihaka Tumulus, it is one of the oldest shrines or may be the oldest in Japan and dedicated to God Oomononushi, of whom role remains mysterious. Contrary to other shrines, it has no main building because the body of Mt. Miwa is itself considered a sanctuary.

Sakurai city

桜井市桜井
alternative words: Sakuraishi city, Sakuraishi, Sakurai shi, Sakurai
keywords: nara , tourist resort , town
related topics: Nara prefecture , Oomiwa shrine
related web sites: http://www.city.sakurai.nara.jp
explanation: Located in the center of Nara prefecture and sud-east of Nara basin, Sakurai had been once the center of Japanese civilization with Oomiwa shrine which enshrines Oomononushi and Hasihaka tumulus which may be a grave of Queen Himiko. For that reason, Sakurai attracts many amateurs of the old civilization. Sakurai is also active in sawing industry for forestry of Yoshino mountains. Somen (Japanese noodles) of Miwa is well known, too. The population is 64,000.

Todaiji Temple

東大寺
alternative words: Todai-ji Temple, Todai Temple, Todaiji, Todai-ji, Toudaiji Temple, Toudai Temple, Toudaiji, Toudai-ji
keywords: nara , temple , world heritage
related topics: Nara City , Great Buddha of Nara
related web sites: http://www.todaiji.or.jp
explanation: Toudaiji Temple had been the headquarters of all the official Buddhist temples constructed by Emperor Shomu in each province of Japan. It has been suffered several times from the war casualties so it has lost the initial dimension. Nevertheless the actual hall of Daibutsu, where the great Buddha has been installed, has a frontage of 57m with 47.5m of height and is the world biggest wooden building.

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