Nara Park is an overwhelming tourist attraction in the ancient capital of Nara. Nara Park is visited by 1/3 of all tourists in Nara Prefecture. There are many recommended surrounding spots around Nara Park. So, what kind of nearby spots are there? This time, we will introduce recommended nearby spots that you should visit before heading to Nara Park.
What is Nara Park?
Nara Park is a city park located in Shibatsuji-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture. Nara Park is pronounced “Nara Koen”. The official name is “Nara Prefectural City Park Nara Park”.
- What is Naramachi?
- Naramachi basic information
- What is Shimomimon Shopping Street?
- [Sarusawa Pond] A pond where the five-storied pagoda is reflected on the water surface!! ︎
- 【Kofukuji】A historic temple dating back to 710 AD‼︎
- Gangoji Temple (Naramachi)Access information
- Summary
- Nara Park basic information
What is Naramachi?
Naramachi is the area centered around the former precincts of Gangoji Temple. The official name of Naramachi is “Nara-machi”. The location is in the southern part of Nara Park. To be precise, Naramachi is divided into two areas: the “Gangoji Old Main Garan Area” and the “Gangoji Old Temple Area”. The image is that the “Gangoji former main temple area” is in the center, and the “Gangoji former temple area” surrounds it.
Naramachi basic information
Here we will introduce basic information about Naramachi.
[Goryo Shrine] A power spot for matchmaking!! ︎
Goryo Shrine is pronounced “Goryojinja.”It is a historic shrine that is said to have been built approximately 1,200 years ago on the orders of Emperor Kanmu. It enshrines eight gods, one of which is known as the god of calligraphy, and some people visit it to improve their calligraphy skills. In spring, weeping cherry blossoms and peonies bloom beautifully, and they are said to bring luck in marriage.Shinto weddings are also held at the shrine.
▲At this shrineA string is tied to the leg of a guardian dog as a way of making a wish that has been passed down since the Edo period. There seem to be many people who tie strings to fulfill their love life or prosper in business, such as “I want to be with my lover for a long time” or “I don’t want to lose customers.”
❶What is World Heritage Site [Gangoji]?
Gangoji is a temple designated as a World Heritage Site. A temple located in the center of Naramachi, Gangoji is pronounced “Gangoji.” It is said that “Asuka-dera” was originally located in Asuka Village, but moved to Heijo-kyo in 718 and became “Gango-ji.” Gango-ji Temple became Gango-ji Temple in the flow of “Asuka-dera Temple ⇒ Hoko-ji Temple ⇒ Asuka Dai-ji Temple ⇒ Gango-ji Temple.”
❸Why Naramachi is still in the spotlight.
The reason why Naramachi is still in the spotlight is because in 1998, Gangoji Temple was registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site as one of the “Historical Properties of Ancient Nara.” As it is the area around Gangoji Temple, Naramachi has started to attract attention as a new tourist attraction in Nara. Naramachi also survived the ravages of World War II, and still retains its good old pre-war townscape. Due to these reasons, Naramachi has become a town that continues to attract tourists.
▲Nara Town has many cafes in old houses with a nostalgic atmosphere, miscellaneous goods stores, and rice shops, making it the perfect place to take a stroll! ︎
▲Official tourism website
What is Shimomimon Shopping Street?
Shimomimon Shopping District is a shopping district located in Shimomimon-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture. Shimomikado Shopping Street is pronounced as “Shimonomikado Shoutengai.” The name Shimomikado Shopping Street is said to come from the name of a monk in the Nara period, “Shimomikado.” For a time, it was a deserted shopping street, but in 1998, when Gangoji Temple was registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site, it was successfully renovated to match the image of ancient Nara. There are currently about 30 stores.
[Sarusawa Pond] A pond where the five-storied pagoda is reflected on the water surface!! ︎
Sarusawa Pond is the Hojo Pond of Kofukuji Temple. Sarusawa Pond is pronounced “Sarusawaike”. You can take pictures of the five-storied pagoda and temples reflected on the water surface. There is also a Starbucks nearby. A release pond is a pond built for releasing caught fish. It was created by ancient Buddhist monks to express their feelings of compassion. Simply put, it is a performance by an old monk.
【Kofukuji】A historic temple dating back to 710 AD‼︎
Kofukuji is a temple that was built during the transfer of the capital to Heijokyo in 710. It was built by Fujiwara no Fuhito, the most powerful person at the time, and is the family temple of the Fujiwara clan. A family temple is a temple built to pray for the prosperity of the family, the memory of one’s ancestors, and happiness after death. By the way, Chukondo, the central temple of Kofukuji Temple, is a building that has been burnt down and rebuilt a total of six times since its founding. Famous family temples include Mukoharaji Temple of the Soga clan.
▲2024 The five-storied pagoda is currently undergoing repair work to preserve it for future generations. Please check the official website for details.
Gangoji Temple (Naramachi)Access information
Here you will find detailed information about access to Nara Park. The address of Nara Park is “Shibatsuji-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture”.
❶Route from Nara City Hall to Gangoji Temple by car
| Nara City Hall ⇒ Omiya Street ⇒ National Route 369 ⇒ Peaceful Path ⇒ Naramachi Boulevard ⇒ Gangoji Temple |
The total travel distance is approximately 3.3 km, and the travel time is approximately 10 minutes. There are many coin parking lots around.
Summary
This time, we introduced some recommended nearby spots that you should visit before heading to Nara Park. There are many recommended spots in and around Nara Park. All of the spots have high historical value and are useful. If you visit Nara, we highly recommend that you stop by Nara Park and its surrounding spots.
Nara Park basic information
Here we will introduce basic information about Nara Park.
❶Opening of Nara Park
Nara Park was opened on February 14, 1898. The reason it was established was to protect the scenery of the former grounds of Kofukuji Temple. The precincts refer to the grounds of a shrine or temple.
❷Total area of Nara Park
The total area of Nara Park is 511.33ha, which is approximately the size of 109 Tokyo Domes. The breakdown is 48.77ha in plains and 462.56ha in forest area. In terms of distance, it is approximately 4 km from east to west and approximately 2 km from north to south.
❸Annual number of visitors to Nara Park
The annual number of visitors to Nara Park is 13 million. This number corresponds to approximately 1/3 of the 35 million tourists visiting Nara Prefecture. From this, it can be said that Nara Park plays a central role in tourism in Nara Prefecture.
❹Main historical buildings in Nara Park
There are historical buildings within Nara Park. The main historical buildings are:
①Shosoin
②Todaiji Temple: World Heritage Site
③Kasuga Taisha: World Heritage Site
④Kofukuji Temple: World Heritage Site
In this way, many historic buildings that are classified as World Heritage Sites are preserved within Nara Park.
Thank you for reading to the end. I will continue to convey the beauty of Japan. I hope to enrich your lives even a little. I look forward to your opinions and feedback. I hope you will check out other content on Instagram and YouTube.
See you again…
▲ I will continue to post more like this in the future. Thank you for your support.
Reactions from people in various countries‼︎
Comment