(c)Nara Palace Site Historical Park
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- Culture & History
- Historic sites & Historic monuments
- Nara Palace Site Historical Park (Heijokyuseki Rekishi Koen)
Nara Palace Site Historical Park (Heijokyuseki Rekishi Koen)
A park surrounding the ruins of Heijo-kyo, the ancient capital
- Closest station
JR Nara Station
- Access
From JR Nara Station West Exit or Kintetsu Nara Station, take the Nara Kotsu Bus bound for Gakuen-mae Station for about 11 minutes, and then get off at the Suzakumon-hiroba-mae bus stop.
- Location
Sakicho and Nijo-oji Minami, Nara City, Nara Prefecture
- Opening hours
Suzakumon Gate is open from 9:00 – 16:30 (admission until 16:00), and other hours vary by facility.
- Closed
Suzakumon Gate is closed on Mondays (the following day if a public holiday falls on a Monday), and other closures vary by facility.
- Price
Free
Great Stuff to See and Do!
A large and well-organized capital that existed approx. 1,300 years ago
photo:(c)Nara Palace Site Historical Park
Nara Palace Site Historical Park is a park that was developed on Heijyo-kyo’s palace ruins. Heijo-kyo was established in 710 as the capital of Japan, in what is now known as Nara City. Based on a series of laws known as the Ritsuryo codes, the capital was relocated from Fujiwara-kyo (also in Nara Prefecture) to Heijo-kyo to create a centralized area for governing. It flourished as the center of Japan for about 70 years until the capital was then moved to Nagaoka-kyo in 784.
Heijo-kyo is said to have been built based on Chang’an (China), and was a large-scale complex in an authentic Chinese style. It had a total area of approx. 2,500 hectares (approx. 6,177 acres), and was characterized by sections that were neatly laid out like a go board. The main street, Suzaku Oji Ave., which runs straight from the Rajomon Gate at the southern end of the capital to the Suzakumon Gate (South Central Gate), is said to be about 74 meters wide.
Survey and reconstruction of the palace ruins have been ongoing for quite some time, and the reconstruction of the Suzakumon Gate and the Toin Teien Garden (East Palace Garden) was completed in 1998. In that year, it was registered as a World Heritage Site as one of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.”
Facilities for learning about and enjoying both history and culture
photo:(c)Nara Palace Site Historical Park
In 2018, the vast Suzakumon Hiroba Square opened with five complexes. It features the Heijokyu Izanaikan Museum, which shows the highlights of the Nara Palace Site Historical Park and the history of Heijo-kyo, and the Tenpyo Miharashikan, which has an observation deck and a VR theater. You can also purchase souvenirs and enjoy gourmet food at the Tenpyo Umashin-kan restaurant. Nara Palace Site Historical Park is a place where you can experience the scenery as it was at the time and have fun while learning about history and culture.
