Nara City 奈良市

Heijô-kyô, today’s Nara, founded at the time at the behest of Empress Genmyô / Empress Genmei on the Chinese architectural model (4.7 km from north to south and 4.3 km from west to east), becomes the first permanent capital of Japan from 710 to 784. Today, the city south of Kyôto is one of the most important cultural sites – with the largest Buddha statue in the country and several temples and shrines registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.