8 Reasons Why Nara Is a History Lover's Dream Destination

Only a few buildings remain of this once enormous temple complex. Kofuku-ji once had over 150 buildings, but over time its power waned and like a lot of temples and shrines in Japan, it has become a shadow of its former self. This temple was built to coincide with the rise of Japan’s newest capital Nara in 710 when the Fujiwara clan was at the height of their power. As it stands today, Kofuku-ji is most famous for its five story pagoda, the second tallest in Japan. Rebuilt in 1426, the pagoda stands tall as one of Nara’s most recognizable symbols.

This forest hasn’t seen the blade of an axe or the arrow of a huntsman since it came under the protection of the Japanese government in 841. In 1956, the forest was designated as a special national monument. In 1993 the forest came to be given worldwide significance as one of only three very special areas of cultural and scientific importance in Japan by UNESCO. Finally in 1998 it was given the additional title of World Heritage Site, also by UNESCO. This forest is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. If you are lucky, you might even get a glimpse of the Japanese giant flying squirrel (musasabi) enjoying the untouched wilderness.

Shrines are distinctive, and the newer they are, the brighter shade of vermilion. These days you might see a few shrines faded beyond recognition, but before the custom was discontinued, these homes of the gods were revitalized every 20 years. As one of the preeminent shrines in Japan, Kasuga-taisha was no exception. For over 1,200 years the shrine has been rebuilt and updated numerous times. In recent times though, the sprucing up is more sporadic. The shrine was rebuilt in 1955 after being partially destroyed in WWII, but not revitalized again until 2015. If you want to see a shrine the way it looked over 1,000 years ago, Kasuga-taisha is in its prime.