Nara: Step Back 1400 Years into Ancient Japan | World Heritage History Tour
Hello everyone! I’m Ikumi. Welcome to my Japan Days. On this channel, I share the scenery and culture of Japan, and my passion for Japanese calligraphy. Today’s theme is… I normally live in Tokyo, but I recently had a trip to Osaka. So I figured—why not visit some World Heritage Sites too? Nara’s full of them, so I made a trip to Nara Prefecture! I’ve been to Nara a few times, but I don’t think I ever came just to see the World Heritage spots. At least, not that I remember. In Japanese schools we have field trips that focus on historical places, like cultural studies trips. Since I was a student in the Kanto region, we took class trips to Kyoto and Nara in Kansai. I clearly remember Kyoto, but strangely I hardly remember Nara. So I’m not even sure I really visited before! Visiting historical sites as an adult hits differently. That’s why this time I decided to go myself, and plan a little World Heritage tour. If you’re planning a trip to Japan, or aren’t sure where to go, or if you’re simply curious about Japan’s history or culture, I think you’ll enjoy this video! So please watch to the end. There are two main areas of UNESCO World Heritage in Nara. The first is around Horyu-ji Temple, which was the first site in Japan to be designated as World Heritage. It includes historic Buddhist architecture. The second is the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara,” which includes famous places like Todaiji and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. They’re grouped together as one listing. I visited both areas this time, but there’s way too much to see in one day! So I narrowed it down to three main places. Also, I’ll be showing you calligraphy I made along the way— so don’t miss it! This is a coin locker at Osaka Station. Many major Japanese stations have lockers like this for storing your luggage. Some take IC cards like Suica, but this one only accepts cash—so be careful! From Osaka Station, I took the JR line to get to Horyu-ji Station. From there, I hopped on a local bus. Here is a Nara Prefecture bus. Buses vary depending on the region, but this one has the entrance in the back and exit in the front. Some buses take nationwide IC cards, but in some areas, only local IC cards or cash might be accepted. So always double-check before boarding! I arrived at the Horyu-ji bus stop. Here is the approach road to Horyu-ji Temple. So peaceful and lovely atmosphere. Here’s the South Gate (Nandaimon) of Horyu-ji Temple. If you go in through this gate and follow the long path, you’ll get to a gate called Chumon. Beyond that stands the famous five-story pagoda of Horyu-ji. Horyu-ji Temple was originally founded in 607 by Empress Suiko and Prince Shotoku. Because of its long history and cultural value, it was listed as a UNESCO site in 1993— the first ever in Japan. Prince Shotoku, who built Horyu-ji, was a statesman and aristocrat who lived from the late 500s to early 600s. He laid the foundation of Japan’s early political and cultural systems. Even though he was born into a royal family descending from Shinto deities, he was a devout Buddhist and helped spread the religion in Japan. He truly embraced harmony—honoring both gods and the Buddha. That balance feels very Japanese to me. He was an incredibly talented figure— creating laws, recruiting capable officials, and building a nation centered around the Emperor. He helped shape the Japan we know today. One well-known story about his genius is that… he could listen to 10 people talking at once and still understand everything! That’s still a saying in Japan— when someone multitasks well, they’re called a “Prince Shotoku type.” We even had him on the 10,000 yen bill! Prince Shotoku is in all the Japanese history textbooks, and he used to be the face on the old 10,000 yen bill. Almost everyone in Japan knows who he is. Now, suddenly— let’s take a quick look at something more “retro”: A traditional Japanese heritage… the squat toilet! Yep, this is a Japanese-style toilet. Nowadays, Japan is famous for high-tech toilets, with washlets and heated seats… …but the “squat type” was once the standard. I hadn’t seen one in a long time, so it was a surprise— but here at Horyu-ji, they were common! Even the toilets feel like part of the cultural heritage! Next, I took a bus from Nara Station to my next destination. Good news—this bus accepted major IC cards like Suica. Just tap in and out when you board and exit. My next stop was Heijo Palace Site. This is also part of Nara’s registered World Heritage. My goal was to reach that large building in the back. But before that, I stumbled upon this historical ship. Back in the 600s, Shotoku Taishi sent envoys to China. This ship is a replica of what was used to reach Chinese dynasties like Sui and Tang. I’d heard about these envoys in school textbooks, but seeing the actual ship brought it to life. To think people crossed the sea to China 1,400 years ago… It’s incredible craftsmanship for the time. Even with modern tools, I couldn’t make this today! Ancient Japanese artisans were just amazing. Now, let’s head into the Heijo Palace site! In the 700s, Nara was actually the capital city. It was called Heijo-kyo and was the center of government. That makes this palace the heart of politics at the time. This magnificent gate is Suzaku-mon, which marks the main entrance. And the road in front—get this— was about 70 to 74 meters wide and almost 3.7 km long! Government officers had to walk this huge road every day on the way to work. I could totally imagine the scene—you’d feel so important! Right next to it was a museum called Izanai-kan. It shows how things were in ancient times. For example, how people studied and worked. It was fun to imagine how they went to work every day. Next to the gate was the Izanai Pavilion, a museum that educates visitors about the Nara period. This exhibit shows students studying long ago. Looks like this one is studying alone. Here’s a display showing ancient Japanese building techniques. This next one shows a craftsman at work. It’s hard to see in video, but they’re eating something that looks really tasty! I heard that even back then, regional produce was shipped to Nara by an advanced logistics network. It’s amazing how organized they were so long ago. Here, you can try on traditional Nara Period costumes. I gave it a try, even though it was a little embarrassing. It felt completely different from modern kimono! Here’s the full look. Wearing this, I felt like I’d been transported to the Nara era. Then I helped carry some logs around—just for fun. The Heijo Palace park is so big that they rent out bicycles too. Time to take a loop around on one of them! This is the backside of the Suzaku Gate we saw earlier. And the power lines you see back there—those are for the train! That’s right—there’s a rail line inside the park. You can even see it clearly on Google Maps— a real train line cuts through the site! At first, I was surprised—it seemed so strange. But here’s why: this area used to be just rice fields. Urban development happened all around it, but because this land was still farmland, it wasn’t built on—and that’s why the ruins survived. When they dug up the fields, they discovered a historical treasure! That’s how this park came to be as it is today. So if you want to feel the romance of ancient Japan, I really recommend visiting. Next, I headed to Nara Park to the east of Heijo Palace Ruins. This is where wild deer live alongside humans. In this city, even if a deer crosses at a red light, cars have to stop! It’s truly a deer-first town. They sell deer crackers here— and you can feed them directly to the deer. Naturally, lots of deer show up when they see snacks. Japanese people are known for bowing, but here, even the deer bow! Seeing a foreign visitor bowing back to a deer— it just makes you smile. I decided to try it myself, with some deer crackers. I approached one deer and fed it. Then, as I reached to get another cracker— more deer came over. Even more kept showing up… Before I knew it, I was completely surrounded! It was honestly a little scary how enthusiastic the deer were. The deer came charging and wouldn’t stop. To get your attention, some deer will bump you with their horns, or even tug at your clothes! So be careful—it can get intense! Although it was a bit much, it was also really fun. People around me were laughing and filming everything. So that’s my lesson of how to become surrounded by deer at Nara Park! Later, I spotted a whole group of deer napping together in one spot. It really felt like a deer paradise. So cute. Apparently, at night, the deer go back into the forest to sleep, and in the morning, they “commute” to the park! They spend the day greeting people and eating crackers. Honestly, I’d love that job! And that wraps up my World Heritage tour around Nara! Did you enjoy it? I was so moved by the deep history of Japan through visiting these incredible World Heritage spots. If you ever visit Nara or Japan, I hope you get to experience this history for yourself, and see what our ancestors built here. Also, definitely come meet the divine messengers: the adorable deer! See you next video!
NARA: Japan’s Ancient Capitals & World Heritage | Travel Vlog in Japanese
Hello everyone! I’m Ikumi, a calligrapher. In this video, I’m taking you on a travel vlog through Nara, an ancient city where Japan’s history and culture truly come alive.
In this video, we’ll explore Nara’s World Heritage Sites, from Horyuji Temple (Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage site) to Heijo Palace Site (where emperors once resided), journeying back to experience Japan as it was 1400 years ago.
A must-watch for history buffs and anyone interested in Japanese culture!
You’re sure to be moved by the grand scale, architectural techniques, and daily life of people from that era.
Midway through the video, you’ll also see me interact with the adorable wild deer of Nara Park 🦌✨ (Catch the funny deer encounter starting from [Video Timestamp: e.g., 10:46]!).
Come along and explore Japan’s profound history and beautiful scenery with me through this video!
**Video Chapters:**
00:00 Opening
00:04 Types of Japanese Characters (Brief explanation)
00:09 What is Nara’s World Heritage?
00:40 Journey to Horyuji Temple
01:26 History of Horyuji Temple & Prince Shotoku
04:50 Horyuji Temple’s Japanese Toilet?!
05:20 Moving to Heijo Palace Site
06:41 History & Culture of Heijo Palace Site
08:01 Trying on Ancient Costumes!
09:57 The Deer of Nara Park
10:13 Deer Cracker Experience
10:46 Chased by Deer?!
12:44 Summary
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🎌 About My Japan Days:
I’m Ikumi, and on this channel, I share the charm of Japan through culture, calligraphy, and beautiful landscapes. From Tokyo to ancient cities like Nara, each journey is a new discovery.
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