Nara, Nara

Nara
奈良市
Nara City
From top left: Wakakusayama Mountain Burning, Great Buddha of Tōdai-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tōdai-ji, Kasuga Shrine and a deer in Nara Park
Location of Nara in Nara Prefecture
Nara
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°41′N 135°48′E / 34.683°N 135.800°E / 34.683; 135.800
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureNara Prefecture
Government
 • MayorGen Nakagawa
Area
 • Total276.84 km2 (106.89 sq mi)
Population
 (April 1, 2017)
 • Total359,666
 • Density1,300/km2 (3,400/sq mi)
Symbols
 • TreeQuercus gilva
 • FlowerNara yaezakura
 • BirdJapanese bush warbler
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City hall address1-1-1 Nijō-ōji, Nara-shi, Nara-ken
630-8580
Websitewww.city.nara.lg.jp
Nara
"Nara" in kanji
Japanese name
Kanji奈良
Hiraganaなら

Nara (奈良市, Nara-shi) is a city in Japan on the island of Honshu. It is the capital city of Nara Prefecture.[1]

It has been recognized as a core city since 2002.[2]

History

Many of the temples, shrines and ruins in Nara form "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". It is one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[3] It includes

The Kasugayama old-growth forest is also identified as a world heritage site.[3]

On 8 July 2022, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot while giving a campaign speech in Nara.

Geography

The city is in the northern part of Nara Prefecture. It is on the border with Kyoto Prefecture.

References

  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Nara" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 698; "Kansai" at p. 477.
  2. Jacobs, A.J. "Japan's Evolving Nested Municipal Hierarchy: The Race for Local Power in the 2000s," Urban Studies Research, Vol. 2011 (2011), p. 8 [PDF 8 of 14]; Buhnik, Sophie. "From Shrinking Cities to Toshi no Shukushō: Identifying Patterns of Urban Shrinkage in the Osaka Metropolitan Area," Berkeley Planning Journal, Vol. 23, No. 1 (2001), p. 135 [PDF 4 of 24]. Retrieved 2012-12-5.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), The Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. Retrieved 2012-8-29.

Other websites

Media related to Nara, Nara at Wikimedia Commons