Nara, Japan, is another ancient Capital, founded in 710 A.D. Nara Park (Nara Koen) contains many of the city’s most significant sights. Among them are the Todaiji Temple Complex, with its Daibutsu-den (Hall of the Great Buddha), the largest wooden building in the world, that houses the Daibutsu, a huge (18 meter/53 feet tall) bronze statue of the Buddha, Kasuga Taisha, with several thousand stone lanterns leading to it, and Kofukuji, with its five-story pagoda.

            In the western part of the city, be sure to check out Horyuji, which dates to 607 A.D. and Yakushiji, whose asymmetry has become noteworthy.