Tokyo may today be the famous neon-lit capital of Japan, but it hasn't always been. Japan’s capital has been something of a moving target. It moved 14 times in the two centuries between 592 and 794 alone. Talk about heavy lifting. The city of Nara, in Nara prefecture, 550 km from Tokyo and 3.5 hours by bullet train, served as Japan’s capital from 710 to 740 and again from 745 to 784. The actual site of political power in Nara was known as Heijo-kyo. In its heyday, it was the jewel of Japan.
While its status as the country's power point may have been lost, and its tourist appeal eclipsed by that of nearby Kyoto, Nara continues to thrive. This year marks the 1,300th anniversary of the birth of Heijo-kyo, and Nara is sparing no expense in the effort to refocus the spotlight. The 1,300th Anniversary of Nara Heijo-kyo Capital, as it is officially known, cost some ¥30 billion to produce. Officially launched in April, the festivities center on the 120 hectare Heijo Palace Site. Featuring numerous museums, gardens, and a live archaeological excavation site, the area will host a series of exhibitions and events throughout the rest of the year.
The centerpiece of the festivities is a magnificent replica of the Daigokuden (Imperial Audience Hall), erected at the site of the original. Some 44 meters wide and 27 meters high, it is a sight that hasn’t been seen in the former capital city for well over a millennium. It also features a reproduction of the Nara emperor’s throne, which you aren’t allowed to sit on but can stand in front of to get a sense of what the view must have been like if you were a ruler of Japan 1,300 years ago. (For the best results, change into one of the period outfits of clothing the organizers are offering to visitors who want to “cosplay” their Nara experience.)
Many of the celebration’s special events deal with traditional sports such as kemari (a ball game), umayumi (archery on horseback) and sumo wrestling. The fundamental etiquette and rules of the modern sumo sport were established back in the Nara period. Prior to that, sumo matches were more like gladiatorial contests. By comparison, the description of the nation’s first sumo match in Chronicles of Japan ended with the victor physically stomping his fallen opponent to death.
Other events include exhibitions at local museums, hands-on craft experiences such as making magatama beads or creating Buddhist paintings, and parades. Tip for foreign residents of Japan: flash your passport for free admission to most of the special exhibitions and events.
No discussion of the Nara festivities would be complete without touching on Sento-kun, the goofy mascot character the city unveiled to promote the event. Originally quite polarizing, controversy seems to have given way to acceptance: portrayals of the rotund, antlered little guy now appear on everything from signposts to brochures to souvenir sweets.
What would the original inhabitants of the Nara capital have made of all of the pomp and circumstance, the kawaii characters and cosplaying tourists? It’s hard to say. But one thing is for sure: Nara’s return to the spotlight has been a long time coming.
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