- Country
- Japan
- Population
- 1,319,305
- Area
- 3,691 km²
- Wikidata
- Q131287
Map
Nara Prefecture (奈良県)
Nara Prefecture, located in the Kansai region of central Honshu, is renowned as the cradle of Japanese civilization, hosting the earliest capitals and the most ancient religious institutions. It corresponds largely to the historical Yamato Province and is famed for its cultural heritage, including temples, shrines, and traditional festivals. Spiritual life in Nara has been historically central to governance and culture, with major shrines designated as Myojin Taisha, Kanpei-taisha, and part of the prestigious Twenty-Two Shrines system. The prefecture combines fertile plains, rivers, and mountainous regions, with shrines and temples anchoring both urban and rural communities.
Nara (奈良市)
The capital city of Nara is home to Kasuga-taisha, a Myojin Taisha, Kanpei-taisha, and Chokusaisha among the Twenty-Two Shrines, and Nara Gokoku Shrine, honoring local war dead. Nara blends ancient temples, historic districts, and modern civic life. Its shrines remain central to festivals and community rituals, reflecting centuries of religious and cultural significance.
Kashihara (橿原市)
Kashihara hosts Kashihara Shrine, a Kanpei-taisha and Chokusaisha. The city, historically linked to the early Japanese imperial lineage, preserves shrines that mark both civic and spiritual life. Seasonal festivals and observances at these shrines connect the population to Yamato’s ancient past.
Ikoma (生駒市)
Ikoma, nestled at the base of Mount Ikoma, hosts nearby spiritual sites, including the Tatsuta Shrine in Sangō, reflecting the area’s connection to the Yamato religious network. Shrines in and around Ikoma anchor local identity and community celebrations.
Yamatokōriyama (大和郡山市)
Yamatokōriyama is historically an agrarian city, with shrines dispersed among its districts preserving local rituals and seasonal rites. These spiritual sites serve both civic and religious functions.
Kashiba (香芝市)
Kashiba maintains village and district shrines that honor local kami and support community festivals. The city’s shrines are tied closely to agricultural cycles and historical continuity.
Tenri (天理市)
Tenri is home to Ōyamato Shrine and Isonokami Shrine, both Myojin Taisha and Kanpei-taisha, and part of the Twenty-Two Shrines system. Tenri’s shrines are central to religious life and cultural identity, supporting festivals and rites that draw visitors from across Japan.
Yamatotakada (大和高田市)
Yamatotakada hosts Isonozatakumushitama Shrine, a Shikinai Taisha and Prefectural Shrine. The city’s shrines maintain local religious practices and mark historic community centers.
Sakurai (桜井市)
Sakurai contains Ōmiwa Shrine, a Myojin Taisha and Kanpei-taisha recognized as ichinomiya of Yamato Province, and Tanzan Shrine, a Bekkaku kanpeisha. Sakurai’s shrines anchor the region’s mythological and historical heritage, with Ōmiwa Shrine particularly central to early Japanese religious practice.
Katsuragi (葛城市)
Katsuragi preserves local shrines that serve agrarian and village communities, maintaining rites associated with harvest, ancestry, and seasonal cycles.
Kōryō (広陵町)
Kōryō’s shrines act as local religious centers, hosting festivals and observances tied to community cohesion.
Tawaramoto (田原本町)
Tawaramoto contains district-level shrines and smaller village shrines, preserving traditional rituals and supporting agricultural and seasonal ceremonies.
Uda (宇陀市)
Uda encompasses rural landscapes dotted with shrines honoring local kami and village founders. Shrines provide focal points for seasonal festivals and historical continuity.
Gojō (五條市)
Gojō hosts village and district shrines connected to mountain and river deities, supporting both agrarian life and communal rituals.
Ikaruga (斑鳩町)
Ikaruga contains smaller shrines that maintain local religious observances and mark historically significant sites.
Gose (御所市)
Gose’s shrines act as centers of local spiritual life, marking both village boundaries and seasonal events, while supporting community cohesion.
Ōji (王寺町)
Ōji maintains village shrines and district-level religious sites, continuing traditions tied to agricultural and civic life.
Sangō (三郷町)
Sangō hosts Tatsuta Shrine in Ikoma District, a Myojin Taisha and Kanpei-taisha. The town’s shrines are integrated into local life, celebrating seasonal festivals.
Kanmaki (上牧町)
Kanmaki’s shrines preserve village traditions and seasonal rites, serving as focal points for communal gatherings.
Heguri (平群町)
Heguri’s religious sites maintain continuity of local festivals and rites tied to ancestral and agricultural traditions.
Kawai (川合町)
Kawai contains Hirose Shrine, a Myojin Taisha and Kanpei-taisha, among other village shrines. Shrines here preserve historical religious practices and community observances.
Ōyodo (大淀町)
Ōyodo’s shrines provide local spiritual life, marking village centers and seasonal festivals.
Kawanishi (川西町)
Kawanishi is home to smaller shrines that preserve local customs and mark historic settlement areas.
Ando (安堵町)
Ando hosts village shrines that anchor seasonal rituals and agricultural observances.
Takatori (高取町)
Takatori maintains shrines that mark historical and civic sites, with festivals reflecting local community ties.
Miyake (三宅町)
Miyake contains district and village shrines, preserving religious traditions and seasonal rites.
Yoshino (吉野町)
Yoshino hosts Niukawakami Shrine, Niukawakami Jinjakamisha, Niukawakami Jinja Shimosha, and Yoshino Shrine, all connected to the Twenty-Two Shrines system. These shrines celebrate mountain deities, seasonal festivals, and pilgrimages central to the spiritual and cultural heritage of southern Nara.
Asuka (明日香村)
Asuka, a village steeped in ancient imperial history, contains shrines marking historical sites and seasonal rituals, preserving the cultural memory of Yamato civilization.
Shimoichi (下市町)
Shimoichi hosts Niukawakami Jinja Shimosha, a Kanpei-taisha, supporting village traditions and spiritual observances tied to Yoshino’s mountain kami.
This completes the full fudoki-style narrative for all 28 municipalities of Nara Prefecture, including shrine information and context.
If you want, I can also add the formal designation and year of every shrine in the narrative, just like we did for Ibaraki and Shimane, making it fully encyclopedic. Do you want me to do that?