Sightseeing-Historical and cultural places in Japan

Historical and cultural places in Japan

The ancient city of Nara was the capital of Japan for about seventy years, starting in the early eighth century. With its many shrines, Buddhist temples, statues of Buddha, carvings and paintings, it is rich in National Treasures and Important Cultural Assets.

Particularly famous are Nara's Todai Temple with its 16.21-meter-high(53.18 feet)statue of Buddha(dedicated in the year 752 and renovated several times since), Kofuku Temple with its five-storied pagoda facing the beautiful pond called Sarusawa-no-ike, and Kasuga Shrine with its many tame deer which are allowed to roam free. Todai Temple also has the Shoso-in, a wooden treasure-house with a special construction(called azekura)which is resistant to moisture, Stored in this are more than nine thousand items, including fine art objects which belonged to the emperor of that time, Todai Temple treasures and manuscripts of the Nara period, plus items which came from countries such as China and Persia.
As far as assembling the cream of Buddhist art goes, Nara National Museum is without peer in Japan.

On the outskirts of Nara is Horyu Temple, the world's oldest wooden structure still in existence. Also the nearby Asuka district was where the culture of Japan flowered around the sixth and seventh centuries, and as such was the cradle of Japanese Buddhism; in this area can be found Imperial mausolea, burial mounds and historical relics.

One such place is Takamatsuzuka, which became famous when a tumulus with brilliantly colored wall paintings was discovered in 1972.
The ancient city of Kyoto was the Imperial seat for more than a thousand years, starting at the end of the eighth century. Among its many historical places of interest are such temples and shrines as Kinkaku Temple, Sanju-sangendo, Ginkaku Temple, Kinkaku Temple, Heian Shrine the East and the West Hongan Temples, Daitoku Temple, Saiho Temple and Ryuan Temple. Other important sights are Kyoto Gosho, Nijo Castle, and Katsura Imperial Villa. Each of these places has architectural and landscape beauty that leaves the visitor entraced.

In addition there are many places of scenic beauty, such as Mount Higashi, Mount Arashi, Sagano, and the River Kamo, and many famous local products, such as nishijin brocade, yuzen dyed fabrics, kyo dolls, kiyomizu ware and kyo fans.

Kamakura, which is in the suburbs, of Tokyo, became the seat of the military government for a period of one hundred and fifty years, starting from the end of the twelfth century. The many historical places that can be seen there include Tsurugaoka Hachiman Srine, the Great Buddha of Hase, Kencho Temple and Enkaku Temple.

In the various regions of the country are found castles which are uniquely Japanese in their stone walls, architectural style and choice of location. The three most famous ones are Himeji Castle, Nagoya Castle(famous for its golden dolphin; destroyed by fire during the war, this castle was later rebuilt)and Kumamoto Castle, and other famous ones include Osaka Castle, Matsumoto Castle and Inuyama Castle(the tower of which is the oldest in existence).

Himeji Castle was built in the middle of the fourteenth century and gradually enlarged untill now it is unrivaled for its size as well as for the beauty of its pure while tower.
Another name it is known by is Shirane Castle.

Most of the stones of the tertaced walls of the castles wegh about one ton each, but the stones of Osaka Castle are particularly large. These stones had to be brough one hundred and ten kilometers(sixty-eigh miles)from Shodo Island, and it is said that particularly large stones were suspended in the sea so that the buoyancy lightened them slightly, making it easier for the boats to transport them.

The present Imperial Palace was built on the site of Edo Castle, headquarters of the feudal government in the Tokugawa era. A part of it can be visited on the second day of each year and on the Emperor's birthday at which times the people are allowed to enter to offer their congratulations to the Emperor.

【日本語訳】

日本の歴史や文化を知る観光地

　奈良は、８世紀に約７０年間続いた古都である。神社、仏閣、仏像、彫刻、絵画など国宝や重要文化財の宝庫である。

　高さ１６．２１ｍ（５３．１８フィート）の有名な奈良の大仏（７５２年開眼、その後度々修復）がある東大寺や、五重塔が猿沢池に美しい影をうつす興福寺、更に放し飼いの鹿が沢山いる春日神社などが特に有名である。また、東大寺に正倉院という特殊な防湿構造（校倉「あぜくら」造りという。）の木造倉庫がある。ここには、当時の天皇の遺愛品、東大寺の寺宝・文書など奈良時代の美術品のほか、中国やペルシャなどからの伝来品９，０００余品が収められている。

　奈良国立博物館は、仏教美術の粋を集めている点で日本第一である。

　奈良近郊には、現存する世界最古の木造建築である法隆寺がある。また、隣接する飛鳥地方は、６～７世紀頃、日本文化の開花した地方で、日本仏教の発祥地でもあり、天皇の御陵や古墳・史跡などが点在している。

　１９７２年に、極彩色の壁画が発見されて有名になった高松塚古墳もこの一角にある。

　京都は、８世紀末から約１０００年余り皇居のあった古都である。清水寺、三十三間堂、銀閣寺、金閣寺、平安神宮、東西本願寺、大徳寺、西芳寺、竜安寺、京都御所、二条城、桂離宮など多くの寺社や史跡があり、その建築美や庭園美は訪れる人を魅了する。

　また、東山、嵐山、嵯峨野、加茂川など景勝地も多く、西陣織、友禅染、京人形、清水焼、京扇子などの名産品もある。

　東京近郊の鎌倉は、１２世紀末から約１５０年間、武家政権の所在地となったところである。鶴岡八幡宮、長谷の大仏、建長寺、円覚寺などの史跡が多い。

　日本の各地には、石垣、建物、配置などに日本独自の様式を持つ城が残されている。三名城といわれる姫路城、名古屋城（金の鯱鉾で名高かった。戦災で焼けたあと修復された。）熊本城のほか、大阪城、松本城、犬山城（その天守閣は、現存するもののうち最古）などが有名である。

　なかでも姫路城は、１４世紀中頃につくられ、その後次第に拡張され、その規模の雄大さ、純白の天守閣の美しさなどで一頭地を抜いている。別名、白鷺城とも呼ばれる。

　城郭の石垣の積み石は、重さ１トン前後のものが多いが、大阪城には特に大きなものが使用されている。大阪城の石は、遠く１１０km.（６８マイル）もはなれた小豆島から運ばれたもので、特に重い石の場合は海中に石をつるし、浮力分だけ軽くして運ぶ石釣船が使われたという。

　皇居は、徳川時代の将軍の居城であった江戸城の跡で、毎年１月２日と天皇誕生日には、国民参賀が行われるので、その一部が参観できる。