Heijo Palace Site

Introduction

Heijo Palace was the emperor's residence and seat of government for the seventy-odd years of the Nara period after the capital moved to Heijo-kyo in 710, the equivalent of an imperial palace and hall of state in one. Listed in 1998 as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, it is now a broad expanse of grassland and foundation platforms whose first impression is sheer scale: the Suzaku-mon avenue running south from the gate has been laid out at its original 74-metre width, and standing there is the easiest way to grasp the grid of the ancient capital. Two reconstructed buildings have separate dates: the main gate Suzakumon was rebuilt in 1998, 25 metres wide and 20 high, while the largest structure in the palace, the First Daigokuden, was rebuilt in 2010 with vermilion columns and a double eave to Nara-period form; the twelve-year gap is often collapsed into one project. The site also holds the Second Daigokuden foundations, the East Palace Garden, a reconstructed Tang envoy ship, the Izanai Hall and a restoration information centre, all free. The park is walkable at any hour, but the buildings and halls open 09:00-16:30 and close on Mondays and over New Year. A Kintetsu railway line cuts straight across the middle, so trains pass beside the rebuilt hall, a sight unique to this site. It is twenty minutes on foot from Yamato-Saidaiji or a short bus ride to Suzakumon Plaza, and pairs naturally with Yakushiji and Toshodaiji in western Nara for a full day.

✨ Highlights

🛈 Practical Info