World Heritage Identification Number: 1757
World Heritage since: 2026
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Historic Cities & Urban Areas
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇯🇵 Japan
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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The Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara: A Window into Early Japanese History
The Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, located in the southern part of the Nara Basin, represent a significant chapter in the history of Japan. These two ancient capitals, which served as the political and cultural centers of the Japanese archipelago during the late sixth to early eighth centuries, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026. Comprising nineteen component parts, including palaces/government offices, Buddhist temples, and mounded tombs, these sites offer a unique glimpse into the establishment of a centralized state system modeled after the Chinese codified law known as ritsuryō.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Located in the southern part of the Nara Basin, Asuka and Fujiwara were the two ancient capitals of the Japanese archipelago that marked the establishment of a centralised state system modelled after the Chinese codified law known as ritsuryō. Nineteen component parts, comprising palaces/government offices, Buddhist temples and mounded tombs, contain archaeological evidence of the Asuka Capital (588-694 CE) and the Fujiwara Capital (694-710 CE). The Asuka capital was established at the site of the Asuka-dera Temple, the first Buddhist temple in Japan. Together, the sites illustrate the introduction and consolidation of key elements of early centralized governance and influenced the later Japanese capitals of Nara and Kyoto.Encyclopedia Record: Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara
Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara is a cluster of nineteen archaeological sites from in and around the late sixth- to early eighth-century capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. In 2026, the serial nomination was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List under criteria ii and iii.Additional Site Details
Area: 137.99 hectares
Number of Components: 19
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
Coordinates: 34.4719444445 , 135.820277778
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© Asuka Village (Cultural Property Division, Office of Board of Education). Used with permission.
