Asuka

Asuka served as the political and cultural heart of Japan during the Asuka period (538-710 AD), before the capital was moved first to nearby Fujiwara-kyo and then to Nara. Today this quiet agricultural village in southern Nara Prefecture preserves an extraordinary concentration of ancient sites scattered across its pastoral rice paddies and gentle hills. The Ishibutai Kofun, a massive exposed stone burial chamber believed to be the tomb of the powerful statesman Soga no Umako, is the main attraction, while the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora tombs contain rare and vivid painted murals from the 7th century. Mysterious stone carvings dot the landscape, including the turtle-shaped Kameishi and the sake-pressing Sakafuneishi, whose original purposes remain debated by scholars. The entire area is best explored by rental bicycle, allowing visitors to pedal leisurely between sites along quiet country roads with mountain views, experiencing a pace of life that feels remarkably unchanged from centuries past.