Suzaku Gate Plaza Restored After Over 1,300 Years Heijō Palace Site Historical Park Opens
The Heijō Palace Historical Park, developed by the national government and Nara Prefecture as a space to "experience the Nara period today," opened on March 24 at the Heijō Palace ruins in Nara City. This phase completes approximately 35 hectares, including Suzaku Gate Plaza, out of the overall planned 130 hectares. New facilities include the Heijō Palace Experience Center, where visitors can experience Heijō Palace through videos and exhibits; the Tenpyō Umashikan, a dining and gathering space; rental bicycles; shower facilities; tourist facilities; and souvenir shops. The 30-meter-long "Reconstructed Tang Dynasty Envoy Ship," displayed during the 2010 Heisei 1300th Anniversary of the Capital's Relocation, has also been relocated here.
At the opening ceremony on the 24th, Nara Prefecture Governor Shogo Arai and Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Kazuo Yanagi delivered greetings on behalf of the organizers. Following a performance of the theme song by the "Manyo Small Musician," a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place. On the first day, Suzaku Gate Plaza was bustling with 11,000 visitors.
On the 24th and 25th, as opening commemorative events, the musical drama "Sangaku SUPER Tenpyō-gaku: The Dawn of the Nara Period and Tenpyō Culture," starring three envoys to Tang China (Abe no Nakamaro, Kibi no Makibi, and Awata no Masato), was held. Other events included walking tours, guided tours by tricycle, Tenpyō-period costume experiences, and magatama bead making, offering various ways to learn about Heijō-kyō and the Nara period.
Built approximately 1,300 years ago in what is now Nara City, Heijō-kyō was the capital where the ritsuryō state system was perfected and Tenpyō culture flourished. In 1998, following the completion of the restoration of Suzaku Gate and the East Palace Garden, the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara," including the Heijō Palace site, were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Heisei 1300th Anniversary of the Capital's Relocation was celebrated in 2010 upon the completion of the first phase of the Daigokuden Hall restoration. Restoration work will continue on structures surrounding the Daigokuden, such as the Tsukiji Corridor and the South Gate. The restoration of the South Gate is scheduled to be open to the public in 2019.
Was this article helpful?
Share this article
