Asia >> East Asia >> Japan >> Honshu >> Kansai >> Nara >> Asuka

Asuka (飛鳥) refers to the south-eastern part of Nara Basin, which mostly overlaps with contemporary Asuka Town (明日香村), in Nara Prefecture.

Asuka is the land where Japan has developed into a centralized state than a collective sovereign between 6C AD and 8C AD. Imperial palaces were built on this ground to form an ancient capital city of Japan, Asukakyo (飛鳥京).

Numerous burial mounds and ruins of ancient buildings are discovered and preserved in Asuka, thus making the whole area itself a big historical museum that attracts so many visitors.

Travel to Asuka - Visa Requirements

By train

From Nara, on Kintetsu lines: Take any train (except Tokkyū (特急)) for direction either Kyoto or Namba, and change at Yamato Saidaiji to trains for Kashihara Jingu-mae(橿原神宮前), on Kashihara Line. From Kashihara Jingu-mae Station, change to Kintetsu Yoshino Line and get off at Asuka (飛鳥) Station. Otherwise, local bus services are available from Kashihara Jingu-mae Station to destinations in Asuka.

From Kyoto: The most convenient is by Kintetsu lines. Get onto a train running for Kashihara Jingu-mae(橿原神宮前) directly without change. Then change trains to reach Asuka Station.

Tours and Getting around Asuka

By walk, or on rental bicycles.

Kame Bus (かめバス), is a bus service that tours around major sight-seeing spots including Kintetsu Kashihara Jingu-mae and Asuka Stations. A One-day Free Ticket is available at ¥650

Asuka tourist attractions and sightseeing

  • The Stone Burial Mound (石舞台墳)
  • Takamatsu-zuka Burial Mound (高松塚古墳)
  • Asuka-dera Temple (飛鳥寺)
  • Asuka Historial Museum[1] (飛鳥資料館)

Asuka city tours

Asuka souvenirs and shopping

Asuka Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Asuka nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Asuka cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Get out

This page was last edited by Nick Roux. Based on work by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license

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