The oldest Buddhist temple in the world (607 AD), a World Heritage Site, 12 km from the centre; adult admission ~1.500 ¥.
Hōryū-ji, founded in the year 607 by Prince Shōtoku, is the oldest group of wooden buildings in the world and the first Japanese site to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, in 1993. Located about 12 km southwest of the centre of Nara, it houses more than 2.000 works of Buddhist art, some of which are more than 1.300 years old. The complex is divided into the Sai-in (western area), with the five-storey pagoda and the Kondō or golden hall, and the Tō-in (eastern area), where the octagonal Yumedono stands out. The Asuka-period architecture, with its entasis columns of Greek influence that arrived via the Silk Road, is fascinating for lovers of art history. The combined ticket giving access to the whole site costs 1.500 ¥ for adults. The temple opens from 08:00 to 17:00 (until 16:30 between November and February). To get there from Nara, take the JR Yamatoji Line train to Hōryūji station (15 minutes) and from there walk about 20 minutes or take the bus. Allow at least two hours to visit the complex calmly.
