NARA, the oldest of the successive capitals of Japan, is situated in the north of Sakai ken (province of Yamato), about 65 miles east of Ozaka, in 34° 4' N. lat. and 135° 49' E. long., on the slope of a range of picturesque hills, beautifully wooded, with cryρtomerias, evergreen oaks, the rare Podocarpus Nageia, &c. From 710, when it was chosen as her residence by Gemmei Tenno, till 794, when Kioto was founded by Kuwammu Tenno, Nara was the chief seat of the mikados; and, as during that period Japanese art was in its early vigour, and was largely patronized by the Shinto and Buddhist religions, it rapidly became a great and sumptuous city. At present (though hardly a tenth of its former size) it has a population of about 21,500, living in 6000 houses; and in antiquarian interest it is hardly second to any place in the empire. The site of the old imperial palace, which stood about four miles from the town on the way to Ozaka, is now indicated only by a small Shinto temple; but about a mile off are the tombs of Gemmei Tenno and Gen-cho Tenno. Of the many religious buildings still extant, two especially demand attention—the Shinto temple of Kusuga and the Buddhist To-dai-ji (Great Temple of the East). The former was founded in 767 in the time of Sho-to-ku Tenno; and its Kami chapels with their rough red-painted log-work afford fine examples of primitive Japanese architecture. A rough wooden building constructed for storing the mikado’s furniture in the 8th century is still extant, and among the articles accumulated within are many of those mentioned in the original inventory. In the temple-park are herds of tame deer (Cervus shika, Sieb.); and little images of deer and trinkets from deer’s horn are the favourite charms purchased by the pilgrims. Within the ...