Fujiwara Palace Site
藤原宮跡
The palace site of Fujiwara-kyo, Japan's first formal capital. Open fields with seasonal flower beds, with views of the three sacred mountains of Yamato. Often visited together with Asuka.
Fujiwara Palace was the palace of Fujiwara-kyo, the capital from 694 until the move to Heijo-kyo in 710. Fujiwara-kyo was Japan's earliest formal capital, planned after Chinese capitals. The site is now a large grassy field, with the location of the Daigokuden platform and some of its pillars restored. From here you can see Mount Kagu, Mount Unebi and Mount Miminashi, the 'Three Sacred Mountains of Yamato,' all at once. The most popular attraction is the seasonal flower fields: rapeseed in spring, ancient lotus in summer and cosmos in autumn, which draw photographers when they are in bloom. The site is free to visit, and the nearby Fujiwara Palace Site Information Center is also open. Access: about a 20-minute walk from Kagu Station on JR or Unebi-goryomae Station on the Kintetsu line. It is a good spot to cycle, and can be combined with Asuka Village and Kashihara Jingu into a one-day trip.
Opening hours
Open all day; free admission
Nearby sights
- Kashihara Jingu
- Asuka Village & Ishibutai Kofun
- Omiwa Shrine
- Hase-dera (Sakurai)
- Chugu-ji
- Horyu-ji
- Hokki-ji Temple
- Mount Yoshino