Fujiwara Palace Ruins

The Foundations

of Japan’s Ancient Capital

Long before Kyoto and Nara, Japan’s imperial court once stood here—at the Fujiwara Palace, the first full-scale capital city built on a grid plan modeled after Chinese cities. Established in 694 CE during the Asuka period, this historic site in the heart of Kashihara City served as the political and cultural center of Japan for 16 years.

Today, the Fujiwara Palace Ruins (Fujiwara-kyu ato) offer a rare chance to walk among the remnants of Japan’s earliest attempt at centralized governance. While the palace buildings are long gone, the site is now a wide open field with seasonal flowers—like rapeseed blossoms in spring and cosmos in fall—set against a panoramic backdrop of mountains. For travelers fascinated by the origins of Japanese statehood and urban planning, this UNESCO tentative site is an essential stop in Asuka’s historic landscape.

Explore the Sights

See photos that bring Fujiwara Palace Ruins to life.

Open grassy field with scattered orange cylindrical structures, dense green trees in background, and a clear blue sky.
A field of pink, purple, and white cosmos flowers with a mountain and village in the background under a clear blue sky.
People walking on a dirt path beside a flower field with pink and white blossoms, with houses and mountains in the background on a sunny day.
People walking and taking photos in a grassy field with orange flowers, trees, and hills in the background under a clear blue sky.
A wide open grassy field with a few trees in the distance and a clear blue sky.
Two people sitting on a bench in a field of pink flowers, with mountains and trees in the background.