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Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Asuka-dera is one of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples and one of the most important sites in Asuka. Founded around 596 by Soga no Umako, it was established during the introduction and early development of Buddhism in Japan. The temple's principal image, the Asuka Daibutsu, is traditionally dated to 609 and is regarded as Japan's oldest surviving Buddhist image, although it has undergone repairs and restoration. The present temple buildings are much later reconstructions, but the site preserves the location of the original temple complex.
Asuka-dera (飛鳥寺), also known as Hōkō-ji (法興寺), is a Buddhist temple located in the village of Asuka, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It currently belongs to the Shingon-shū Buzan-ha sect. Asuka-dera is regarded as one of the oldest temples in Japan. Its precincts were designated a National Historic Site in 1966, and registered as a World Heritage Site under Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara in July, 2026.
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飛鳥坐神社
Asuka Niimasu Shrine (Asuka-imasu Jinja) is an ancient Shinto shrine in the hills north of Asuka village. Dedicated to several deities associated with the protection of the region and fertility, the shrine is particularly known for its unusual fertility symbolism. Its annual Onda Matsuri in February is famous for its fertility rituals and humorous performances. The present shrine buildings are relatively modest, but the site provides an interesting contrast to Asuka's numerous Buddhist temples and archaeological remains and reflects the area's continuing religious traditions.
酒船石
Sakafune-ishi is a large, unusually shaped stone on a hillside in Asuka, carved with a series of channels, grooves and shallow depressions. Its purpose is unknown, although various theories have suggested that it was used for ritual activities, the preparation of liquids, or some form of ancient water system. The stone is generally dated to the Asuka period and is one of several mysterious carved stones found around Asuka. A short walk through the wooded hillside leads to the stone.
飛鳥資料館
The Asuka Historical Museum presents archaeological discoveries from the Asuka region, including stone carvings, architectural remains and artefacts from the area's ancient temples and burial sites. Exhibits explain the development of Asuka as an early political and cultural centre of Japan and help put the many scattered archaeological sites around the countryside into context. The museum is particularly useful for understanding sites such as Ishibutai, the Kitora and Takamatsuzuka tombs, and the remains of ancient Asuka-period temples. It makes a good introduction to the region before visiting the archaeological sites themselves.
橘寺
Tachibana-dera is a Buddhist temple traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Prince Shōtoku, one of the most important figures in the early development of Buddhism in Japan. Founded in the Asuka period, the temple occupies a peaceful site surrounded by rice fields and hills. The main hall contains a number of Buddhist images, including the unusual **Taishō Kannon**, while the temple grounds preserve the remains of its ancient foundations. Tachibana-dera is located close to Ishibutai and other major sites in the Asuka area, making it easy to combine with a tour of the surrounding archaeological landscape.
岡寺
Oka-dera Temple, also known as Ryūgaiji, is a Buddhist temple founded in 663 on a hillside overlooking the Asuka plain. The temple is particularly noted for its gardens, autumn colours and the large Nyoirin Kannon, a clay statue dating from the Nara period and regarded as the largest clay Buddhist statue in Japan. The temple's name means “Temple on the Hill”, while its traditional name, Ryūgaiji, is associated with a legend in which the monk Gaien subdued a dragon and confined it beneath a large stone. The temple is one of the 33 temples of the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage and is also traditionally associated with prayers for protection from bad luck.
亀石
Kameishi (Tortoise Stone) is one of the unusual carved stones scattered across the Asuka countryside. The large, roughly turtle-shaped stone is thought to date from the Asuka period, although its original purpose and meaning remain uncertain. Local tradition says that the stone faces toward the direction of Nara and that, should it ever turn completely around, the surrounding region would be submerged.\