is the capital city of
Nara Prefecture located in the
Kansai region of
Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, bordering
Kyoto Prefecture. Eight temples, shrines and ruins in Nara remain: specifically
Todai-ji,
Saidai-ji,
Kofuku-ji,
Kasuga Shrine,
Gango-ji,
Yakushi-ji,
Toshodai-ji, and the
Heijo Palace, together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest, collectively form "
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.