Saturday, April 17, 2010
Staff writer
NARA — A press preview of the celebrations for the 1,300th anniversary of the founding of Heijyo-kyo as Japan's ancient capital, which officially begin son April 24, was held Friday, as Nara officials scramble to put the final touches on an event they hope will boost the area's appeal as a tourist destination.
The Heijyo-kyo capital, the site of which is located just west of downtown Nara, has been partially re-created.
A number of modern facilities, including museums featuring high-tech displays of Nara's historic role as the far eastern end of the Silk Road in the eighth century, have been built for the anniversary event, which ends in November.
Art exhibits, concerts and cultural events spotlighting both ancient Nara and its connection to East and Central Asia via the Silk Road are also planned throughout the year.
Two of the more prominent re-creations are the throne of the ancient Heijyo-kyo emperor, who welcomed delegations from China and the Korean Peninsula, and the ship that carried 12 to 20 diplomatic missions between Japan and China from 710 to 794, when the capital was moved to Kyoto.
While Heijyo-kyo was Japan's capital, Buddhism, Chinese calligraphy, and the art, culture and political and economic systems of China's Tang Dynasty were imported into the country.
Two years ago, Nara officials predicted nearly 13 million visitors from Japan and abroad would visit Heijyo-kyo and Nara Prefecture this year, and Nara sees the celebrations as a way to build its tourism industry.
Officials expect many foreign tourists, especially from China and South Korea. While much of the information explaining Heijyo-kyo's history is only in Japanese, there are also some explanations in English, Chinese, Korean and French, as French tourists now constitute the largest number of non-Asian visitors to the city.
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