Japan's 8th Century Capitals: Clarifying the Historical Record

A common misconception suggests Japan had two simultaneous capital cities during the 700s. The historical reality is more nuanced: Nara (Heijō-kyō) served as Japan's sole imperial capital from 710 to 784, a continuous 74-year period that defined the Nara period of Japanese history.

The Nara Capital

Modeled on China's Tang dynasty capital of Chang'an, Nara was laid out on a grand grid system covering approximately 25 square kilometers. At its peak, the city housed an estimated 100,000–200,000 residents, including the imperial court, bureaucracy, Buddhist clergy, and artisans. The period saw unprecedented cultural flowering: the compilation of Japan's first histories (Kojiki and Nihon Shoki), the establishment of Buddhism as a state religion, and the creation of the Man'yōshū poetry anthology.

Why the Confusion Exists

Several factors may contribute to the "two capitals" misconception:

• Pre-Nara capitals: Before 710, the court moved with each emperor's reign—Asuka, Fujiwara, and other sites served as temporary capitals.
• Post-Nara transition: In 784, Emperor Kanmu moved the capital to Nagaoka-kyō (briefly), then to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto) in 794.
• Secondary administrative centers: Dazaifu in Kyushu functioned as a regional administrative hub, sometimes mischaracterized as a "second capital."
• Dual palace complexes: Within Nara itself, the emperor occasionally resided in secondary palaces (e.g., Shigaraki-no-miya, 740–745), but these were temporary retreats, not rival capitals.

Historical Significance

The Nara period represents Japan's first true urban civilization and centralized bureaucratic state. The capital's abandonment in 784 was driven by political factors—specifically, the court's desire to escape the growing power of Buddhist monasteries in Nara—rather than any dual-capital arrangement. Understanding this clarifies the foundations of Japanese statehood and urban planning.