Personalized Star Map of Nara
34.6851°N, 135.8048°E
Japan's first permanent capital in the 8th century, Nara watches over the cradle of Japanese civilisation, where sika deer wander freely among the millennia-old temples. From Tōdaiji's bronze Great Buddha to the stone lanterns of Kasuga-taisha lit twice a year, the city offers a sky charged with history and spirituality. Gift a Nara star map — a present as noble as Japan's emperors.
Famous Landmarks
Todaiji Temple (Great Buddha)
34.6851°N, 135.8048°E
Tōdaiji Temple, founded in 752 by order of Emperor Shōmu, houses inside the Daibutsu-den the world's largest bronze Buddha statue, 15 metres tall and weighing 500 tonnes. The Daibutsu-den was long the largest wooden building in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple embodies the apex of Nara-period Buddhist art.
Nara Park (deer)
34.6851°N, 135.8048°E
Nara Park, established in 1880, spans 660 hectares and hosts about 1,200 free-roaming sika deer, considered sacred messengers of the Kasuga-taisha gods since the 8th century. Designated a National Natural Treasure, they accept "shika-senbei" biscuits from visitors and have become the city's emblematic image. The park also includes several major temples and museums.
Kasuga-taisha
34.6851°N, 135.8048°E
Kasuga-taisha Shrine, founded in 768, is dedicated to the four guardian deities of the Fujiwara clan. Its fame rests on its 3,000 lanterns — bronze beneath the eaves and stone along the paths — donated by worshippers over centuries. Twice a year, during the Mantōrō festivals in February and August, all the lanterns are lit simultaneously, creating a sight of rare poetry.
Why gift a star map of Nara?
Gifting a star map of Nara means capturing the aura of a starlit night above Japan's most ancient capital, where the memory of emperors and Buddhist monks still lingers. Whether for a proposal facing the Great Buddha or an anniversary during the Mantōrō festival, this map immortalises a moment between heritage and nature. A gift as serene as a deer asleep beneath the stars.
The sky of Nara
At 34.7° north latitude, Nara shares the northern sky of Kyoto and Osaka. The Nara Astronomy Club organises public observations, and the dark Yoshino mountains, about 40 km south, offer one of Kansai's purest skies, ideal for watching the Perseid meteor showers each August.