Historical park where visitors can feel the passage of time and experience the skills and culture of our ancestors

Aki Kokubunji is one of the many provincial temples constructed throughout Japan during the Nara period by imperial decree of Emperor Shōmu. The area surrounding the temple grounds has been developed as the Aki Kokubunji Historical Park, providing visitors a glimpse of what life in Japan was like at that time. Within the temple grounds, visitors can see restored structures such as the lecture hall and the foundation of the monks’ quarters, allowing you to imagine what the temple looked like when it was first built.

Excavations have revealed significant findings, including the presence of the Kokushiin—the administrative office for the Kokushi (national priests) dispatched from the capital to the various provinces—within the temple grounds of Kokubunji. Furthermore, the discovery of a wooden tablet inscribed with the year 750 (Tenpyō Shōhō 2) confirmed that construction of Kokubunji was progressing during this period and that religious activities were being conducted.
Some of the wooden tablets and other artifacts excavated from the temple grounds have been designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.