Nara
/ˈnɑː.rə/noun
Nara is a historic city and prefecture in Japan, famous for its ancient temples and free-roaming deer.
Did you know?Nara’s deer were historically treated as divine messengers of the Kasuga deity, and harming one was once punishable by death.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Japanese
Japanese
なら
“A traditional place-name form; its precise original meaning is uncertain.”
8th Century
Japanese
平城 / 平城京
“Heijō and Heijō-kyō, the names associated with the imperial capital established at Nara in 710.”
710–784
Japanese
平城京
“Heijō-kyō, literally “capital of the Heijō plain,” the seat of Japan’s government.”
8th–9th Century
Japanese
奈良
“Nara, the established Chinese-character spelling of the city’s name.”
Modern English
English
Nara
“The name of the Japanese city and surrounding prefecture.”