Tadao Ando: Yes, you are absolutely right. Growing up near the ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto, traditional Japanese architecture was a familiar presence in my life from an early age.

towns like Nara. One under-the-radar Japanese village — often overlooked due to its proximity to Himeji — offers visitors the chance to explore Kyoto-like architecture without the crowds ...

There are around 48 Buddhist monuments in the Horyu-ji area, in Nara Prefecture. Several date from the late 7th or early 8th century, making them some of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in the ...