Recently, many foreign tourists visit Nara, tour sites like the Great Buddha Hall at Tōdai-ji, and seem deeply moved by ancient Japanese history.
Yet Japanese people themselves haven't truly learned their own history, and you are taught falsehoods on-site.
For example, the capital of Japan's ancient imperial court, unknown to the Japanese public, was Dazaifu in Kyushu, and the original Tōdai-ji was built in Usa, Oita Prefecture, located to the east.
The site is now rice field, but an ultrasound scan from above would likely reveal the entire temple complex.
The largest model displayed in the northwest corner of Tōdai-ji's Great Buddha Hall shows its original form at the time of construction.
In fact, following the 672 dynastic change (from the Kyushu “Wa” dynasty to the Yamato dynasty “present”), the Great Buddha Hall was shortened in width and relocated to Nara.
At that time, the South Great Gate remained in place. It was only during the Kamakura period (1199) that it was relocated from Usa to its present site.
Therefore, the South Great Gate that today's tourists admire and marvel at was completed 1,455 years ago (AD 570), making it older than Horyuji Temple.
Not only was the Tang dynasty not yet established, but the Sui dynasty hadn't even begun.
It was around the end of the Sassanid Persian Empire.
If we delve deeper, fascinating facts keep emerging, but that's all for today.
Our country itself is a museum.
If careless people from all over the world come flooding in and start setting fires, it would be unbearable.
We rely not only on the unity of the Japanese people, but also on the respect shown by our foreign friends.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
