Nara Period

This episode explores Japan's Nara period (710-794 CE), a formative age when the imperial court established its first permanent capital and consolidated political and cultural foundations. It examines the agricultural base of society, the creation of foundational texts like the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, and the adoption of the Gokishichidō administrative system inspired by Chinese models. The episode also highlights Buddhism's growing role as a protector of the state, internal struggles among the court, the Fujiwara clan, and Buddhist clergy, as well as Japan's active exchanges with Tang China and the Korean kingdoms-setting the stage for the refined culture of the Heian era to follow.