Ishibutai Mounded Tomb and Daigo-ji

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Ishibutai Mounded Tomb

   Ishibutai is the skeleton of a tomb. The massive granite blocks of its burial chamber, now exposed to the open sky, form one of the most astonishing sights in Asuka, a giant stone room that was once buried under an earth mound, and it is generally thought to be the tomb of Soga no Umako, the minister who built Asuka-dera and dominated the court until his death in 626. The mound has long since been stripped away, probably by looters and by the passage of centuries, leaving the stones standing in a grassy square like the bones of some enormous animal.

   Read the complete Ishibutai Mounded Tomb write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Ishibutai Mounded Tomb is where the day begins. Next is Nara Palace Site.

2. 2. Nara Palace Site

   For most of the eighth century, Nara was the capital of Japan. The city, then called Heijō-kyō, was laid out on a grid modelled on the Chinese capital Chang'an, and at its northern end stood the imperial palace, Heijō-kyū, a vast compound of halls, offices and gardens. When the court moved away at the end of the century, the palace was abandoned and the land eventually returned to rice fields. Today the Nara Palace Site is a huge open space on the western side of the modern city, part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.

   Read the complete Nara Palace Site write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Nara Palace Site comes up about 30 km into the recorded legs. Next is Daigo-ji.

3. 3. Daigo-ji

   The oldest building in Kyoto does not stand in the city centre but in the southeastern hills, at the temple of Daigo-ji: a five storey pagoda completed in 951, which has survived fires, earthquakes and wars that destroyed almost everything else of its age in the city. The temple was founded in the ninth century on Mount Daigo, and its grounds spread from the foot of the mountain to the summit, linked by a steep path, with halls, gardens and sub temples along the way. It is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage Site.

   Read the complete Daigo-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 66 km into the recorded legs you reach Daigo-ji. Next is back through Nara Palace Site.

4. 4. back through Nara Palace Site

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Nara Palace Site write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Nara Palace Site, late in the day. Next is Ishibutai Mounded Tomb.

5. 5. Ishibutai Mounded Tomb

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Ishibutai Mounded Tomb write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Ishibutai Mounded Tomb. That is the ride.