Tackling the rapidly increasing number of non-Japanese travelers around the last half of the 19th century, the Japanese government urged the building of the accommodation facilities for them. In accordance with this situation, the Nara Hotel was erected in Nara City, Japan's first full-fledged capital in the 8th century. The exterior of this building is likened to Byodo-In Temple in nearby Uji City built in the 11th century. The hotel guests were limited to the people of social eminence at first, because this hotel was originally run as a quasi-national guest house. We can find many big names in the old hotel book, such as Albert Einstein, Charles Lindbergh, Pyui (The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty), Jawaharlal Nehru, Audrey Hepburn and so on.
Licensed tour guide, travel consultant, Masahisa Takaki.
