It was the capital of Japan for less than a century from 710 to 794. The first stable city, the first official capital of what would be called Japan. It is with Nara that Buddhism was introduced from countries such as China and Korea. I personally define this sacred place as the religious capital of Japan. Very rich in temples and sanctuaries and is very people oriented. But before the sanctuaries and temples it is the city of deers, considered true divinities. Deers here are  guardians, they are sacred entities and you can interact with them, you will be very surprised by their friendliness and cleverness. In Nara I perceive a lot of elements such as the wind, dust, earth, wood and coal. The beiges of the almost arid, but not really arid, plain soil and the energy of the very old wooden structures and trees. Nara, like a large outdoor park, feels much closer to nature. I have written little about this city, because the rest is all explained without the use of words. It is a different place from other cities and I think you can only feel it by visiting it.