Asuka, Archaeological complex in Takaichi district, Japan

Asuka is an archaeological site in Takaichi district, Japan, that spreads over several kilometers through a rural valley. The remains include palace foundations, ceremonial platforms, temple ruins and carved stone blocks from the 6th and 7th centuries.

Asuka gave its name to the Asuka period, dated 538–710, and was the imperial capital from Empress Suiko's accession at Toyura Palace in 592 until Empress Jitō moved the court to Fujiwara-kyō in 694. Each emperor built a new wooden palace, so none survive; excavations have found stone pillar bases. In 645 the court briefly moved to Naniwa, returning in 655.

The name comes from the period of Japanese history it represents and now describes a wide area with temples, tombs and stone sculptures. Visitors move through rice paddies and small villages where Buddhist monuments stand beside fields still worked today.

The sites lie scattered across the valley and are best reached by bicycle, which can be rented at the train station. A visit requires several hours, as distances between individual ruins are considerable.

The Masuda No Iwafune is a huge granite block over 11 meters (36 feet) long with precise rectangular recesses whose purpose remains unclear today. Some stone monuments show traces of work that suggest the use of advanced tools.