Asuka, Yamato

Some of the many theories of what the place was named after include the bird common crossbill, or isuka in Japanese, or local geological features, e.g. 洲処 (suka, meaning sandbar, sandbank or delta) or 崩地 (asu) + 処 (ka).

[1][clarification needed] Or it may have been named in honor of Asuka (or Ashuku) Nyorai, the Japanese equivalent of Akshobhya, one of the Five Buddhas of Wisdom, who is still worshiped in the Asuka-dera (Asuka Temple), the Asuka-niimasu-jinja (the shrine for his manifestation as a Shinto god), and several other structures from those days.

As soon as one emperor died, the whole court moved to a newly constructed palace, since it was considered dangerous and ominous to remain in a place where a deceased monarch's spirit might reside.

Sometimes even during a single emperor's reign, palaces were changed multiple times due to destruction by fire or ill omens.

Since these palaces were entirely constructed from wood, none of them have survived, although some archaeological work in modern times has uncovered such remains as stone bases for pillars.