Nara Prefecture Tenri has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall.

[4] The life of the Imperial court was centered at Isonokami Hirotaka Palace where the emperor lived in 488–498.

On April 1, 1954, Tambaichi merged with the villages of Asawa, Fukuzumi, and Nikaido and the towns of Ichinomoto and Yanagimoto to form the city of Tenri.

Tenri has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 16 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Nara 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Due to its location on major east-west highways, the city is increasing becoming a commuter town for the great Osaka metropolis.