Empress Genmei (661–721) moved the capital from Fujiwara-kyō to Nara (then Heijō-kyō) in 710 mainly to carry out the wishes of her son Emperor Monmu (683–707), who was the previous occupant of the throne and had ordered in 697 to search for a new proper capital site.
Empress Genmei (661–721) made the decision to move the imperial capital from Fujiwara-kyō to Nara (then Heijō-kyō) in 710, largely due to her son Emperor Monmu's (683–707) previous instruction to explore potential new capital sites in 697.