According to "Records of Ancient Matters" and "Chronicles of Japan" edited in Nara period, it is thought that as an initial stage of capital, cities centering around palaces sprang up, because the palaces of successive great kings (Yamato sovereignty) (the ancient Japan sovereignty) were constructed in multiple places including Shiki, Iware (Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture), Nanba and Kawachi Provinces (Osaka Prefecture).
奈良時代に編まれた記紀によれば、歴代大王(ヤマト王権)の宮室が磯城・磐余（奈良県桜井市）のほか、難波・河内国地方（大阪府）などに複数営まれたため、各々の宮室を中心に萌芽的な都邑が形成されていたことも考えられる。