This is a small and quiet area, out of the way and far less of a tourist draw than nearby Nara. While I found the sites in Nara beautiful, the Horyu-ji sites felt more meaningful for me, knowing I was standing in the presence of the oldest wooden structures in the world. You can feel the age of the place and it was incredibly peaceful to simply walk around the grounds and appreciate the beauty and craft in their design and construction. Very easily reachable from either Nara or Osaka for a day trip.