Kyoto

Kyoto is the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, located in the Kansai region on Honshu, Japan’s largest and most populous island. With a population of 1.46 million, it ranks as the ninth most populous city in Japan. Over half—56.8%—of Kyoto Prefecture’s residents live within the city. Kyoto serves as the cultural center of the larger Greater Kyoto metropolitan area, which has about 3.8 million people, and is also part of the Keihanshin metropolitan region that includes Osaka and Kobe.

One of Japan’s oldest municipalities, Kyoto was selected in 794 by Emperor Kanmu as the new home for the imperial court. The original city, called Heian-kyō, was laid out according to traditional Chinese feng shui, modeled after the ancient Chinese capitals of Chang’an and Luoyang. Emperors ruled from Kyoto for the next eleven centuries, until 1869. The city witnessed major events during the Muromachi period, the Sengoku period, and the Boshin War, including the Ōnin War, the Honnō-ji Incident, the Kinmon Incident, and the Battle of Toba–Fushimi.

After the Meiji Restoration, the capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. The modern city of Kyoto was established in 1889. It escaped large-scale destruction in World War II, so much of its prewar cultural heritage remains intact. Kyoto is regarded as Japan’s cultural capital and is a major tourist destination.

The national government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs is based there. The city contains numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces, and gardens, several of which are collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Notable landmarks include the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, and Kyoto Tower. The globally famous video game company Nintendo is headquartered in Kyoto.

The city is also a hub for higher education, hosting Kyoto University, Japan’s second-oldest university. In Japanese, Kyoto was once called Kyō, Miyako, Kyō no Miyako, and other names. When it became the capital at the start of the Heian period (794–1185), it was often referred to as Heian-kyō (“Heian capital”). Later in the Heian period, it came to be known simply as Kyōto (“capital city”).

After the emperor’s seat moved to Edo (renamed Tōkyō, meaning “eastern capital”), Kyoto was briefly called Saikyō (“western capital”). As Japan’s capital from 794 to 1868, it is sometimes called the thousand-year capital. Historically, foreign spellings have included Kioto and Miaco, Meaco, or Miako. History Origins Archeological evidence shows human settlement in the Kyoto area as early as the Paleolithic period, though little is recorded about activity there before the 6th century, when the Shimogamo Shrine is believed to have been founded.

Before Kyoto became the imperial capital, immigrants from mainland Asia helped develop the region. In the 8th century, Emperor Kanmu decided to move the capital away from Nara to distance it from powerful Buddhist clergy. He chose the village of Uda in the Kadono district of Yamashiro Province. The new city, modeled after the Chinese Tang capital Chang’an, became the imperial seat in 794, beginning the Heian period.

Although military rulers set up governments in Kyoto (Muromachi shogunate) or elsewhere (Kamakura and Edo), Kyoto remained Japan’s capital until the imperial court moved to Tokyo in 1869. Feudal period During the Sengoku period, the Ōnin War (1467–1477) caused extensive destruction. Battles between samurai factions spilled into the streets, involving court nobles and religious groups. Nobles’ mansions became fortresses, deep trenches were dug for defense and firebreaks, and many buildings burned.

The city has not seen such widespread destruction since. In the late 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi rebuilt Kyoto, adding new streets to double the number of north–south routes in the center, creating rectangular blocks instead of square ones. He also built earthwork walls around the city and gathered temples into Teramachi Street, a Buddhist quarter. Early modern period In 1603, the Tokugawa Shogunate was established in Edo (now Tokyo), starting the Edo period.

Kyoto remained one of Japan’s three major cities, alongside Osaka and Edo. At the end of this period, the Hamaguri rebellion of 1864 burned 28,000 houses, reflecting rebel discontent with the Tokugawa Shogunate. Modern period At the start of the Meiji period, the emperor’s move from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869 threatened the city’s economy and administration. In response, the city government and local interests coordinated plans to strengthen industry and modernize.

Key developments included the Lake Biwa Canal, construction of which began in 1885 and finished on April 9, 1890. This 20-kilometer waterway connected Lake Biwa to Kyoto, providing drinking water, irrigation, and, from 1895, hydroelectric power for factories and street lighting.