Kyoto

Lore & Background

Kyoto is one of the oldest municipalities in Japan, having been chosen in 794 as the new seat of Japan's imperial court by Emperor Kanmu. The original city, named Heian-kyō, was arranged in accordance with traditional Chinese feng shui following the model of the ancient Chinese capitals of Chang'an and Luoyang. The emperors of Japan ruled from Kyoto in the following eleven centuries until 1869. It was the scene of several key events of the Muromachi period, Sengoku period, and the Boshin War, such as the Ōnin War, the Honnō-ji Incident, the Kinmon incident, and the Battle of Toba–Fushimi. The capital was relocated from Kyoto to Tokyo after the Meiji Restoration. The modern municipality of Kyoto was established in 1889. The city was spared from large-scale destruction during World War II and, as a result, its prewar cultural heritage has mostly been preserved.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist clung to the moss-covered stones of Kinkaku-ji, blurring the line between the golden pavilion and its reflection in the mirror pond. An elderly monk swept the gravel path with a rhythmic *shhh-shhh* that echoed through the silence, unaware of the hundreds of tourists gathering behind the ropes. He paused, his eyes catching the light hitting the gilded roof, remembering stories told by his master about how this very spot had witnessed emperors and warlords alike. A young woman in a modern suit hurried past, her phone screen lighting up her face as she checked the departure time for the Shinkansen. For him, the gravel was a meditation; for her, it was an obstacle between platforms. Yet both moved through the same shadow of the golden pavilion.

Reader's Guide

Kyoto is considered the cultural capital of Japan and is a major tourist destination. The Agency for Cultural Affairs of the national government is headquartered in the city. It is home to numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces and gardens, some of which have been designated collectively as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Prominent landmarks include the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, and Kyoto Tower. The internationally renowned video game company Nintendo is based in Kyoto. Kyoto is also a center of higher learning in the country, and its institutions include Kyoto University, the second-oldest university in Japan.

Did You Know?

• Kyoto was removed from the list of atomic bomb targets at the insistence of Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of War.
• The city was largely spared from conventional bombing during World War II, though small-scale air raids did result in casualties.
• Kyoto became a city designated by government ordinance on September 1, 1956.
• In 1997, Kyoto hosted the conference that resulted in the protocol on greenhouse gas emissions.