Kyoto

Kyoto
Name	Kyoto
Native name	京都市
Settlement type	City designated by ordinance
Coordinates	35, 0, 42, N...
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	Japan
Subdivision type1	Region
Subdivision name1	Kansai region
Subdivision type2	Prefecture
Subdivision name2	Kyoto Prefecture
Established title	Founded
Established date	794
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Daisaku Kadokawa
Area total km2	827.83
Population total	1,463,723
Population as of	2020
Population density km2	auto
Timezone	Japan Standard Time
Utc offset	+9
Blank name sec1	City symbols
Blank info sec1	Tree: Weeping willow, Camphor, Japanese Maple, Flower: Camellia, Azalea, Cherry blossom

Kyoto. It is a major city located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu in Japan. For over a millennium, it served as the imperial capital, from its founding in 794 until the transfer to Tokyo in 1869, which has endowed it with an unparalleled concentration of pre-modern Japanese art, architecture, and religious traditions. The city is renowned globally for its well-preserved historical districts, iconic temples and shrines, and its role as a guardian of classical Japanese culture, including tea ceremony, ikebana, and kōdō.

History

The city was established as Heian-kyō in 794 by Emperor Kanmu, moving the capital from Nara and initiating the Heian period, a golden age of aristocratic culture epitomized by works like The Tale of Genji. It remained the seat of the Emperor of Japan and the Imperial Court in Kyoto for over a thousand years, though political power often resided with the shogun in cities like Kamakura and Edo. The city witnessed pivotal events such as the Ōnin War, which devastated much of the area, and later became a center for the arts under the patronage of figures like Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who built the Fushimi Castle. It was notably spared from aerial bombardment during World War II, preserving its historic fabric.

Geography

Situated in a valley within the Yamashiro Basin, it is surrounded on three sides by the mountains known as Higashiyama, Kitayama, and Nishiyama. The Kamo River flows through the central part of the city, with the Katsura River and Uji River also running through its territory. This basin geography contributes to hot, humid summers and occasionally cold winters. The city borders the prefectures of Ōtsu and Takashima in Shiga Prefecture to the east, and Nantan and Kameoka to the west.

Culture

It is considered the cultural heart of Japan, home to seventeen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Buddhist temples Kiyomizu-dera, Ryōan-ji, and Byōdō-in, and the Shinto shrines Kamo Shrine and Fushimi Inari-taisha. The city is famous for its traditional festivals such as the Gion Matsuri, dating to the 9th century, and the Aoi Matsuri. It is a global center for traditional arts like Noh theater, Kyōgen, and the Kyoto school of ceramics, and its geisha districts of Gion and Pontochō are internationally iconic. The annual Jidai Matsuri procession celebrates its long history.

Economy

While tourism centered on its historic sites is a major industry, the city also has a strong manufacturing base in electronics, with the headquarters of major firms like Nintendo, Omron, and Kyocera located within its bounds. It is a leading center for Japan's sake brewing industry, with famous producers in the Fushimi ward, and is renowned for high-quality traditional crafts such as Nishijin textiles, Kiyomizu ware pottery, and Japanese confectioneries. The Silicon area around Keihanna Science City fosters advanced technology and research.

Government

The city is designated as a government ordinance-designated city, granting it a degree of autonomy from Kyoto Prefecture. It is administered by the Kyoto City Assembly and the mayor, currently Daisaku Kadokawa. The city is divided into eleven wards, including Nakagyō, the central business and government district, and Ukyō, which contains the Arashiyama scenic area. It hosts numerous national institutions, such as a branch of the Supreme Court of Japan.

Education

The city is a premier academic center, home to Kyoto University, a former Imperial University and a member of the National Seven Universities, which has produced multiple Nobel Prize laureates in fields like physics and chemistry. Other notable institutions include Doshisha University, founded by Joseph Hardy Neesima, Ritsumeikan University, and Kyoto Institute of Technology. The city also hosts the Kyoto University of Art and Design and the Kyoto City University of Arts, emphasizing its role in cultural education.

Category:Cities in Kyoto Prefecture Category:Former capitals of Japan Category:World Heritage Sites in Japan