京都市

京都市

JP
Population1,475,183
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese: 京都, Kyōto [kʲoꜜː.to] ), officially Kyoto City (京都市, Kyōto-shi; [kʲoː.toꜜ.ɕi] ), is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. As of 2020, the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it the ninth-most populous city in Japan. More than half (56.8%) of Kyoto Prefecture's population resides in the city. The city is the cultural anchor of the substantially larger Greater Kyoto, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) home to a census-estimated 3.8 million people. It is also part of the even larger Keihanshin metropolitan area, along with Osaka and Kobe. 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. 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.

Places to Explore

Curated experiences in 京都市

大谷大学博物館

大谷大学博物館

Ōtani University Museum (大谷大学博物館, Ōtani daigaku hakubutsukan) opened in Kyoto, Japan, in 2003. The Ōtani University collection, which relates in …

大西清右衛門美術館

大西清右衛門美術館

京都芸術センター

京都芸術センター

The Kyoto Art Center (京都芸術センター, Kyōto Geijutsu Sentā) is a venue for promoting the arts which is located in the …

堂本印象美術館

堂本印象美術館

京都市考古資料館

京都市考古資料館

The Kyoto City Archaeological Museum (京都市考古資料館) is located in Kyoto and showcases the city's archaeological findings. The building was constructed …

京都市歴史資料館

京都市歴史資料館

Kyoto City Library of Historical Documents (京都市歴史資料館, Kyōto-shi rekishi shiryōkan) opened in Kyoto, Japan, in 1982. The museum's collection of …

京都市学校歴史博物館

京都市学校歴史博物館

長等創作展示館・三橋節子美術館

長等創作展示館・三橋節子美術館

近江神宮時計博物館

近江神宮時計博物館

三千院

三千院

Sanzen-in (三千院) is a Tendai school monzeki temple in Ōhara, Kyoto, Japan. The Heian period triad of Amida Nyorai flanked …

仁和寺

仁和寺

Ninna-ji (仁和寺, Ninna-ji) is the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. Located in western …

平等院

平等院

Byōdō-in (平等院, "Temple of Equality") is a Buddhist temple in the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, built in …

鞍馬寺

鞍馬寺

Kurama-dera (鞍馬寺) is a temple in the far north of Kyoto, Japan which houses some National Treasures of Japan. It …

下醍醐

下醍醐

Daigo-ji (Japanese: 醍醐寺) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Its main devotion (honzon) is Yakushi. Daigo, literally …

修学院離宮

修学院離宮

The Shugaku-in Imperial Villa (修学院離宮, Shugaku-in Rikyū), or Shugaku-in Detached Palace, is a set of gardens and outbuildings (mostly teahouses) …

京都水族館

京都水族館

Kyoto Aquarium (京都水族館) is an aquarium located in Umekoji Park in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture's Shimogyo Ward, Japan.

京都鉄道博物館

京都鉄道博物館

The Kyoto Railway Museum (京都鉄道博物館, Kyōto Tetsudō Hakubutsukan) (formerly the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum (梅小路蒸気機関車館, Umekōji Jōkikikansha-kan) until 2016) is …

京都府立植物園

京都府立植物園

The Kyoto Botanical Garden (京都府立植物園, Kyōto Furitsu Shokubutsuen; 240,000 m²), also known as the Kyoto Prefectural Botanical Garden, is a …

鴨川

鴨川

The Kamo River (鴨川, Kamo-gawa; duck river – see onomastics) is located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The riverbanks are popular …

東山区

東山区

Higashiyama (東山区, Higashiyama-ku; meaning "east mountain") is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, …

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