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Intermediate Japanese - Free Online Course
KYŌTO
京都
Kyoto
For centuries, Japan had only temporary capitals, because of a tradition of moving the capital to new location with each emperor. By the early 700s, this was no longer practical, and the city of Nara became Japan’s first fixed capital in 710.
But this was not to last. Only 74 years later—in 784—the Emperor Kammu decided to move the capital to another location. Kammu had grown weary of the intrigues and petty conflicts among the Buddhist factions in Nara.
Kammu originally chose Fujiwara no Tanetsugu at Nagaoka as the site of his new capital. However, this location soon became sullied by ill omens, including earthquakes and a political murder. Kammu ended up abandoning the capitol at Nagaoka after spending more than ten years (and a fortune) on the project. But emperors can afford to change their minds.
The next site Kammu chose was only five miles away, between the Katsura and Kamo rivers. The original name of Kyoto / 京都, the city which was to rise here, was Heian-kyō / 平安京, or “Peaceful Capital.” Except for six months in 1180, Kyoto would be the capitol of Japan from its completion in 794 to the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
Built to Chinese Specifications
Kyoto was built according to a meticulous plan. It was patterned on the layout of the Chinese city of Chang-an (modern-day Xian). The builders of Kyoto also applied Chinese Feng-shui, or geomancy principles, which determine auspicious and inauspicious locations for buildings, entranceways, and gardens. There were no walls around Kyoto; but it did have a protective moat. Moreover, the mountains lying to the east, west, and north of the city were thought to protect Kyoto from evil forces.
By 900, Kyoto had a population of over 100,000. Ten percent of Kyoto’s inhabitants were public administrators or nobles. The city continued to grow rapidly; but its environment soured in the 1100s, when crime and bloody conflicts between rival warrior monks made life difficult in the “Peaceful Capital.”
Nevertheless, Kyoto is one of Japan’s most beautiful cities today. It was spared Allied bombing during World War II; and contains an abundance of architectural treasures from previous centuries. Kyoto still retains its identity as a cultural center of Japan. There are more than 1600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines in the city.
