KYOTO, JAPAN

Kyoto (京都 Kyōto, /kiˈoʊtoʊ/;[4]/ˈkjoʊtɒ/; Japanese: [kʲoːꜜ to] ( listen)), officially Kyoto City (京
都市 Kyōto-shi, Japanese: [kʲoːtoꜜ ɕi] ( listen)), is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan.
Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of
the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. As of 2018, the city has a
population of 1.47 million.

Coordinates: 35°0′42″N 135°46′6″E

Country Japan

Region Kansai

Prefecture Kyoto Prefecture

Founded 794

Government

• Type Mayor–council

• Body Kyoto City Assembly

• Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa

Area

• Designated city 827.83 km2 (319.63 sq mi)

Highest elevation 971 m (3,186 ft)

Lowest elevation 9 m (30 ft)

Population
 (October 1, 2015)[1]

• Designated city 1,475,183

• Estimate 1,468,980
(2018)[2]

• Rank 9th, Japan

• Density 1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi)

• Metro 2,801,044 (JP: 4th)

[3] (2015)

Time zone UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)

In 794, Kyoto (then known as Heian-kyō) was chosen as the new seat of Japan's
imperial court. The Emperors of Japan would rule from Kyoto in the following eleven
centuries until 1869, when the court relocated to Tokyo. The city was devastated during
the Ōnin War in the 15th century and went into an extended period of decline, but
gradually revived under the Tokugawa shogunate (1600–1868) and flourished as a major
city in Japan. 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 a major tourist destination. It is
home to numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces and gardens, many of
which are listed collectively by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Prominent landmarks
include the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji and the Katsura
Imperial Villa. Kyoto is also a center of higher learning, with Kyoto University being an
institution of international renown.

Culture
Although ravaged by wars, fires, and earthquakes during its eleven centuries as the
imperial capital, Kyoto was not entirely destroyed in WWII. It was removed from the
atomic bomb target list (which it had headed) by the personal intervention of Secretary of
War Henry L. Stimson, as Stimson wanted to save this cultural center, which he knew from
his honeymoon and later diplomatic visits.[17][18] Kyoto has been, and still remains, Japan's
cultural center.[19][20] The government of Japan is relocating the Agency for Cultural
Affairs to Kyoto in 2021.

A monk by the Katsura River in Arashiyama

Ponto-chō Street

With its 2,000 religious places – 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, as well as
palaces, gardens and architecture intact – it is one of the best preserved cities in Japan.
Among the most famous temples in Japan are Kiyomizu-dera, a magnificent wooden temple
supported by pillars off the slope of a mountain; Kinkaku-ji, the Temple of the Golden
Pavilion; Ginkaku-ji, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion; and Ryōan-ji, famous for its rock
garden. The Heian Jingū is a Shinto shrine, built in 1895, celebrating the Imperial family
and commemorating the first and last emperors to reside in Kyoto. Three special sites have
connections to the imperial family: the Kyoto Gyoen area including the Kyoto Imperial
Palace and Sentō Imperial Palace, homes of the Emperors of Japan for many
centuries; Katsura Imperial Villa, one of the nation's finest architectural treasures;
and Shugaku-in Imperial Villa, one of its best Japanese gardens. In addition, the temple of
Sennyu-ji houses the tombs of the emperors from Shijō to Kōmei.
Other sites in Kyoto include Arashiyama, the Gion and Pontochō geisha quarters,
the Philosopher's Walk, and the canals that line some of the older streets.
The "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" are listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage
Site. These include the Kamo Shrines (Kami and Shimo), Kyō-ō-Gokokuji (Tō-ji), Kiyomizu-
dera, Daigo-ji, Ninna-ji, Saihō-ji (Kokedera), Tenryū-ji, Rokuon-ji (Kinkaku-ji), Jishō-
ji (Ginkaku-ji), Ryōan-ji, Hongan-ji, Kōzan-ji and the Nijō Castle, primarily built by
the Tokugawa shōguns. Other sites outside the city are also on the list.
Kyoto is renowned for its abundance of delicious Japanese foods and cuisine. The special
circumstances of Kyoto as a city away from the sea and home to many Buddhist temples
resulted in the development of a variety of vegetables peculiar to the Kyoto area (京野
菜 kyō-yasai).
Japan's television and film industry has its center in Kyoto. Many jidaigeki, action films
featuring samurai, were shot at Toei Uzumasa Eigamura.[21] A film set and theme park in
one, Eigamura features replicas of traditional Japanese buildings, which are used
for jidaigeki. Among the sets are a replica of the old Nihonbashi (the bridge at the entry
to Edo), a traditional courthouse, a Meiji Period police box and part of the
former Yoshiwara red-light district. Actual film shooting takes place occasionally, and
visitors are welcome to observe the action.
The dialect spoken in Kyoto is known as Kyō-kotoba or Kyōto-ben, a constituent dialect of
the Kansai dialect. When Kyoto was the capital of Japan, the Kyoto dialect was the de
facto standard Japanese and influenced the development of Tokyo dialect, the modern
standard Japanese. Courtesans performing duties at Tokyo were referred to as "Edokko"
(bourgois). Famous Kyoto expressions are a polite copula dosu, an honorific verb ending -
haru, a greeting phrase okoshi-yasu "welcome", etc.

Transpo

Although Kyoto does not have its own large commercial airport, travelers can get to the
city via nearby Itami Airport, Kobe Airport or Kansai International Airport. The Haruka
Express operated by JR West carries passengers from Kansai Airport to Kyoto Station in
73 minutes.[40]
Osaka Airport Transport buses connect Itami Airport and Kyoto Station Hachijo Gate in
50 minutes and cost 1,310 yen (as of 2017) for a one-way trip.[41] Some buses go
further, make stops at major hotels and terminals in the downtown area.
BusesEdit

A typical Kyoto Municipal Bus

Kyoto's municipal bus network is extensive. Private carriers also operate within the city.
Many tourists join commuters on the public buses, or take tour buses. Kyoto's buses
have announcements in English and electronic signs with stops written in the Latin
alphabet.
Most city buses have a fixed fare. A one-day bus pass and a combined unlimited train
and bus pass are also available. These are especially useful for visiting many different
points of interest within Kyoto. The bus information center just outside the central station
handles tickets and passes. The municipal transport company publishes a very useful
leaflet called "Bus Navi." It contains a route map for the bus lines to most sights and
fare information. This too is available at the information center in front of the main
station.

Buses operating on routes within the city, the region, and the nation stop at Kyoto
Station. In addition to Kyoto Station, bus transfer is available at the intersections of Shijō
Kawaramachi and Sanjō Keihan. The intersection of Karasuma Kitaōji to the north of
downtown has a major bus terminal serving passengers who take the Karasuma
Line running beneath Karasuma Street, Kyoto's main north–south street.
CyclingEdit
Cycling is a very important form of personal transportation in the city. The geography
and scale of the city are such that the city may be easily navigated on a bicycle. There
are five bicycle rental stations and 21 EcoStations in central Kyoto. Because of the large
number of cyclists, permitted bicycle parking areas can be difficult to find. [42] Bicycles
parked in non-permitted areas are impounded.
RoadsEdit
Within Kyoto's ancient lanes, one-way system is prevalent and necessary for
preservation of its character. The city is connected with other parts of Japan by
the Meishin Expressway, which has two interchanges in the city: Kyoto Higashi (Kyoto
East) in Yamashina-ku and Kyoto Minami (Kyoto South) in Fushimi-ku. The Kyoto-Jukan
Expressway connects the city to northern regions of Kyoto Prefecture. The Daini Keihan
Road is a new bypass (completed in 2010) to Osaka.
Although Greater Kyoto has fewer toll-highways than other comparable Japanese cities,
it is served with elevated dual and even triple-carriageway national roads. As of 2018,
only 10.1 kilometres (6.3 miles) of the Hanshin Expressway Kyoto Route is in
operation.[43]
There are nine national highways in the city of Kyoto: Route 1, Route 8, Route 9, Route
24, Route 162, Route 171, Route 367, Route 477 and Route 478.
RailEdit
Inside Kyoto Station

See also: Keihan Electric Railway, Hankyu Railway, Kintetsu Railway, Keifuku Electric Railroad, and Eizan
Electric Railway

Just like other major cities in Japan, Kyoto is well served by rail transportation systems
operated by several different companies and organizations. The city's main gateway
terminal, Kyoto Station, which is one of the most popular stations in the country,
connects The Tōkaidō Shinkansen bullet train Line (see below) with five JR West lines,
a Kintetsu line and a municipal subway line.
The Keihan, the Hankyu, and other rail networks also offer frequent services within the
city and to other cities and suburbs in the Kinki region.
There is a Railway Heritage site in Kyoto, where visitors can experience the range of
Japanese railways in the JR Museum (formerly Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum,
situated about the roundhouse.
SubwayEdit
Main article: Kyoto Municipal Subway

The Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau operates the Kyoto Municipal

Subway consisting of two lines: the Karasuma Line and the Tōzai Line.
Karasuma LineEdit

An express service bound for Kokusaikaikan Station of the Karasuma Line is running on Kintetsu Kyoto Line

Main article: Karasuma Line

The Karasuma Line is coloured green, and its stations are given numbers following the
letter "K".

The line has following stations, from north to south: Kokusaikaikan (terminal)
and Matsugasaki in Sakyō-ku; Kitayama and Kitaōji in Kita-
ku; Kuramaguchi and Imadegawa in Kamigyō-ku; Marutamachi and Karasuma
Oike in Nakagyō-ku; Shijō, Gojō and Kyōto in Shimogyō-ku; Kujō and Jūjō in Minami-ku;
and Kuinabashi and Takeda (terminal) in Fushimi-ku.
Between Kitaōji and Jūjō, trains run beneath the north-south Karasuma Street (烏丸
通 Karasuma-dori), hence the name. They link to the other subway line, the Tōzai Line,
at Karasuma Oike. They also connect to the JR lines at Kyoto Station and the Hankyu
Kyoto Line running cross-town beneath Shijō Street at the intersection of Shijō Karasuma,
Kyoto's central business district. At Shijō Karasuma, the subway station is named Shijō,
whereas Hankyu's station is called Karasuma.
The Transportation Bureau and Kintetsu jointly operate through services, which
continue to the Kintetsu Kyoto Line to Kintetsu Nara Station in Nara. The Karasuma Line
and the Kintetsu Kyoto Line connect at Kyoto and Takeda. All the stations are located in
the city proper.
Tozai LineEdit

Platform screen doors at Higashiyama Station of the Tōzai Line

Main article: Tōzai Line (Kyoto)

The Tōzai Line is coloured vermilion, and its stations are given numbers following the
letter "T". This line runs from the southeastern area of the city, then east to west
(i.e. tōzai in Japanese) through the Kyoto downtown area where trains run beneath the
three east-west streets: Sanjō Street (三条通 Sanjō-dori), Oike Street (御池通 Oike-
dori) and Oshikōji Street (押小路通 Oshikōji-dori).
The line has following stations, from east to west: Rokujizō (terminal)
in Uji; Ishida and Daigo in Fushimi-
ku; Ono, Nagitsuji, Higashino, Yamashina and Misasagi in Yamashina-
ku; Keage, Higashiyama and Sanjō Keihan in Higashiyama-ku; Kyoto Shiyakusho-
mae, Karasuma Oike, Nijōjō-mae, Nijō and Nishiōji Oike in Nakagyō-ku; and Uzumasa
Tenjingawa (terminal) in Ukyō-ku.
The Keihan Keishin Line has been integrated into this line, and thus Keihan provides
through services from Hamaōtsu in the neighbouring city of Ōtsu, the capital of Shiga
Prefecture.
The Tōzai Line connects to the Keihan lines at Rokujizō, Yamashina, Misasagi and Sanjō
Keihan, to the JR lines at Nijō, Yamashina and Rokujizō, and to the Keifuku Electric
Railroad at Uzumasa Tenjingawa. All the stations except Rokujizō are located in Kyoto.
High-speed railEdit

Shinkansen at Kyoto Station

Main articles: Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen

See also: Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company

The Tōkaidō Shinkansen operated by JR Central provides high-speed rail service linking
Kyoto with Nagoya, Yokohama and Tokyo to the east of Kyoto and with
nearby Osaka and points west on the San'yō Shinkansen, such
as Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kitakyushu, and Fukuoka. The trip from Tokyo takes
about two hours and eighteen minutes. From Hakata in Fukuoka, Nozomi takes you to
Kyoto in just over three hours. All trains including Nozomi stop at Kyoto Station, serving
as a gateway to not only Kyoto Prefecture but also northeast Osaka, south Shiga and
north Nara.
WaterwaysEdit
Japanese trade and haulage traditionally took place by waterways, minimally impacting
the environment up until the highway-systems built by Shogunates. There are a number
of rivers, canals and other navigable waterways in Kyoto. The Seta and Uji rivers,
confluence into the (Yodo River), Kamogawa and Katsura river flow through Kyoto. Lake
Biwa Canal was a significant infrastructural development. In present days, however, the
waterways are no longer primarily used for passenger or goods transportation, other
than limited sightseeing purpose such as Hozugawa Kudari boat on the Hozu River and
Jukkoku bune sightseeing tour boat in Fushimi-ku area. Lake Biwa remains a popular
place for recreational boating, also the site of a Birdman Rally where contraptions and
contrivances are driven from land over the waterway.

Politics

The directly elected executive mayor in Kyoto as of 2013 is Daisaku Kadokawa, an

independent supported by Democratic Party of Japan, Liberal Democratic Party, New
Komeito Party, Your Party and Social Democratic Party. The legislative city assembly has
69 elected members.
 Kyoto City AssemblyEdit

Political party Number of seats[16]

Liberal Democratic Party 22

Japanese Communist Party 14

Democratic Party of Japan 13

New Komeito Party 12

Kyoto Party 4

Independent 2

Vacant 2

ElectionsEdit
 2008 Kyoto mayoral election
 2012 Kyoto mayoral election
 2016 Kyoto mayoral election (ja:2016 年京都市長選挙)

WardsEdit
Wards of Kyoto

Main article: Wards of Kyoto

Kyoto has eleven wards (区 ku).

Wards of Kyoto

Romaji Japanese

1 Fushimi-ku 伏見区

2 Higashiyama-ku 東山区

3 Kamigyō-ku 上京区

4 Kita-ku 北区

5 Minami-ku 南区

Nakagyō-ku
6 中京区
administrative center

7 Nishikyō-ku 西京区

8 Sakyo-ku 左京区

9 Shimogyō-ku 下京区

10 Ukyō-ku 右京区

11 Yamashina-ku 山科区

Together, they make up the city of Kyoto. Like other cities in Japan, Kyoto has a single
mayor and a city council.

Education
Kyoto University

See also: Higher education in Japan

Home to 40 institutions of higher education, Kyoto is one of the academic centers in

Japan.[36] Kyoto University is considered to be one of the top national
universities nationwide. According to the Times Higher Education top-ranking
university, Kyoto University is ranked the second university in Japan after University of
Tokyo, and 25th overall in the world as of 2010.[37] The Kyoto Institute of Technology is
also among the most famous universities in Japan and is considered to be one of the
best universities for architecture and design in the country. Popular private universities,
such as Doshisha University and Ritsumeikan University are also located in the city.
Kyoto also has a unique higher education network called the Consortium of Universities
in Kyoto, which consists of three national, three public (prefectural and municipal), and
45 private universities, as well as the city and five other organizations. The combination
does not offer a degree, but offers the courses as part of a degree at participating
universities.[38]
In addition to Japanese universities and colleges, selected American universities, such
as Stanford, also operates in the city for education and research. Kyoto Consortium for
Japanese Studies (KCJS) is a combination of 14 American universities that sponsors a
two-semester academic program for undergraduates who wish to do advanced work in
Japanese language and cultural studies.[39]

TRADITIONS

Kyoto is the cultural hub of Japan. It offers the quintessential Japanese experience that
you’ve probably seen on TV or in movies. There are real Geishas roaming the streets, tea
ceremonies to attend, and temples in which you can stay overnight. Taking authentic
cooking classes is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture, and there are lots of other
traditions to experience too. Here are 7 cool Kyoto traditions that you may not know about.
Some may surprise you.
Yuzen Dyeing

A Yuzen kimono is characterized by its bright colors and artistic designs. This is achieved
by the Yuzen dyeing style which was established in the 1600s by Miyazaki Yuzen, a local
artist. Since these kimonos take so much time and effort, they aren’t as available as other
types of kimonos. This makes them rare and highly sought after.

Hatsumode to Fushimi Inari Shrine

Kyoto residents visit this shrine on January first each year. To honor the ancient gods,
visitors will ring a bell once they arrive at the shrine. They do this quite naturally and
onlookers may not notice if it wasn’t for the beautiful kimonos worn by the local women.
Food and drink are also important to the people of Kyoto during this day.
Kemari Hajime

Kemari is an ancient sport that can be compared to football. It takes place each year on
January fourth at the Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto. While it appears like the participants are
in competition, they are really acting out the sport based on traditional rituals and
etiquette. Watching the players in their elaborate costumes is one of the best parts.

Shodo Calligraphy

Requiring a brush and ink, Shodo Calligraphy is an artistic way to represent the kanji
characters. This type of calligraphy actually started in China but when it made its way to
Japan, it was adopted in Kyoto first. This happened during the Heian period from 794 to
1185, and it was during this time that the unique, Japanese style of calligraphy was born.
Today, this kind of writing is used for important ceremonies and writing greeting cards on
New Year’s day.
Setsubun Festival

This festival is held on the third of February every year. People line the streets to toss
beans at nearby homes and wish the families inside good health. Japanese dancing girls
(Maiko) will be wearing colorful and elaborate kimonos as they join in and throw beans as
well. While the festival itself is quite the sight, one of the highlights is the chance to see
Maiko as they rarely make an appearance in Kyoto.

Kimono

While you’ve probably heard of kimonos, you may not know that they are a tradition that
came from Kyoto. The city’s Nishijin district is where most of this beautiful kimono fabric
comes from, as well as the obi (the sash that ties around the waist.) Since Geishas have
their roots in Kyoto, and kimonos are their traditional dress, it’s easy to see why this city is
the epicenter of this traditional garment.
Doll Altars

March 3rd is the Doll Festival in Japan. While this takes place in most regions, the doll altars
in Kyoto are different from those in Tokyo and elsewhere. Japanese families usually set up
altars filled with dolls, rice cakes, and peach blossoms. However, altars in Kyoto are made
with little kitchens and hearths for cooking. You’ll only find these features on altars from
Kyoto as it is their tradition.
Kyoto is full of culture and traditions, which is a huge part of its charm. If you are visiting
this city and want to dive into the culture, there are many more ways than one. If you
would like to book a cooking class in Kyoto, please do get in touch with us today.

Urban amenities
Amenity is defined as the livability of a city, which includes three aspects. The first one is
known as various social capitals, which support all actions in the city. They are comprised with
natural environment, historical environment (cultural assets and historical climate), street
views, sceneries, regional cultures, communities, transportation facilities, schools, parks,
hospitals, and facilities for water supply and disposal. The second one is quantity and quality of
diverse characters of a city, for instance, safety and relief. And the last but the same important
one is a comprehensive value when all the above factors are spatially arranged, which people may
have different idea about, according to diverse actions as living, playing, working, learning and
moving.

In this laboratory we tackle researches subjecting city amenities as follows.

 Economic Estimation of Traditional Cultural Goods

 Economic Estimation for values of Historical Environmental Goods

 The Economic Evaluation of the ancient capitals preservation law based on the consciousness
of citizen

 Economic analysis for valuation and conservation of Japanese traditional residences in Kyoto

 Continuous conservation value of Japanese traditional residences in Kyoto

 Effect analysis of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) to conserve urban environmental stock

 Meanings and problems in Delphi’s CVM model with considering of studying processes

 Cost-Benefit analysis of road infrastructure construction reflect residents consciousness

structure
  Measuring structure and wide sense benefits of road arrangement valuation

 A study on the optimum adjusting sequence of traffic barrier-free planning for supporting
movement

 The Modeling the Structure of Transportation and cooperation on the Urban Infrastructure
Equipment

 Transfer resistance at terminal in urban public transportation

 The Analysis of Structure of Temporal and Spatial Ripple Effect

Figure 1 Land prices change which is caused by Transfer of Development Rights(TDR).

Mobility and Environment

The concept “Sustainable Development” which the Brundtland Committee proposed in 1987 is,
recently, the foundation for the policy planning in several countries.

The centralization of population and economy in cities is the globally trend. And now, the greater
part of population, economy, and the consumption of resources belongs to urban areas. The globally
“Sustainable Development” can not be meaningful and feasible without the improvement of elements
in urban areas, such as structure, lifestyle, and economic activity.

We aim to search for the feature of “sustainable city”, analyzing the relationship among
mobility, environment, and urban structure. We are doing research as follows.

 The impact of the policy of urban transportation on environment

 The analysis on relationship between the characteristic of a city and the level of energy
consumption of urban transportation considering the level of mobility

 The comparative study of national statistics for CO2 emissions in the world

Figure 2 A road jammed by vehicles and a road occupied by pedestrian

Urban activities and transport
In our lab, diverse researches relating urban planning and transportation planning are carried
out, focusing on transportation facilities, which are considered as very important infrastructures
to support activities in a city.

 Optimization of the gradual construction process of a traffic network.

 Influence and effect that a broader-based traffic project affects international traffic
demand.

 Evaluation of traffic project in consideration of the characteristic of the interurban public

traffic

 International comparison of traffic institution maintenance source by paying attention to the

shift of composition of those who pay a tax

 Creation of the verification system of regional disaster prevention plan in consideration of

the activity distribution in the city, in case of earthquake

 Transport planning in consideration of people’s special and temporal distribution, in the

case of earthquake

 Assessment of transportation policy considering uncertainty of required time and chain of

transportation actions

 Measurement of benefit of construction of space to walk

 The development of the simulation of urban transportation for comprehensive estimation of the
polity of urban transportation

 The revitalization of the C.B.D

 The Estimation of Reallocation of Road Space in the C.B.D

 The Estimation of Measures to improve Problems of the P.F.I Project

Figure 3 Traffic project valuation system(highway network in Japan)