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'''Kyoto''' was the Imperial capital of Japan from [[794]] to [[1869]], though the archipelago was governed from elsewhere during the [[Kamakura shogunate|Kamakura]] (1185-1333) and [[Tokugawa shogunate]]s (1603-1868). It served as a major cultural and religious center throughout history, and continues to do so today, playing an important role economically as well during various periods.

'''Kyoto''' was the Imperial capital of Japan from [[794]] to [[1869]], though the archipelago was governed from elsewhere during the [[Kamakura shogunate|Kamakura]] (1185-1333) and [[Tokugawa shogunate]]s (1603-1868). It served as a major cultural and religious center throughout history, and continues to do so today, playing an important role economically as well during various periods.

Though commonly known as Kyoto today, the city was historically far more commonly called by other names. Established as Heian-kyô (i.e. the Heian capital), after which the [[Heian Period]] (794-1185) of history is named, the city was frequently called Miyako or Keishi, both of which can be translated as "capital city," through the [[Edo Period]]. It was also referred to as Rakuyô, in metaphorical comparison to the Chinese capital of [[Luoyang]], which is also called Rakuyô in Japanese.<ref>Rakuyô is simply the Japanese reading of the characters for Luoyang, 洛陽.</ref> This reference is seen, too, in the genre of paintings known as ''[[rakuchu rakugai|rakuchû rakugaizu]]'' (lit. "images inside & outside of Raku").

Though commonly known as Kyoto today, and though some documents as old as [[988]] refer to the city in that way,<ref>Gallery labels, Kyoto Asny, Kyoto City Central Library.</ref> the city was historically far more commonly called by other names. Established as Heian-kyô (i.e. the Heian capital), after which the [[Heian Period]] (794-1185) of history is named, the city was frequently called Miyako or Keishi, both of which can be translated as "capital city," through the [[Edo Period]]. It was also referred to as Rakuyô, in metaphorical comparison to the Chinese capital of [[Luoyang]], which is also called Rakuyô in Japanese.<ref>Rakuyô is simply the Japanese reading of the characters for Luoyang, 洛陽.</ref> This reference is seen, too, in the genre of paintings known as ''[[rakuchu rakugai|rakuchû rakugaizu]]'' (lit. "images inside & outside of Raku").

==Geography==

==Geography==

It was during the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, around [[1590]]-[[1592]], that Kyoto saw considerable reconstruction efforts. The street grid was restored in some areas, or redefined in other areas (i.e. new streets were constructed). Maeda Gen'i, Hideyoshi's deputy in the city, oversaw the construction in [[1591]] of an earthen embankment, or ''[[odoi]]'', which defined the official borders of the city, dividing the area into ''rakuchû'' ("inside the capital") and ''rakugai'' ("outside the capital"). Between Hideyoshi's efforts, and those undertaken by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] in the early decades of the 17th century, the city came to be reorganized, with many important institutions relocated, and districts defined or redefined to be inhabited by members of a particular social class.

It was during the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, around [[1590]]-[[1592]], that Kyoto saw considerable reconstruction efforts. The street grid was restored in some areas, or redefined in other areas (i.e. new streets were constructed). Maeda Gen'i, Hideyoshi's deputy in the city, oversaw the construction in [[1591]] of an earthen embankment, or ''[[odoi]]'', which defined the official borders of the city, dividing the area into ''rakuchû'' ("inside the capital") and ''rakugai'' ("outside the capital"). Between Hideyoshi's efforts, and those undertaken by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] in the early decades of the 17th century, the city came to be reorganized, with many important institutions relocated, and districts defined or redefined to be inhabited by members of a particular social class.

Along with [[Edo]] and [[Osaka]], Kyoto was one of the archipelago's three primary centers of commerce and urban commoner culture during the Edo period. Not a part of any daimyô's [[han|domain]], Kyoto was governed by a shogunate official called the ''[[Kyoto shoshidai]]'', who oversaw the city's administrative affairs on behalf of the shogunate. Boasting a sizeable population of roughly 200,000 by the end of the 16th century, Kyoto's population nearly doubled to roughly 350,000-400,000 over the course of the Edo period.<ref name=moriya/> ''[[Ukiyo-e]]'', [[kabuki]], ''[[joruri|jôruri]]'' (puppet theatre), and various new forms of literature, along with the various arts and entertainments of the pleasure districts, thrived alongside older, more traditional arts, many of them developing into distinct forms and styles exclusive to Kyoto, reflecting a decidedly more reserved, traditional, and slower pace and lifestyle than their Edo and Osaka cousins. By the [[Edo period]], if not earlier, Kyoto's commoner cityscape came to be dominated by ''[[machiya]]'' townhouses - wooden structures which ran deep back into each city block, often housing the family business in the front areas (''omote'') facing the street, and the family home in the rear/interior (''oku'') parts of the building.

Along with [[Edo]] and [[Osaka]], Kyoto was one of the archipelago's three primary centers of commerce and urban commoner culture during the Edo period. Not a part of any daimyô's [[han|domain]], Kyoto was governed by a shogunate official called the ''[[Kyoto shoshidai]]'', who oversaw the city's administrative affairs on behalf of the shogunate. Boasting a sizeable population of roughly 200,000 by the end of the 16th century, Kyoto's population nearly doubled to roughly 350,000-400,000 over the course of the Edo period.<ref name=moriya/> ''[[Ukiyo-e]]'', [[kabuki]], ''[[joruri|jôruri]]'' (puppet theatre), and various new forms of literature, along with the various arts and entertainments of the pleasure districts, thrived alongside older, more traditional arts, many of them developing into distinct forms and styles exclusive to Kyoto, reflecting a decidedly more reserved, traditional, and slower pace and lifestyle than their Edo and Osaka cousins. By the [[Edo period]], if not earlier, Kyoto's commoner cityscape came to be dominated by ''[[machiya]]'' townhouses - wooden structures which ran deep back into each city block, often housing the family business in the front areas (''omote'') facing the street, and the family home in the rear/interior (''oku'') parts of the building. And as the city's population continued to grow in the Edo period, many of these blocks were split, with additional roads being run down the middle and new homes being built in what had previously been internal spaces to the rear of the homes.

As always a major religious center, Tokugawa era Kyoto boasted seven or eight thousand Buddhist temples and [[Shinto shrines]], the city being therefore home to tens of thousands of Shinto priests and Buddhist monks and nuns.<ref name=moriya/>

As always a major religious center, Tokugawa era Kyoto boasted seven or eight thousand Buddhist temples and [[Shinto shrines]], the city being therefore home to tens of thousands of Shinto priests and Buddhist monks and nuns.<ref name=moriya/>

For the first decade or two of the Meiji Period, the architects of the new nation were conflicted as to the role Kyoto should play in the new Imperial nation, and in particular in discourses of the nation. It was perhaps not until [[1877]]-[[1878]] that top-ranking officials, as well as the [[Meiji Emperor]] himself, began to propose and implement plans to actively preserve Kyoto as a site and symbol of the traditional Japanese and lofty, spiritual, Imperial past. The Emperor made a personal gift in 1877 of funds to the [[Kyoto prefecture|Kyoto prefectural]] government to be used for the preservation of the city, and while passing through Kyoto on one of his [[Six Great Imperial Tours]] the following year, made a statement calling for the preservation of the city, which had already begun to decline since his departure for Tokyo. Around this time, too, certain officials or perhaps the Emperor himself first suggested that accession ceremonies and certain other Imperial rituals continue to be performed in Kyoto, even as the Imperial capital was moved to Tokyo, in order to maintain the significance of the city, and to draw upon that history to enhance the power and legitimacy of the Imperial institution.<ref>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', UC Press (1998), 56.</ref> As [[Iwakura Tomomi]] emphasized, Kyoto was the only one of the ancient [[capitals of Japan|capitals]] remaining intact, and as the [[Meiji Restoration]] drew its legitimacy from the Imperial past and claimed to be restoring that same Imperial institution to power, the maintenance and usage of the symbolic power of Kyoto's historic sites was essential to discourses of Imperial legitimacy and a unified national history.<ref>Fujitani, 59.</ref> Efforts to preserve, restore, and reshape Kyoto into the ideal(ized) lofty, ancient, traditional, Imperial capital continued into the 1880s as efforts began, concurrently, to shape Tokyo into a political center evocative of particular discourses of modernity, and of Imperial power and engagement.<ref>Fujitani, 33-34.</ref>

For the first decade or two of the Meiji Period, the architects of the new nation were conflicted as to the role Kyoto should play in the new Imperial nation, and in particular in discourses of the nation. It was perhaps not until [[1877]]-[[1878]] that top-ranking officials, as well as the [[Meiji Emperor]] himself, began to propose and implement plans to actively preserve Kyoto as a site and symbol of the traditional Japanese and lofty, spiritual, Imperial past. The Emperor made a personal gift in 1877 of funds to the [[Kyoto prefecture|Kyoto prefectural]] government to be used for the preservation of the city, and while passing through Kyoto on one of his [[Six Great Imperial Tours]] the following year, made a statement calling for the preservation of the city, which had already begun to decline since his departure for Tokyo. Around this time, too, certain officials or perhaps the Emperor himself first suggested that accession ceremonies and certain other Imperial rituals continue to be performed in Kyoto, even as the Imperial capital was moved to Tokyo, in order to maintain the significance of the city, and to draw upon that history to enhance the power and legitimacy of the Imperial institution.<ref>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', UC Press (1998), 56.</ref> As [[Iwakura Tomomi]] emphasized, Kyoto was the only one of the ancient [[capitals of Japan|capitals]] remaining intact, and as the [[Meiji Restoration]] drew its legitimacy from the Imperial past and claimed to be restoring that same Imperial institution to power, the maintenance and usage of the symbolic power of Kyoto's historic sites was essential to discourses of Imperial legitimacy and a unified national history.<ref>Fujitani, 59.</ref> Efforts to preserve, restore, and reshape Kyoto into the ideal(ized) lofty, ancient, traditional, Imperial capital continued into the 1880s as efforts began, concurrently, to shape Tokyo into a political center evocative of particular discourses of modernity, and of Imperial power and engagement.<ref>Fujitani, 33-34.</ref>

==Culture==

==Culture==