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===Founding of Heian-kyô===
===Founding of Heian-kyô===
At the end of the [[Nara Period]], in 784, the court moved from its capital at Nara to a newly built capital in Nagaoka, known as [[Nagaoka-kyo|Nagaoka-kyô]]. The move was prompted by the rise in power of the local [[Buddhist temple]]s, which are said to have exerted an undue influence on the politics of this era. This capital was only to last for about 10 years until it was abandoned, ostensibly because of a curse by the spirit of a vengeful prince. The court moved again to a new capital, on the same site that would eventually become modern Kyoto. The site was chosen for its auspicious nature according to Chinese geomantic principles, including mountains on three sides, flowing waters, etc. It was laid out in an auspicious grid of nine main roads running north-south and east-west. The [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|Dairi]], or Imperial Residence, was situated in the center of the city to the north. The city proper was surrounded by gated walls which restricted the flow of traffic to and from the city.
At the end of the [[Nara Period]], in 784, the court moved from its capital at Nara to a newly built capital in Nagaoka, known as [[Nagaoka-kyo|Nagaoka-kyô]]. The move was prompted by the rise in power of the local [[Buddhist temple]]s, which are said to have exerted an undue influence on the politics of this era. This capital was only to last for about 10 years until it was abandoned, ostensibly because of a curse by the spirit of a vengeful prince. The court moved again to a new capital, on the same site that would eventually become modern Kyoto. The site was chosen for its auspicious nature according to Chinese geomantic principles, including mountains on three sides, flowing waters, etc. It was laid out in an auspicious grid of nine main roads running north-south and east-west. The [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|Dairi]], or Imperial Residence, was situated in the center of the city to the north. The city proper was surrounded by gated walls which restricted the flow of traffic to and from the city.
Excavations in the eastern (commoner/peasant) parts of the city discovered homes not lined up in rows facing the street, but organized into small compounds or clusters, around wells, fields, and gardens. The homes themselves were built not with foundation stones, but in the older style using ''hottate bashira'', pillars sunken directly into the earth. Each compound was separated from the next by fences or ditches.<ref>Gallery label, 「京内庶民の住宅地の復元模型」, National Museum of Japanese History.</ref>
By this time, the population of the islands was perhaps around six million, with 0.1%, or about 6000 people, being [[kuge|court aristocrats]].<ref>[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Japanese Civilization'', Second Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 21.</ref>
By this time, the population of the islands was perhaps around six million, with 0.1%, or about 6000 people, being [[kuge|court aristocrats]].<ref>[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Japanese Civilization'', Second Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 21.</ref>
