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Kyoto was built on the model of the Chinese city of [[Chang'an]] (today called Xi'an), its location carefully chosen and layout carefully arranged according to Chinese concepts of geomancy. The center of the city is for the most part laid out in a grid, with the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|Imperial Palace]] at the center, its gates facing the cardinal directions. A main boulevard called Suzaku-ôji ran directly south from the Palace's south gate, the Suzakumon, to the Rajômon, the southern gate of the official city boundaries.[[Buddhist temple]]s in the mountains on the eastern side of the city (the [[Higashiyama]] area) were purposefully erected there to defend the city from spiritual dangers and corruptive forces which are traditionally believed to flow from that direction.

Kyoto was built on the model of the Chinese city of [[Chang'an]] (today called Xi'an), its location carefully chosen and layout carefully arranged according to Chinese concepts of geomancy. The center of the city is for the most part laid out in a grid, with the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|Imperial Palace]] at the center, its gates facing the cardinal directions. A main boulevard called Suzaku-ôji ran directly south from the Palace's south gate, the Suzakumon, to the Rajômon, the southern gate of the official city boundaries.[[Buddhist temple]]s in the mountains on the eastern side of the city (the [[Higashiyama]] area) were purposefully erected there to defend the city from spiritual dangers and corruptive forces which are traditionally believed to flow from that direction.

The [[Kamo River]], which enters the city from the north and passes between the two [[Kamo Shrines]] near the northern edge of the ancient city, originally marked the eastern edge of Heian-kyô, though the city later expanded beyond it.

The [[Kamo River]], which enters the city from the north and passes between the two Kamo Shrines ([[Kamigamo Shrine|Kamigamo]] and [[Shimogamo Shrine]]s) near the northern edge of the ancient city, originally marked the eastern edge of Heian-kyô, though the city later expanded beyond it.

Historically, the city was, for the most part, divided simply into areas associated with the Court, those controlled by temples & shrines, and the rest. However, beginning in the late 16th to early 17th century, Kyoto came to be geographically more strictly divided according to social status. [[Nijo castle|Nijô castle]], constructed in [[1626]] to the southwest of the Imperial Palace, was intended to serve as a shogunal palace, though no shogun visited Kyoto between the 1630s and the 1860s. Nevertheless, the shogunate's administrative buildings in the city were crowded around Nijô castle, along with the residences of many samurai families. The mansions of court nobles were, for the most part, relocated to be clustered around the Imperial Palace. Merchants and artisans gathered in certain neighborhoods, and areas on the edges of the city were designated for the ''eta'' and ''hinin'', the lowest classes, who were considered non-human and inherently impure.

Historically, the city was, for the most part, divided simply into areas associated with the Court, those controlled by temples & shrines, and the rest. However, beginning in the late 16th to early 17th century, Kyoto came to be geographically more strictly divided according to social status. [[Nijo castle|Nijô castle]], constructed in [[1626]] to the southwest of the Imperial Palace, was intended to serve as a shogunal palace, though no shogun visited Kyoto between the 1630s and the 1860s. Nevertheless, the shogunate's administrative buildings in the city were crowded around Nijô castle, along with the residences of many samurai families. The mansions of court nobles were, for the most part, relocated to be clustered around the Imperial Palace. Merchants and artisans gathered in certain neighborhoods, and areas on the edges of the city were designated for the ''eta'' and ''hinin'', the lowest classes, who were considered non-human and inherently impure.

It served as the political capital, and as the economic, religious, and cultural center of the archipelago, until 1185, when the [[Minamoto clan]] established the first [[shogunate]] in [[Kamakura]]. Kyoto would continue to be of great importance economically, culturally, and religiously, but would not, with brief exceptions, serve again as the sole political center.

It served as the political capital, and as the economic, religious, and cultural center of the archipelago, until 1185, when the [[Minamoto clan]] established the first [[shogunate]] in [[Kamakura]]. Kyoto would continue to be of great importance economically, culturally, and religiously, but would not, with brief exceptions, serve again as the sole political center.

Kyoto saw much violence and destruction over the centuries, both from wars and battles, as well as from natural disasters. Various rebellions of the late Heian period, along with significant elements of the Genpei War of the 12th century and [[Nanboku-cho|Nanboku-chô Wars]] of the 14th century, took place in Kyoto. However, the city saw the worst destruction it would ever suffer in war during the [[Onin War|Ônin War]] (1467-77), which took place primarily in the city's streets. Many of the homes of the city's [[samurai]] and ''[[kuge]]'' were transformed into fortresses; wood, bamboo, and earthworks were used to construct walls and other defenses, and the streets themselves were torn up to form ditches and trenches. The city would not be fully rebuilt and recovered for several decades afterwards.

Kyoto saw much violence and destruction over the centuries, both from wars and battles, as well as from natural disasters. Various rebellions of the late Heian period, along with significant elements of the Genpei War of the 12th century and [[Nanboku-cho|Nanboku-chô Wars]] of the 14th century, took place in Kyoto. However, the city saw the worst destruction it would ever suffer in war during the [[Onin War|Ônin War]] (1467-77), which took place primarily in the city's streets. Many of the homes of the city's [[samurai]] and ''kuge'' were transformed into fortresses; wood, bamboo, and earthworks were used to construct walls and other defenses, and the streets themselves were torn up to form ditches and trenches. The city would not be fully rebuilt and recovered for several decades afterwards.

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.

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/>

*Shinsengumi

*Shinsengumi

The final Tokugawa shogun, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]], declared his resignation and the abolition of the shogunate while in Kyoto, having never stepped foot in Edo as shogun. For the first time in over a thousand years, the Imperial Court was moved, this time from Kyoto to Edo, newly renamed as Tokyo, marking the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the [[Meiji Period]].

The final Tokugawa shogun, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]], declared his resignation and the abolition of the shogunate while in Kyoto, having never stepped foot in Edo as shogun. For the first time in over a thousand years, the Imperial Court was moved, this time from Kyoto to Edo, newly renamed as Tokyo, marking the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the [[Meiji Period]].

==Culture==

==Culture==