{"id":87876,"date":"2022-10-20T10:56:19","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T01:56:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=87876"},"modified":"2024-11-25T22:07:20","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T13:07:20","slug":"capital-of-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/capital-of-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Capitals of Japan?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Spain \u2013 Madrid, France \u2013 Paris, United Kingdom \u2013 London\u2026 <strong>How about the capital of Japan?<\/strong> While many may know about Nara, Kyoto, and Tokyo as Japan&#8217;s famous capitals, only a few realize that debate continues among historians about what were the official capitals. Here, we go into Japan&#8217;s current capital, the history of past ancient capitals, and some that are still debated. Here we go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"toc wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"#Yamato-Period-to-Modern-Day-Tokyo\" class=\"ek-link\">From the Yamato Period to Modern-Day Tokyo: The Evolution of Japan&#8217;s Capitals<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Yamato-Period\" class=\"ek-link\">The Yamato Period: Consolidation of Japan as a State and the Rise of its First Capitals<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Asuka-Period\" class=\"ek-link\">The Asuka Period: The Founding City of Japan&#8217;s First Capital<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Nara-Period\" class=\"ek-link\">The Nara Period: The First &#8220;Official&#8221; Capital of Japan<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Kyoto\" class=\"ek-link\">Kyoto: The Longest-Running Capital of Japan<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#How-Kyoto-Evolved-During-its-Reign-as-Capital-of-Japan\" class=\"ek-link\">How Kyoto Evolved During its Reign as Capital of Japan<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Imperial-Capital-vs-Military-Capital\" class=\"ek-link\">Imperial Capital vs. Military Capital<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Tokyo-Japanese-Capital\" class=\"ek-link\">Tokyo: The Current Japanese Capital<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#How-Did-Tokyo-Grow-So-Fast\" class=\"ek-link\">How Did Tokyo Grow So Fast?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Yamato-Period-to-Modern-Day-Tokyo\">From the Yamato Period to Modern-Day Tokyo: The Evolution of Japan&#8217;s Capitals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the arrival of Emperor Kammu (\u6853\u6b66\u5929\u7687, Kanmu-tenn\u014d, 737 CE \u2013 806 CE), there was no permanent capital of Japan, with the Imperial court changing residence each time a new emperor ascended the throne. This resulted in <strong>Japan developing several major cities<\/strong> within the Kinki region (\u8fd1\u757f\u5730\u65b9, Kinki Chiho), now modern-day Kansai. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many possible reasons for this phenomenon, including lineage and descent issues, bureaucratic changes, or social relations within the country. Another theory is religious reasons. For example, if the previous emperor died, the Shinto belief necessitates the need to<a aria-label=\"it is necessary to purify the place where a deceased dies. (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/2384764?read-now=1&amp;refreqid=excelsior%3A3ce0bba36e316d48bd5ea7e442693985&amp;seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\"> purify the place where a deceased dies.<\/a> Also, if the death of an emperor left unresolved issues, his spirit could return to a <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/yurei-japanese-ghosts\/\" class=\"ek-link\"><em>yurei<\/em> ghost<\/a> state to settle them. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15195823\/tokyo-city-1024x684.jpeg\" alt=\"Tokyo, the capital of Japan\" class=\"wp-image-87877\" width=\"840\" height=\"561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15195823\/tokyo-city-1024x684.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15195823\/tokyo-city-500x334.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15195823\/tokyo-city-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15195823\/tokyo-city-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15195823\/tokyo-city-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15195823\/tokyo-city.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption>The cosmopolitan current capital of Japan. <em>Photo:\u00a0<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@freeman_zhou\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Freeman Zhou<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Yamato-Period\">The Yamato Period: Consolidation of Japan as a State and the Rise of its First Capitals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The consolidation of Japan as a state is an unresolved debate and subject of research. One popular theory is that during Japan&#8217;s prehistory during the Jomon (\u7e04\u6587, dated between c. 14,000\u2013300 BCE) and  Yayoi (\u5f25\u751f\u6642\u4ee3, dated between 300 BCE\u2013250 CE) periods, <strong>the inhabitants of the Japanese islands organized themselves into<em> uji<\/em><\/strong> (\u6c0f), Japanese clans and kin groups. <a aria-label=\"One of them, Yamato, became the most powerful (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/2052884?read-now=1&amp;refreqid=excelsior%3A1ab4e4802561e92abb3c14d2b12252e4&amp;seq=4#page_scan_tab_contents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">One of them, the Yamato, became the most powerful<\/a>, eventually laying the foundations of the Yamato Period (\u5927\u548c\u6642\u4ee3, Yamato-jidai, dated between 250\u2013710 CE) and the <a aria-label=\"Yamato Province, now modern-day Nara Prefecture (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Japan\/Rise-and-expansion-of-Yamato\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Yamato Province, now modern-day Nara Prefecture<\/a>. Within this ancient province was Asuka city, the predecessor to<strong> Japan&#8217;s first known capital of Nara<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Asuka-Period\">The Asuka Period: The Founding City of Japan&#8217;s First Capital<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Asuka period<\/strong> (593 CE to 710 CE) was of great importance in Japan&#8217;s history, considered one of the major turning points when Japan was shaped through many cultural reforms influenced by China. Today, visitors can visit <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/reliving-history-in-asuka-village-the-birthplace-of-japan\/\" class=\"ek-link\">Asuka village for its fine archaeological finds in their <em>kofun burial sites<\/em><\/a>. These massive burial sites, like <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/osaka-nintoku-kofun\/\" class=\"ek-link\">Osaka&#8217;s <em>kofun<\/em> burial grounds<\/a>, offer a fascinating glimpse into ancient Japan.<a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/reliving-history-in-asuka-village-the-birthplace-of-japan\/\" class=\"ek-link\"> <\/a><a aria-label=\"wado coins (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Asuka,_Yamato\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\"><strong><em>Wado <\/em>coins<\/strong><\/a>, believed to be some of the oldest coins in Japan, were also found in Asuka and home to the oldest temple in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While for many historians, Nara is considered Japan&#8217;s first capital of Japan, the rise of the <a aria-label=\"Yamato Province was consolidating, with a newly-appointed court expanding, (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/2052884?read-now=1&amp;refreqid=excelsior%3A1ab4e4802561e92abb3c14d2b12252e4&amp;seq=7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Yamato Province, and its newly-appointed court expansion<\/a> have led others to believe that Asuka was the first capital of Japan. Debates aside, Asuka remains one of the most fascinating glimpses of Japan&#8217;s ancient civilization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" data-id=\"48349\" src=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_kawahara-dera-1024x681-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_kawahara-dera-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_kawahara-dera-1024x681-500x333.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" data-id=\"48347\" src=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_ishibutai-1024x681-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_ishibutai-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_ishibutai-1024x681-500x333.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" data-id=\"48354\" src=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_mizuochi-iseki-1024x681-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_mizuochi-iseki-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/asuka_mizuochi-iseki-1024x681-500x333.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\">Visitors can visit Asuka village for its fine archaeological finds within the <em>kofun<\/em> burial sites. <em>Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/author\/clementine\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Cl\u00e9mentine Cintr\u00e9<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Nara-Period\">The Nara Period: The First &#8220;Official&#8221; Capital of Japan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are still debates on which is Japan&#8217;s first capital city, most historians believe that <strong>Nara, known as Heijo-kyo (\u5e73\u57ce \u4eac) at the time, became the first official capital of Japan, from 710 to 794<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the Nara period, there were some infamous changes and improvements. Emperors became absolute leaders, the <a aria-label=\"creation of Japan's codes of law called the ritsuryo (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ritsury%C5%8D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">creation of Japan&#8217;s codes of law called the <em>ritsuryo<\/em><\/a> (\u5f8b\u4ee4 \u2014 civil codes of the Nara and Heian period), and the growth of Buddhism as one of Japan&#8217;s major religions. Heijo-kyo city was designed <strong>according to the Chinese cities&#8217; style<\/strong>, consisting of four major streets where the emperor&#8217;s palace faced the North Star. At the end of the 8th century, Nara had about 200,000 inhabitants. Some emperors even gave more authority to Buddhism than Shintoism, as seen in <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/nara-park-deer\/#todaiji-temple-large-buddha\" class=\"ek-link\">Nara&#8217;s famous Todaiji built by pro-Buddhist Emperor Shomu.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12233600\/sakura_nara_05-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"todaiji temple\" class=\"wp-image-86202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12233600\/sakura_nara_05-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12233600\/sakura_nara_05-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12233600\/sakura_nara_05-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12233600\/sakura_nara_05-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12233600\/sakura_nara_05.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Todaiji temple is a Buddhist icon of the Nara period. <em>Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/author\/lucia\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Luc\u00eda Tsujiguchi<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>When Emperor Kammu ascended the throne in\u00a0781 AD, he ordered that the capital be moved from Nara to <strong>Nagaoka-kyo <\/strong>(\u9577\u5ca1\u4eac \u2014 Osaka). However, before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/2384764?seq=7#metadata_info_tab_contents\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">capital of <strong>Nagaoka-kyo <\/strong>was completed,<\/a> Emperor Kammu once again ordered a change to be officially moved to Heian-kyo (\u5e73\u5b89\u4eac), a flatland surrounded by mountains. This would become modern-day Kyoto. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12235023\/sakura_nara_39-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"ukimido pavilion amidst cherry blossoms in nara\" class=\"wp-image-86242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12235023\/sakura_nara_39-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12235023\/sakura_nara_39-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12235023\/sakura_nara_39-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12235023\/sakura_nara_39-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/12235023\/sakura_nara_39.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Nowadays, Nara is a precious city with many spots to visit. <em>Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/author\/lucia\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Luc\u00eda Tsujiguchi<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Kyoto\">Kyoto: The Longest-Running Capital of Japan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Several explanations justify the shift to the new capital of Kyoto.<\/strong> It could have been the separation of Buddhism from the court. Or that Kyoto was located in a better location, more advantageous to maintain and gain control over the country. Another reason is that they were following the <a aria-label=\"Chinese Onmyodo laws, (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Onmy%C5%8Dd%C5%8D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\"><strong>Chinese Onmyodo laws<\/strong>,<\/a> which state that the imperial palace must be in a flat area. <a aria-label=\"Some historians argue that Kyoto was the first Japanese capital (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/2384764?read-now=1&amp;refreqid=excelsior%3A3ce0bba36e316d48bd5ea7e442693985&amp;seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Some historians even argue that Kyoto was the first Japanese capital<\/a>, and they consider the previous cities just important settlements for the Japanese Imperial court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, ancient Heian-kyo, or Kyoto, became the Japanese capital in 794, <strong>marking the longest reign of Japan&#8217;s capital city for over 1,000 years<\/strong> until the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Kyoto was Japan&#8217;s epicenter for many centuries, housed political, cultural, and social powers, and<a aria-label=\"It was the only major city in the country (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.es\/books?id=US_8AQAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA33&amp;lpg=PA33&amp;dq=why+there+were+so+many+capitals+japan&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=4mgLahXCSc&amp;sig=ACfU3U0QYTKvRDcKRs-xRqXxvIPo4MUgtg&amp;hl=es&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi30O798qrxAhWQxYUKHdTxA3gQ6AEwEXoECB0QAw#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\"> was the only major city in the country<\/a> until the end of the 16th century.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011644\/kyoto-city-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Skyline from Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan\" class=\"wp-image-87975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011644\/kyoto-city-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011644\/kyoto-city-500x334.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011644\/kyoto-city-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011644\/kyoto-city-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011644\/kyoto-city-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011644\/kyoto-city.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Kyoto is located on a flatland surrounded by mountains. <em>Photo:\u00a0<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@blackodc?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Su San Lee<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"How-Kyoto-Evolved-During-its-Reign-as-Capital-of-Japan\">How Kyoto Evolved During its Reign as Capital of Japan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years, this city had significant changes in its structure. In its early days, Kyoto <strong>was a court-centered imperial city<\/strong>, and it was distributed following the surrounding natural elements: the Kamo River in the east, Lake Ogura in the south, and Mount Funa to the north. Kyoto was also based on Chang&#8217;an&#8217;s Chinese city style, like Nara. The imperial palace was in the north, and its adjoining neighborhoods were divided into Ukyo (to the east) and Sakyo (to the west). Between them was a great avenue, Suzaku-oji.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the Kamakura period (1185\u20131392), <strong>the new military government moved to Kamakura city,<\/strong> <strong>while the court remained in Kyoto<\/strong>. In addition to all the wars and natural disasters, this change caused Kyoto to undergo structural modifications, both architecturally and organizationally. The imperial capital of Japan became a medieval Japanese city, giving rise to the new powerful classes: the aristocracy, military, and religious institutions. During those centuries, they developed commerce and handicrafts, increasing their production and demand.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011710\/nijo-castle-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"Nijo, shogun\u00a0Tokugawa's castle in Kyoto\" class=\"wp-image-87976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011710\/nijo-castle-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011710\/nijo-castle-500x333.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011710\/nijo-castle-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011710\/nijo-castle-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011710\/nijo-castle-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011710\/nijo-castle.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Nijo, <em>shogun<\/em>\u00a0Tokugawa&#8217;s castle in Kyoto. <em>Photo:\u00a0<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@eleonoralbasi?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Eleonora Albasi<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Imperial-Capital-vs-Military-Capital\">Imperial Capital vs. Military Capital<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As we previously mentioned, during the Kamakura period, the Japanese capital was split in two. On one hand, there was the imperial capital in Kyoto, where the emperor and his court lived. But on the other hand, a new military capital was created in Kamakura, where the shogun lived. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike the military government, which moved to various locations over the years, <strong>Kyoto remained the imperial capital until the Meiji Restoration<\/strong>. Kyoto preserves different architectural styles because it was not bombed during the Second World War. If you visit the city, you can observe the evolution of these styles for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image caption-align-center\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011823\/kyoto-city-center.jpeg\" alt=\"One busy street in Kyoto\" class=\"wp-image-87977\" width=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011823\/kyoto-city-center.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011823\/kyoto-city-center-375x500.jpeg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011823\/kyoto-city-center-640x853.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011823\/kyoto-city-center-150x200.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption>Kyoto, where you can see Japanese tradition. <em>Photo:\u00a0<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@kevinanggrek?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Kevin Anggrek<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Tokyo-Japanese-Capital\">Tokyo: The Current Japanese Capital<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During the Edo period (1603-1868), <strong>the Tokugawa shogunate moved to Edo city<\/strong>, now modern-day Tokyo. The cities of Edo and Osaka were increasing in size, catching up to the likes of Kyoto. At the beginning of the Meiji Restoration (1868), the court moved to Edo, and the two leading powers were again united in a single city. <strong>Edo was renamed Tokyo<\/strong> (\u6771\u4eac \u2014 the capital of the east). Unlike Kyoto, Tokyo had a harbor and was close to Yokohama,<a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.es\/books?id=uGGBAgAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA101&amp;dq=tokyo+as+a+modern+capital&amp;hl=es&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZkd6l3dDxAhUK4OAKHWk8BbkQ6AEwAXoECAIQAg#v=onepage&amp;q=tokyo%20as%20a%20modern%20capital&amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\"> one of the busiest ports in Japan<\/a> at that time, making Tokyo the ideal location for Japan&#8217;s newest capital. Edo Castle would also eventually become the Imperial Palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, <a aria-label=\"Tokyo is the largest capital in the world (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.visualcapitalist.com\/most-populous-cities-in-the-world\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\"><strong>Tokyo is one of the largest capitals in the world<\/strong><\/a>. Initially, <a href=\"http:\/\/panmore.com\/tokyo-urban-development-successes-challenges\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Tokyo was a small town along the Sumida River<\/a>, a fertile area ideal for farming and fishing. But in less than 200 years, it has become one of the most populated metropolises in the world, with more than 14 million inhabitants. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011847\/tokyo-skyline-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Tokyo, the capital of Japan\" class=\"wp-image-87978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011847\/tokyo-skyline-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011847\/tokyo-skyline-500x334.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011847\/tokyo-skyline-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011847\/tokyo-skyline-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011847\/tokyo-skyline-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011847\/tokyo-skyline.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>In less than 200 years, Tokyo went from a small agricultural city to one of the world&#8217;s most populated metropolises. <em>Photo:\u00a0<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@yory?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Ryo Yoshitake<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"How-Did-Tokyo-Grow-So-Fast\">How Did Tokyo Grow So Fast?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The final question is:<strong> how did Tokyo, the new capital of Japan, grow so fast in less than 200 years?<\/strong> The reasons are various. One of them was <strong>their need to modernize the country <\/strong>after being closed off from the rest of the world until its opening after the Meiji Restoration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After opening the borders, Japan realized it needed modernization to be as strong as the powerful western countries. So, after borrowing the best of each country, the Japanese government improved its infrastructure, system, and capital, Tokyo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another reason is that after some of <strong>Japan&#8217;s<\/strong> <strong>natural disasters<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/earthquakes-japan\/\" class=\"ek-link\">such as the Great 1923 Kanto earthquake<\/a><strong>, and the bombings of the Second World War<\/strong>, <a aria-label=\"many Tokyo areas needed reconstruction (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.es\/books?id=uGGBAgAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA101&amp;dq=tokyo+as+a+modern+capital&amp;hl=es&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZkd6l3dDxAhUK4OAKHWk8BbkQ6AEwAXoECAIQAg#v=onepage&amp;q=tokyo%20as%20a%20modern%20capital&amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">many Tokyo areas had to be rebuilt<\/a>. After World War II, Japan had an economic boom, resulting in the growth in population and integration into the capitalist system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"75965\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20050032\/japan_train-liamburnettblue-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese train\" class=\"wp-image-75965\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20050032\/japan_train-liamburnettblue-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20050032\/japan_train-liamburnettblue-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20050032\/japan_train-liamburnettblue-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20050032\/japan_train-liamburnettblue-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20050032\/japan_train-liamburnettblue.jpg 1605w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"87979\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011941\/tokyo-streets-683x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-87979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011941\/tokyo-streets-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011941\/tokyo-streets-334x500.jpeg 334w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011941\/tokyo-streets-150x225.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18011941\/tokyo-streets.jpeg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\">Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world. <em>Left photo: <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@liamburnettblue\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">\u00a0liamburnettblue<\/a>. Right photo: Redd<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>While there is still some debate over what the ancient capitals of Japan are, one thing doesn&#8217;t need to be debated: Japan is a country rich with cultural and historical attractions, each with its unique selling points to appeal to your sensibilities and tastes. Wherever your interests lie, we&#8217;re confident that any of these ancient capitals, bursting with life from their past and future, have fascinating discoveries awaiting you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spain \u2013 Madrid, France \u2013 Paris, United Kingdom \u2013 London\u2026 How about the capital of Japan? While many may know&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":87978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2050],"tags":[2126,1284,1282,1250],"class_list":{"0":"post-87876","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-things-to-know","8":"tag-history-2","9":"tag-kyoto","10":"tag-nara","11":"tag-tokyo"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Capital in Japan: What Are the Current and Ancient Capitals?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you know what is the capital of Japan? 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