Kyoto Prefecture
Prefecture
Native name京都府
Translit lang 1Japanese
Japanese京都府
RōmajiKyōto-fu
Coordinates35°1′18″N 135°45′20.2″E
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
IslandHonshu
CapitalKyoto City
Parts stylepara
P 1Districts: 6
P 2Municipalities: 26
GovernorTakatoshi Nishiwaki
Area total4,612.19 km²
Area water percent1.0
Area rank31st
Population total2578087
Population as of1 October 2020
Population rank13th
Population density566 km²
TotalJP¥ 11,108 billion
US$ 82.1 billion (2022)
Iso codeJP-26
Websitewww.pref.kyoto.jp/en/index.html
Kyoto Prefecture
CountryJapan
BirdStreaked shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas)
FlowerWeeping cherry blossom (Prunus spachiana)
TreeKitayama Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)

Kyoto Prefecture (京都府, Kyōto-fu, kʲoꜜː.to, kʲoː.toꜜ.ɸɯ[1]) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu.[2]: 477,587 It has a population of 2.58 million and has a geographic area of 4,612 square kilometres (1,781 sq mi). It borders Fukui Prefecture to the northeast, Shiga Prefecture to the east, Mie Prefecture to the southeast, Nara Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture to the south, and Hyōgo Prefecture to the west.

Kyoto, the capital and largest city, hosts 57% of the prefecture's total population. Other major cities includes Kameoka, Maizuru, and Uji.[2]: 565–587 The prefecture is located on the Sea of Japan's coast and extends to the southeast towards the Kii Peninsula, covering territory of the former provinces of Tamba, Tango, and Yamashiro. It is centered on the historic capital of Kyoto, and is one of two prefectures in Japan (with Osaka) using the designation fu rather than the standard ken. Kyoto has made Kyoto Prefecture one of the most popular tourism destinations in Japan, and 21% of the prefecture's land area is designated as Natural Parks. The prefecture forms part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area, which is the second most populated region in Japan after the Greater Tokyo area and one of the world's most productive regions by GDP.

History

See also: Historic Sites of Kyoto Prefecture

Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto Prefecture was known as Yamashiro.[2]: 780

For most of its history, the city of Kyoto was Japan's Imperial capital. The city's history can be traced back as far as the 6th century. In 544, the Aoi Matsuri was held in Kyoto to pray for good harvest and good weather.

Kyoto did not start out as Japan's capital. A noteworthy earlier capital was Nara. In 741, Emperor Shōmu moved the capital briefly to Kuni-kyo, between the cities of Nara and Kyoto, in present-day Kyoto Prefecture. In 784, the capital was moved to Nagaokakyō, also in present-day Kyoto Prefecture. In 794, Emperor Kanmu moved the capital to Heian-kyō, and this was the beginning of the current-day city of Kyoto. Even today, almost all of the streets, houses, stores, temples and shrines in Kyoto exist where they were placed in this year.

Although in 1192 real political power shifted to Kamakura, where a samurai clan established the shogunate, Kyoto remained the imperial capital as the powerless emperors and their court continued to be seated in the city. Imperial rule was briefly restored in 1333, but another samurai clan established a new shogunate in Kyoto three years later.

In 1467, a great civil war, the Ōnin War, took place inside Kyoto, and most of the town was burned down. Japan plunged into the age of warring feudal lords. A new strong man, Tokugawa Ieyasu, established the shogunate at Edo (today's Tokyo) in 1603.

In the 15th century AD, tea-jars were brought by the shōguns to Uji in Kyoto from the Philippines which was used in the Japanese tea ceremony.[3]

The Meiji Restoration returned Japan to imperial rule in 1868. Emperor Meiji, who was now the absolute sovereign, went to stay in Tokyo during the next year. The imperial court has not returned to Kyoto since then. During the instigation of Fuhanken Sanchisei in 1868, the prefecture received its suffix fu. The subsequent reorganization of the old provincial system merged the former Tango Province, Yamashiro Province and the eastern part of Tanba Province into today's Kyoto Prefecture.

Although many Japanese major cities were heavily bombed during World War II, the old capital escaped such devastation.[4] During the occupation, the U.S. Sixth Army and I Corps were headquartered in Kyoto.[5][6]

Geography

Kyoto Prefecture is almost in the center of Honshu and of Japan. It covers an area of 4,612.19 square kilometres (1,780.78 sq mi), which is 1.2% of Japan. Kyoto is the 31st largest prefecture by size. To the north, it faces the Sea of Japan and Fukui Prefecture. To the south, it faces Osaka and Nara Prefectures. To the east, it faces Mie and Shiga Prefectures. To its west is Hyōgo Prefecture. The prefecture is separated in the middle by the Tanba Mountains. This makes its climate very different in the north and south.

As of April 2016 , 21% of the prefecture's land area was designated as Natural Parks, namely Sanin Kaigan National Park; Biwako, Kyoto Tamba Kogen, Tango-Amanohashidate-Ōeyama and Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Parks; and Hozukyō, Kasagiyama, and Rurikei Prefectural Natural Parks.[7]

Municipalities

Cities
See also: List of cities in Kyoto Prefecture by population

Fifteen cities are located in Kyoto Prefecture:

Flag, name w/o suffixFull nameArea
(km2)		PopulationMap
JapaneseTranscriptionTranslation
Ayabe綾部市Ayabe-shiAyabe City347.1031,8461
Fukuchiyama福知山市Fukuchiyama-shiFukuchiyama City552.5477,3062
Jōyō城陽市Jōyō-shiJōyō City32.7174,6073
Kameoka亀岡市Kameoka-shiKameoka City224.8086,1744
Kizugawa木津川市Kizugawa-shiKizugawa City85.1377,9075
Kyōtanabe京田辺市Kyōtanabe-shiKyōtanabe City42.9273,7536
Kyōtango京丹後市Kyōtango-shiKyōtango City501.4450,8607
Kyoto (capital)京都市Kyōto-shiKyoto City827.831,463,7238
Maizuru舞鶴市Maizuru-shiMaizuru City342.1380,3369
Miyazu宮津市Miyazu-shiMiyazu City172.7416,75810
Mukō向日市Mukō-shiMukō City7.7256,85911
Nagaokakyō長岡京市Nagaokakyō-shiNagaokakyō City19.1780,60812
Nantan南丹市Nantan-shiNantan City616.4031,62913
Uji宇治市Uji-shiUji City67.54179,63014
Yawata八幡市Yawata-shiYawata City24.3570,43315

Kansai Science City is located in the southwest.

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Flag, name w/o suffixFull nameArea
(km2)		PopulationDistrictMap
JapaneseTranscriptionTranslation
Ide井手町Ide-chōIde Town18.047,406Tsuzuki District16
Ine伊根町Ine-chōIne Town61.951,928Yosa District17
Kasagi笠置町Kasagi-chōKasagi Town23.521,144Sōraku District18
Kumiyama久御山町Kumiyama-chōKumiyama Town13.8615,250Kuse District19
Kyōtamba京丹波町Kyōtamba-chōKyōtamba Town303.0912,907Funai District20
Minamiyamashiro南山城村Minamiyamashiro-muraMinamiyamashiro Village64.112,391Sōraku District21
Ōyamazaki大山崎町Ōyamazaki-chōŌyamazaki Town5.9715,953Otokuni District22
Seika精華町Seika-chōSeika Town25.6836,198Sōraku District23
Ujitawara宇治田原町Ujitawara-chōUjitawara Town58.168,911Tsuzuki District24
Wazuka和束町Wazuka-chōWazuka Town64.933,478Sōraku District25
Yosano与謝野町Yosano-chōYosano Town108.3820,092Yosa District26

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Kyoto Prefecture

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1885846,761—
1890894,928+5.7%
19001,022,695+14.3%
19101,197,473+17.1%
19201,287,147+7.5%
19301,552,832+20.6%
19401,729,993+11.4%
19501,832,934+6.0%
19601,993,403+8.8%
19702,250,087+12.9%
19802,527,330+12.3%
19902,602,460+3.0%
20002,644,391+1.6%
20102,636,092−0.3%
20202,578,087−2.2%

Statistics Division, Policy Planning Department, Kyoto Prefecture[8]

Religion

According to Agency for Cultural Affairs research in 2020, over 60% believe in Shinto and Buddhism.[9]

Politics

The current governor of Kyoto is Takatoshi Nishiwaki, a former vice minister of the Reconstruction Agency. He was first elected in April 2018,[10] and has since been re-elected twice.[11]

The prefectural assembly has 60 members from 25 electoral districts and is still elected in unified local elections (last round: 2019). As of September 2020, it was composed as follows: Liberal Democratic Party 30, Japanese Communist Party 12, Democratic Party 11, Kōmeitō 5, Japan Restoration Party 2.[12]

National representatives

Kyoto's delegation to the National Diet consists of six members of the House of Representatives and four members (two per election) of the House of Councillors. After the national elections of 2022, 2024 and 2025, the prefecture is represented by two LDPs, two CDPs, a Ishin, and an independent in the lower house, and two LDPs, one CDP and one Ishin in the upper house.

Representatives (lower house)

ConstituencyNameParty
Kyoto 1stYasushi Katsumebgcolor=|LDP
Kyoto 2ndSeiji Maeharabgcolor=|Ishin
Kyoto 3rdKenta Izumibgcolor=|CDP
Kyoto 4thKeiro Kitagamibgcolor=|Independent
Kyoto 5thTaro Hondabgcolor=|LDP
Kyoto 6thKazunori Yamanoibgcolor=|CDP

Councillors (upper house)

ClassNameParty
2022Akira Yoshiibgcolor=|LDP
Tetsuro Fukuyamabgcolor=|CDP
2025Shohei Niimibgcolor=|Ishin
Shoji Nishidabgcolor=|LDP

Prefectural symbols

The prefectural flower of Kyoto is the weeping cherry. The Kitayama Sugi is the official tree, and the streaked shearwater the bird that symbolizes the prefecture.

Defense facilities

On 1 August 2013, prefectural and municipal authorities gave consent for a USFJ missile monitoring station to be set up in the city of Kyōtango. It will be co-located with a JASDF facility already based in the city. At least initially, its primary sensor will be a mobile X-band radar used to gather data on ballistic missile launches which will then be relayed by the station to warships equipped with Aegis air defense systems and to ground-based interceptor missile sites. A hundred and sixty personnel will be based at the station.[13]

Economy

GDP (PPP) per capita[14][15]
YearUS$
19754,746
19808,375
198512,799
199018,128
199521,190
200024,692
200529,256
201033,058
201538,567

Kyoto prefecture's economy is supported by industries that create value that is unique to Kyoto, such as the tourism and traditional industries supported by 1,200 years of history and culture, as well as high-technology industries that combine the technology of Kyoto's traditional industries with new ideas.[16]

Northern Kyoto on the Tango Peninsula has fishing and water transportation, and midland Kyoto has agriculture and forestry. The prefecture produces 13% of the domestic sake and green tea. Japan's largest vertical farm is located in the prefecture.[17]

The Kyoto-based manufacturing industry holds shares of Japan's high-technology product markets and others. As of 2021, eight Forbes Global 2000 companies were located in Kyoto prefecture: Nintendo, Nidec, Kyocera, Murata Manufacturing, Omron, Rohm, Bank of Kyoto, SCREEN Holdings. Takara Holdings, GS Yuasa, Mitsubishi Logisnext, Maxell, and Kyoto Animation are also based in the prefecture.

As of October 2021 , the minimum wage in the prefecture was ¥937 per hour.[18]

Education

See also: Schools in Kyoto Prefecture

Colleges and universities

Transportation

Railways

City tram

Seaports

Roads

Expressways

National highways

Culture

Kyoto has been, and still remains, Japan's cultural center.[19][20] For over 1000 years it was Japan's capital. When the capital was changed to Tokyo, Kyoto remained Japan's cultural capital. The local government proposes a plan to move the Agency for Cultural Affairs to Kyoto and to regard Tokyo as the capital of politics and economy and Kyoto as the capital of culture.[21] See Culture of Japan.

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Kyoto.

See also: Sports clubs and teams in Kyoto Prefecture
Football (soccer)
Basketball
Rugby

Tourism

Kyoto City is one of the most popular tourist spots in Japan, and many people from far and wide visit there. Along with Tokyo, Kyoto is a favorite location for the graduation trip of Junior High and High schools.

Some of the festivals held in Kyoto are Aoi Matsuri from 544, Gion Matsuri from 869, Ine Matsuri from the Edo-era, Daimonji Gozan Okuribi from 1662, and Jidai Matsuri from 1895. Every shrine and temple holds some sort of event, and many of them are open for public viewing.

International relations

Kyoto Prefecture has sister relationships with these places:[22]

These relationships are distinct from those of cities in Kyoto Prefecture with other cities.

References

  1. ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute (ed.) (24 May 2016). ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典 (in Japanese). NHK Publishing.
  2. ^ Frédéric, Louis (2002-05-31). Japan Encyclopedia. Translated by Roth, Käthe. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674007703. OCLC 58053128
  3. ^ Manansala, Paul Kekai (5 September 2006). "Quests of the Dragon and Bird Clan: Luzon Jars (Glossary)"
  4. ^ Oi, Mariko (2015-08-09). "The city saved from the atomic bomb". Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  5. ^ Chronology of the Occupation
  6. ^ THE EIGHTH ARMY MILITARY GOVERNMENT SYSTEM
  7. ^ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (in Japanese). Ministry of the Environment. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  8. ^ "[Kyōtofu] Kyōtofu no jinkō nenji betsu suii" [[Kyoto Prefecture] Changes in Kyoto Prefecture by population year] (in Japanese). Kyoto Prefecture. Information Policy Division, Policy Planning Department. n.d. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  9. ^ "White Papers and Annual Reports > Shukyo Nenkan" [Religious Yearbook] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  10. ^ "Nishiwaki triumphs in Kyoto gubernatorial race, vows to continue policies of predecessor". The Japan Times. 8 April 2018.
  11. ^ "ja:京都府知事選 現職の西脇隆俊氏 3回目の当選" (in Japanese). NHK. 5 April 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  12. ^ Kyoto Prefectural Assembly: caucuses (in Japanese)
  13. ^ U.S. to deploy mobile radar in Kyoto Prefecture to detect missile launches Archived 2013-08-12 at the Wayback Machine The Asahi Shimbun, 2 August 2013
  14. ^ "Kokumin Keizai Keisan (GDP Tōkei) > Kenmin Keizai Keisan" [National Accounts (GDP Statistics)> Prefectural Accounts] (in Japanese). Government of Japan. Cabinet Office. 2020-10-14. Archived 2020-11-13 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  15. ^ "Purchasing power parities (PPP)". OECD. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  16. ^ "Kyoto Prefecture Financial Profile and Fiscal Reforms". October 2017. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  17. ^ "The only way is up: Vertical farming in Kyoto". CNN. 19 September 2016.
  18. ^ "Minimum wages in Kyoto". Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  19. ^ Kyoto | History, Geography, & Points of Interest | Britannica.com
  20. ^ Shinzō Abe (18 November 2018). Committee on Budget (in Japanese). The 190th ordinary session of the Diet. Vol. 8. House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2018. 京都というのは文化的な中心
  21. ^ Shigefumi Matsuzawa (7 June 2018). Committee on Education, Culture and Science (in Japanese). The 196th ordinary session of the Diet. Vol. 14. House of Councillors 政治経済の首都東京に対して文化の首都京都をつくっていく、そういう双眼構造、二元構造にする
  22. ^ International Exchange: Regions with Friendly Ties to Kyoto Prefecture Retrieved 29 November 2015
  23. ^ "Edinburgh – Twin and Partner Cities". 2008 The City of Edinburgh Council, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ Scotland. Archived 28 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  24. ^ "Twin and Partner Cities". City of Edinburgh Council. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  25. ^ "Communiqué du 26 mai 2016 – Signature d'une première entente de collaboration entre le Québec et la préfecture de Kyoto". www.premier-ministre.gouv.qc.ca
  26. ^ "Peringatan 25 Tahun Sister City Kyoto-Yogya, Kedua Kota Mendapat Manfaat" (in Indonesian). Koran Tempo. 6 October 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2014.