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Capital of Japan facts for kids

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The capital of Japan is Tokyo. Throughout history, the national capital has been in locations other than Tokyo. The oldest capital of Japan is Nara.

History

Traditionally, the home of the Emperor is considered the capital. From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Heian-kyō, modern-day Kyoto. After 1868, the seat of the Government of Japan and the location of the Emperor's home was moved to Edo, which it renamed Tokyo.

In 1941, the Ministry of Education published the "designation of Tokyo as capital" (東京奠都, Tōkyō-tento).

Modern law

Main article: Law of Japan

While no laws have designated Tokyo as the Japanese capital, many laws have defined a "capital area" (首都圏, shuto-ken) that incorporates Tokyo. Article 2 of the Capital Area Consolidation Law (首都圏整備法) of 1956 states: "In this Act, the term 'capital area' shall denote a broad region comprising both the territory of the Tokyo Metropolis as well as outlying regions designated by cabinet order." This implies that the government has designated Tokyo as the capital of Japan, although (again) it is not explicitly stated, and the definition of the "capital area" is purposely restricted to the terms of that specific law.

Other laws referring to this "capital area" include the Capital Expressway Public Corporation Law (首都高速道路公団法) and the Capital Area Greenbelt Preservation Law (首都圏近郊緑地保全法).

This term for capital was never used to refer to Kyoto. Indeed, shuto came into use during the 1860s as a gloss of the English term "capital".

The Ministry of Education published a book called "History of the Restoration" in 1941. This book referred to "designating Tokyo as capital" (東京奠都, Tōkyō-tento) without talking about "relocating the capital to Tokyo" (東京遷都, Tōkyō-sento). A contemporary history textbook states that the Meiji government "moved the capital (shuto) from Kyoto to Tokyo" without using the sento term.

The proposals to move the capital were conceptualized in 1979, and 16 years later, in 1995, the parliament voted to move the capital away from Tokyo to a place no more than 180 miles and forty minutes away from the airport, which was planned to be completed in 2010. In 1999, the following sites were proposed: Tochigi and Fukushima prefectures, north of Tokyo; the second candidate is Gifu and Aichi prefectures, south of Tokyo; and the panel recommended the third region near the ancient capitals, Nara, Kyoto, and Shiga prefectures. However, the plans for moving were not made.

As of 2007, there is a movement to transfer the government functions of the capital from Tokyo while retaining Tokyo as the de facto capital, with the Gifu-Aichi region, the Mie-Kio region and other regions submitting bids for a de jure capital. Officially, the relocation is referred to as "capital functions relocation" instead of "capital relocation", or as "relocation of the Diet and other organizations".

In 2023, the Government of Japan moved the Agency for Cultural Affairs to Kyoto. This was the first time that a central government office has been relocated outside Tokyo since Tokyo was designated as the capital.

List of capitals

Legendary

This list of legendary capitals of Japan begins with the reign of Emperor Jimmu. The names of the Imperial palaces are in parentheses:

  1. Kashihara, Yamato at the foot of Mount Unebi during reign of Emperor Jimmu
  2. Kazuraki, Yamato during reign of Emperor Suizei
  3. Katashiha, Kawachi during the reign of Emperor Annei
  4. Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Itoku.
  5. Waki-no-kami, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kōshō
  6. Muro, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōan
  7. Kuruda, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kōrei
  8. Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōgen
  9. Izakaha, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kaika
  10. Shika, Yamato (Palace of Mizugaki) during reign of Emperor Sujin
  11. Shika, Yamato (Palace of Tamagaki) during reign of Emperor Suinin
  12. Makimuko, Yamato (Palace of Hishiro) during reign of Emperor Keikō
  13. Shiga, Ōmi (Palace of Takaanaho) during reign of Emperor Seimu
  14. Ando, Nara (Palace of Toyoura) and Kashiki on the island of Kyushu during reign of Emperor Chūai

Historical

This list of capitals includes the Imperial palaces names in parentheses.

Kofun period

Kusuba-no-Miya
Traditional site of Kuzuha-no-Miya Palace in Osaka Prefecture

Asuka period

210401 One-thousandth scale model of Aramashinomiyako
1/1000 scale model of Fujiwara-kyō, held by Kashihara-shi Fujiwara-kyō reference room

Nara period

220325 One-thousandth scale model of Heijo Kyo
1/1000 scale model of Heijō-kyō, held by Nara City Hall

Heian period

Heiankyo overall model
1/1000 scale model of Heian-kyō, held by Kyoto City Heiankyo Sosei-Kan Museum

Medieval Japan and Early modern period (see also: History of Japan)

Modern Japan (see also: History of Japan)

Historical capitals

  • Hiraizumi was the capital of totally independent Northern Fujiwara polity (Ōshū) based in Tōhoku region, having defeated Emishi tribes. This polity existed as Kyoto's internal politics prevented Kyoto's authority from 1100 to 1189.
  • Hakodate was the capital of the short lived Republic of Ezo (1869)
  • Shuri was the capital of Ryukyu Kingdom (1429–1879) and Urasoe was capital of Chuzan from at least 1350, which predated the Ryukyu Kingdom.

See also

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