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What’s in a name? When it comes to Tokyo, the capital of Japan, everything. Kyoto and Tokyo may be two different parts of the country, but do they share a history in terms of their name?
Tokyo and Kyoto have similar names because Kyoto was once the country’s capital, which Tokyo later became. When writing the two cities’ respective names in Japanese, you’d write Kyoto as 京都 and Tokyo as 東京都. The only difference is the 東, which stands for “east.” The name for Kyoto translates to “imperial capital” and Tokyo “east imperial capital.”
Don’t quite understand? That’s okay. I implore you to keep reading, because we’re about to go through a fascinating history lesson. In this article, I’ll cover the history of Kyoto and its name as well as the lengthy backstory of Tokyo, including what it’s like today. I’ll even talk about some historic locales in both cities to visit.
Let’s begin.
What Is the History of Kyoto and Its Name?
Before Tokyo existed, Kyoto was officially recognized as Japan’s imperial capital. That reign lasted for more than one thousand years. Today, it’s referred to as Kyoto City.
Early Days
Kyoto could have existed back in the Paleolithic days, a time ahead of even the sixth century. The Shimogamo Shrine, which you can still find in the Sayo ward in Kyoto today, may have gone up around that time.
During those early centuries, Kyoto didn’t have the name it does now. It was called Heian-kyo in the eight century and located in Uda. Before then, it had its home in Nara but had to move due to Imperial government affairs.
This began what’s known as Japan’s Heian period. The name Heian-kyo translates to “tranquility and peace capital.” Indeed, at that time, Heian-kyo was the capital of Japan.
The Onin War, which began in 1467 and lasted until 1477, caused massive destruction to Heian-kyo. It would take centuries before the city could completely rebuild. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was one such man responsible for the 16th-century rebuild. Hideyoshi, a politician and samurai, pushed for using odoi, a type of earthwork, as well as rectangle blocks for the reconstruction.
Towards the end of that century, Edo, Osaka, and Heian-kyo all succeeded economically.
The Name Change to Kyoto
It would take until the late 1890s for Heian-kyo to get a new name, Kyoto. It happened during the year 1899, on the first day of April.
Years before that, in 1864, about 28,000 properties and homes were destroyed by fire during the Hamaguri rebellion. In a reaction to this rebellion, Emperor Meiji (more on him in the next section), in 1869, decided to move to Tokyo, making it the new capital of Japan.
That’s part of what inspired the name change for Kyoto, along with the urge to rebuild the city better than ever before. To that end, in 1890, Kyoto added the Lake Biwa Canal. By 1932, more than a million people lived here.
It’s no wonder then that the United States contemplated planting an atomic bomb in Kyoto instead of Nagasaki. This war-ending measure in the World War II days would have destroyed a city once again freshly rebuilt. The US believed they could inspire Japan’s empire to give up through the bombings. In the end, Kyoto wasn’t bombed.
That means it’s still possible to see buildings from even before World War II around Kyoto. Machiya, or townhouses from the war days, certainly stand out in their architecture. They’re one of the few remaining structures left.
Kyoto Today
Found in the Tamba highlands, a region of mountains, Kyoto sits along the Yamashiro Basin in a valley. All around you, you’ll find the Nishiyama, Kitayama, and Higashiyama mountains. With its location and the fact that it’s several thousand feet over sea level, the winters get downright frigid and the summers very warm in Kyoto.
Where the Imperial Palace once was to the south, you can now visit the city’s business district. To the north, there’s more nature. The city has many Shinto shrines (400) and Buddhist temples (1,600) scattered about. The Ryoan-ji temple features a must-see rock garden. Ginkaku-ji has a nickname of the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, while Kinkaku-ji also goes by the name the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Kiyomizu-dera is built right into Kyoto’s mountains.
If you’re learning the Japanese language, then you might notice residents here speak a somewhat different dialect than what you’ve heard in other parts of the country. Indeed, the dialect, Kyoto-ben or Kyo-kotoba, comes from Kansai. In fact, the Tokyo dialect garners its inspiration from the Kyoto dialect, which was once the preferable dialect of the two.
Kyoto Station will take you almost anywhere you want to go in Japan. It runs through a municipal subway line, the Kintetsu line, several JR West lines (up to five), and its Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line.
You can also ride the Hankyu or Keihan lines to get to the Kinki region and local suburbs around Kyoto.
What Is the History of Tokyo and Its Name?
With Kyoto and Tokyo inextricably linked, it only makes sense that we cover the history of Japan’s current capital now.
The Edo Period
Like Kyoto, Tokyo always didn’t have its name. It was once named after an estuary, which translates to Edo in Japanese.
The Edo period, also referred to as the Tokugawa period, began in 1603 and lasted until 1868. Tokugawa Ieyasu, a prominent military leader in the 1590s, moved his military quarters to Edo, located around Edojuku. With bridges and castles in Edojuku and Tokugawa’s craftsmen and warriors, he soon had his own town. Thus began the Edo period or Edo jidai, with Tokugawa’s move to shogun also another prominent event of this time (it occurred in 1603).
As a shogun, Tokugawa ruled for a while. Edo succeeded as well, enough to the point where it became Japan’s national capital. That said, Kyoto was still the actual capital then. Edo even had its own castle by 1606. Unfortunately, floods, earthquakes, and fires marred what could have been a very prosperous time.
Renaming the City
Emperor Meiji settled into Edo by 1869, an event which heralded the new name of Tokyo. As we covered in the intro, the name translates to “eastern capital.” There were two parts of Tokyo at the time, Shitamachi and Yamanote. Another significant change happening then? The Imperial Palace took over Edo Castle. By 1889, Tokyo went down in the record books as a legitimate, official city.
It became the capital under Emperor Meiji, who decided to switch the capital of Japan to Tokyo instead of Kyoto.
World War II greatly affected Tokyo, and it had quite a negative impact at that. In 1942, during the Doolittle Raid, Tokyo suffered massive bombings. This happened again in late 1944 and again in 1945. That 1945 bombing or Operation Meetinghouse Raid is very significant because the U.S. Army Forces used B-29s. These had gasoline, coconut oil, lye, and rubber in the bombs. Japan did not defend itself from the impact, and thus 100,000 people died.
Another unfortunate event that occurred before World War II was the Kanto earthquake in 1923. This had a Richter scale rating of 8.3 and led to the deaths of 140,000 people. At the time, that accounted for a decent amount of Tokyo’s population, up to three percent.
Two years before World War II ended, Tokyo’s prefecture and the city itself came together, renaming the merger to the Metropolitan Prefecture of Tokyo.
Postwar
Tokyo was better than ever in time for the Summer Olympics in 1964, which the city hosted. Roughly 11 million people called the city home by the 1970s. Tokyo’s commuter rails and subways became super cramped as a result.
A debt bubble formed by the ‘80s as more people flooded the city and the prices of real estate went up. A decade later, the real estate boon went bust, leading to a recession. It’s no wonder that the 1990s got branded the Lost Decade.
Tokyo Today
Newer Tokyo establishments include Shinkansen Station in Shinagawa, Roppongi Hills, Shiodome, Tennozu Isle, and Ebisu Garden Place. The city still gets earthquakes, with a major one occurring in 2011. A tsunami that accompanied the storm could have been very bad, but the city had prepared ahead of time. Their newer infrastructure, designed to prevent damage from earthquakes, kept damage to a minimum.
Today, Tokyo has eight villages, five towns, 26 cities, and 23 wards under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Next year, it will host to the summer Olympic games again. For that milestone, it earns a special distinction, as no other Asian city has ever played host to the Olympics more than once.
Breaking Down the Link Between the Names Kyoto and Tokyo
Okay, now that I’ve covered extensive retellings of the histories of both Kyoto and Tokyo, it’s time to talk about the names of these cities.
Kyoto existed first, as you now know. Its also went by names like Kyo no Miyako, Miyako, or Kyo before anyone settled on calling it Kyoto. As I talked about in the intro, the name Kyoto means “capital city” or “imperial capital.” The name comes from a calligraphic from Middle China that looks like this: 京都.
When Tokyo, then called Edo, came into existence, Kyoto was already the capital of Japan. That lasted until 1869. The year prior, the Meiji Restoration occurred. This event, also called the Meiji Renewal or Meiji Reform, signaled the end of the Tokugawa government. Meiji and his forces took over Edo.
Emperor Meiji also made Tokyo the capital. Remember, Tokyo or Edo was considered the national capital before becoming the official Japanese capital. That’s why there was a need to differentiate between an imperial capital (Kyoto) and an imperial capital east (Tokyo).
Where Can You See This History for Yourself?
If the lengthy background of Japan as covered above has inspired you, then you might feel like booking a trip with a historical bent. Can you see the kinds of places in Tokyo and Kyoto that carved and shaped what Japan has become today?
As I mentioned in the earlier sections, yes, some of them. Others were destroyed by war or natural disasters. Here is what’s left that you should put on your itinerary stat.
In Kyoto
1. Fushimi Castle
Fushimi Castle was also once called Fushimi Momoyama Castle or just Momoyama Castle. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, whose name came up already, used the space to retire once his samurai days ended. The original existed in 1592, but the one you can see today was built in 1964 as a replica.
2. Nanzen-ji Temple
Kyoto has its fair share of Buddhist temples as well, such as the Nanzen-ji Temple. It has an aqueduct that’s been around since the Meiji Period, sometime after 1868. Today, you can just look at the aqueduct, but at the time, it served a major purpose. It allowed Kyoto residents to get to Shiga Prefecture via Lake Biwa, passing items and even water along the aqueduct.
3. Ninna-ji Temple
In Kyoto to the west, you’ll spot the Ninna-ji Temple. Emperor Uda founded this five-story wonder, which will leave your jaw on the floor. Today, the temple has recognition as a World Heritage Site through UNESCO.
4. Enryaku-ji Temple
Despite its name as a temple, Enrakyu-ji Temple actually operates as a monastery. It’s stood the test of time quite literally, as the Heians built it sometime in 788. No, that’s not a typo and I didn’t forget a 1 in there somewhere. That’s 788.
5. To-ji Temple
Another temple that gives the Enryaku-ji a run for its money is To-ji Temple. Built more than 1,200 years back, it has five stories as well. In its early days, it was used as a guardian temple.
In Tokyo
1. Kagurazaka District
Away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, the Kagurazaka District promises excitement for those looking for a real-life history lesson. This district became a standout during the Edo period, offering entertainment to residents of the area. Today, you can see geisha houses from that same period. Yes, they’re still operational.
2. Meiji Jingu Shrine
If you’re passing through Harajuku Station, then make it a point to stop and drink in the history of the Meiji Jingu Shrine. Built in 1920, Empress Dowager and Emperor Meiji both get honored here. The forest that surrounds the shrine makes for a nice reprieve from all the city streets of Tokyo.
3. Hamarikyu Garden
Speaking of greenery, as you get near Ginza, you’ll come across the Hamarikyu Garden. Back in the 17th century, this was a villa belonging to the Tokugawa empire. These days, it’s a pretty garden and a public park.
4. Zoji-ji Temple
A short walk from Tokyo Tower, Zoji-ji Temple has been around since 1393. As you pay your respects at the temple, you can see the tower lingering in the background. If you keep on your way, you’ll soon arrive at Shiba Park.
5. Senso-ji Temple
To truly immerse yourself in Japanese history, spend a few hours or an afternoon in Asakusa. This older part of Tokyo houses the Senso-ji Temple. Around for roughly 1,400 years, the temple remains a stark reminder of older days despite its proximity to Tokyo Skytree.
Conclusion
For a thousand years, Tokyo wasn’t Japan’s capital, but Kyoto was. Through major changes throughout Japan, Tokyo eventually became the capital and remains such to this day. Before that, it was referred to as a national capital.
That’s why Kyoto and Tokyo have similar names. One was the country’s capital and the other a national capital at the same time. Both major cities have long and storied histories, including former names, invasions, and even wars and natural disasters. You can take in some of that history yourself by checking out the shrines, temples, and landmarks I featured in this article. I sincerely hope you do!