京都(きょうと)

京都(きょうと) was Japan's imperial capital from 794 to 1868 and remains one of the country's most culturally significant cities.

Cultural note

• Former imperial capital for over 1,000 years
• Famous for traditional temples, shrines, geisha districts, and gardens
• Located in a basin (盆地(ぼんち)), making summers very hot and humid, winters cold
• 京都(きょうと)府(ふ): the prefecture; 京都(きょうと)市(し): the city

Common collocations

• 京都(きょうと)弁(べん): Kyoto dialect
• 京都(きょうと)料理(りょうり): Kyoto cuisine
• 古都(こと)京都(きょうと): ancient capital Kyoto

Usage

Often shortened to 京(きょう) in compounds: 京(きょう)野菜(やさい) (Kyoto vegetables), 上京(じょうきょう) (originally going up to Kyoto; today, going or moving to Tokyo). The reading 京(みやこ) means "capital" in general.