Capital of Japan

This article is about the Japanese national capital in general. For the current capital, see Tokyo.

The current capital of Japan is Tokyo.[1][2][3] In the course of history, the national capital has been in many locations other than Tokyo.

History

Traditionally, the home of the Emperor is considered the capital. From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Heian-kyo, modern day Kyoto.[4] [5] After 1868, the seat of the Government of Japan and the location of the Emperor's home was moved to Tokyo.[6]

In 1941, the Ministry of Education published the "designation of Tokyo as capital" (東京奠都 Tōkyō-tento).[7]

Law and custom

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 that "In this Act, the term 'capital area' shall denote a broad region comprising both the territory of Tokyo Metropolis as well as outlying regions designated by cabinet order." This clearly 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.[8]

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).[9]

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 the "designation of Tokyo as capital" (東京奠都 Tōkyō-tento) without talking about "moving 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.[7]

As of 2007, there is a movement to transfer the government functions of the capital from Tokyo, with the Gifu-Aichi region, the Mie-Kio region and other regions submitting bids for it. Officially, the relocation is referred to as "capital functions relocation" instead of "capital relocation", or as "relocation of the Diet and other organizations".[10][11]

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.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
  1. Kashiwabara, Yamato at the foot of Mt. Unebi during reign of Emperor Jimmu[12]
  2. Kazuraki, Yamato during reign of Emperor Suizei[13]
  3. Katashiha, Kawachi during the reign of Emperor Annei[13]
  4. Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Itoku.[14]
  5. Waki-no-kami, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kosho[15]
  6. Muro, Yamato during reign of Emperor Koan[15]
  7. Kuruda, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Korei[15]
  8. Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōgen[15]
  9. Izakaha, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kaika[15]
  10. Shika, Yamato (Palace of Mizugaki) during reign of Emperor Sujin[16]
  11. Shika, Yamato (Palace of Tamagaki) during reign of Emperor Suinin[17]
  12. Makimuko, Yamato (Palace of Hishiro) during reign of Emperor Keiko[18]
  13. Shiga, Ōmi (Palace of Takaanaho) during reign of Emperor Seimu[19]
  14. Ando, Nara (Palace of Toyoura) and Kashiki on the island of Kyushu during reign of Emperor Chūai[19]

Historical

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

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Kofun period
Traditional site of Kusuba-no-Miya Palace in Osaka Prefecture
Asuka period
Nara period
Heian period

Capitals in present day Japan

See also

References

Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
  1. ↑ "Facts about Japan". The Government of Japan. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "The World Factbook" (section "Government :: JAPAN"). CIA. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  3. ↑ "Japan country profile". BBC News. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  4. ↑ Nussbaum, "Kyōto" at pp. 585-587.
  5. ↑ Wendy, Frey. History Alive!: The Medieval World and beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Teacher's Curriculum Institute, 2005.
  6. 1 2 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tokyo," Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 981-982.
  7. 1 2 国会等の移転ホームページ – 国土交通省. Mlit.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
  8. ↑ 首都圏整備法. Law.e-gov.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
  9. ↑ 首都圏近郊緑地保全法. Law.e-gov.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
  10. ↑ "Shift of Capital from Tokyo Committee". Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  11. ↑ "Policy Speech by Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara at the First Regular Session of the Metropolitan Assembly, 2003". Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
  12. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1915). The Imperial Family of Japan, p. 1.
  13. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 2.
  14. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, pp. 2-3.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 3.
  16. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 4.
  17. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 5.
  18. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 6.
  19. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 7.
  20. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 8.
  21. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 9.
  22. ↑ コトバンク「履中天皇」
  23. ↑ コトバンク「反正天皇」
  24. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 10.
  25. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 12.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Koch, W. (1904). Japan; Geschichte nach japanischen Quellen und ethnographische Skizzen. Mit einem Stammbaum des Kaisers von Japan, p. 13.
  27. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 13.
  28. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 14; excerpt, "Mikaguri Palace"
  29. ↑ Nussbaum, "Asuka" at p. 59.
  30. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 15.
  31. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 16.
  32. 1 2 3 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 17; except, "Palace of Kanahashi at Magari, Yamato"
  33. ↑ Brown, Delmer. (1979). Gukanshō, pp. 262-263; excerpt, "... palace was Osada no Miya of Iware in the province of Yamato."
  34. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 18.
  35. ↑ Brown, p. 263; excerpt, "... palace was Namitsuki no Miya at Ikebe in the province of Yamato."
  36. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 19.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Asuka Historical Museum, Palaces of the Asuka Period," 1995; retrieved 2011-11-25.
  38. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 20.
  39. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 21.
  40. 1 2 なにわ活性化プロジェクト (Naniwa Revialization Project), August 24, 201; retrieved 2011-11-24.
  41. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 23.
  42. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 24.
  43. ↑ Nussbaum, "Ōtsu mo Miya" at p. 216.
  44. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 25.
  45. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 26.
  46. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 27.
  47. ↑ Nussbaum, "Fujiwara" at pp. 200-201.
  48. 1 2 Nussbaum, "Heijō-kyō" at p. 304.
  49. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 28.
  50. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 29.
  51. ↑ Nussbaum, "Kuni-kyō" at p. 574.
  52. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 30.
  53. 1 2 Nussbaum, "Naniwa" at p. 697.
  54. ↑ Nussbaum, "Nagaoka-kyō" at p. 216-217.
  55. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 34.
  56. 1 2 Nussbaum, "Heian-kyō" at pp. 303-304.
  57. ↑ Nussbaum, "Fukuhara" at pp. 216.
  58. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 37.

Further reading

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