Capital of Japan
- This article is about the Japanese national capital in general. For the current capital, see Tokyo.
The capital of Japan is Tokyo.[1] In the course of history, the national capital has been in many locations other than Tokyo.
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[change] History
Traditionally, the home of the Emperor was considered the capital. From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Kyoto.[2] After 1868, the seat of the Government of Japan and the location of the Emperor's home was Tokyo.[1]
In 1941, the Ministry of Education published the "designation of Tokyo as capital" (東京奠都 Tōkyō-tento).[3]
After World War II, the new Constitution of Japan transferred the state's sovereignty from the Emperor to the people. The people of Japan are represented by the Diet of Japan in Tokyo. Consensus considers the site of the Diet is the capital of Japan.
[change] Capital area
No law makes Tokyo as the Japanese capital. However, many laws have defined a "capital area" (首都圏 shutoken) which incorporates Tokyo.[4]
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."[5]
Laws which identify 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).[6]
[change] List of capitals
This list of capitals of Japan includes the names of the imperial palaces in parentheses.
- Sakurai, Nara (Hatsuse no Asakura Palace), 457–479[7]
- Sakurai, Nara (Iware no Mikakuri Palace), 480–484[7]
- Asuka, Yamato (Chikatsu-Asuka-Yatsuri Palace), 485–487[8]
- Tenri, Nara (Isonokami Hirotaka Palace), 488–498[7]
- Sakurai, Nara (Hatsuse no Minaki Palace), 499–506
- Hirakata, Osaka (Kusuba Palace), 507–511
- Kyōtanabe, Kyoto (Tsutsuki Palace), 511–518[7]
- Nagaoka-kyō (Otokuni Palace), 518–526[7]
- Sakurai, Nara (Iware no Tamaho Palace), 526–532[7]
- Kashihara, Nara (Magari no Kanahashi Palace), 532–535[7]
- Sakurai, Nara (Hinokuma no Iorino Palace), 535-539[7]
- Asuka, Yamato (Shikishima no Kanasashi Palace), 540–571[7]
- Sakurai, Nara (Osata no Sakitama Palace), 572–585[7]
- Shiki District, Nara (Iwareikebe no Namitsuki Palace), 585–587[7]
- Shiki District, Nara (Kurahashi no Shibagaki Palace), 587–592[7]
- Asuka, Yamato (Toyura Palace or Toyura-no-miya), 593–603[9]
- Asuka, Yamato (Oharida Palace or Oharida-no-miya), 603–629[9]
- Asuka, Yamato (Okamoto Palace or Oakmoto-no-miya), 630–636[9]
- Kashihara, Nara (Tanaka Palace or Tanaka-no-miya), 636–639[9]
- Kōryō, Nara (Umayasaka Palace or Umayasaka-no-miya, 640[9]
- Kōryō, Nara (Kudara Palace or Kudara-no-miya), 640–642[9]
- Asuka, Yamato (Oharida Palace), 642–643
- Asuka, Yamato (Itabuki Palace or Itabuki no miya), 643–645[9]
- Osaka (Naniwa-Nagara no Toyosaki Palace), 645–654[10]
- Asuka, Yamato (Itabuki Palace), 655–655[9]
- Asuka, Yamato (Kawahara Palace or Kawahara-no-miya), 655–655[9]
- Asuka, Yamato (Okamoto Palace or Nochi no Asuka-Okamoto-no-miya), 656–660[9]
- Asakura, Fukuoka (Asakura no Tachibana no Hironiwa Palace or Asakure no Tachibana no Hironiwa-no-miya), 660–661[9]
- Osaka, (Naniwa-Nagara no Toyosaki Palace), 661–667[10]
- Ōtsu, Shiga (Ōmi Ōtsu Palace or Ōmi Ōtsu-no-miya), 667–672[11]
- Asuka, Yamato (Kiyomihara Palace or Kiomihara-no-miya), 672–694[9]
- Fujiwara-kyō (Fujiwara Palace), 694–710[12]
- Heijō-kyō (Heijō Palace), 710–740[13]
- Kuni-kyō (Kuni Palace), 740–744[14]
- Naniwa-kyō (Naniwa Palace), 744[10]
- Naniwa-kyō, Shigaraki Palace, 744–745[10]
- Heijō-kyō (Heijō Palace), 745–784[13]
- Nagaoka-kyō (Nagaoka Palace), 784–794[15]
- Heian-kyō (Heian Palace), 794–1180[16]
- Fukuhara Palace, 1180[17]
- Heian-kyō/Kyoto (Heian Palace), 1180–1868[16]
- To-kyō (Kōkyo), 1868–present[1]
[change] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Tokyo" in Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 981-982.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Kyōto" at pp. 585-587.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ The term shuto came into use during the 1860s as a gloss of the Western concept of "capital". This term for capital was not used to refer to Kyoto.
- ↑ 首都圏整備法. Law.e-gov.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
- ↑ 首都圏近郊緑地保全法. Law.e-gov.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 Koch, W. (1904). Japan; Geschichte nach japanischen Quellen und ethnographische Skizzen. Mit einem Stammbaum des Kaisers von Japan, p. 13.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Asuka" at p. 59.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 Asuka Historical Museum, Palaces of the Asuka Period," 1995; retrieved 2011-11-25.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 なにわ活性化プロジェクト (Naniwa Revialization Project), August 24, 201; retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Ōtsu mo Miya" at p. 216.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Fujiwara" at pp. 200-201.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Nussbaum, "Heijō-kyō" at p. 304.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Kuni-kyō" at p. 574.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Nagaoka-kyō" at p. 216-217.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Nussbaum, "Heian-kyō" at pp. 303-304.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Fukuhara" at pp. 216.
[change] More reading
- Fiévé, Nicolas and Paul Waley. (2003). Japanese Capitals in Historical Perspective: Place, Power and Memory in Kyoto, Edo and Tokyo. New York: Psychology Press. 10-ISBN 070071409X/13-ISBN 9780700714094
[change] Other websites
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