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京都府
Toku
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Kyoto Imperial Palace
京都府
The official residence of Japan's emperors for about 500 years — from the Nanbokucho period until the 1869 capital move to Tokyo — its Shishinden hall hosted enthronement ceremonies and preserves the dignity of the Heian imperial court
Founded
1331
Type
Historic Site
Visited
Want to go
Access
5 min walk from Imadegawa Station (Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line)
Kyoto Imperial Park, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto
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Info
Historic Site
Founded 1331
695 years
Overview
The former imperial residence in the Kyoto Imperial Park (Kyoto Gyoen) in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, served as the official residence of successive emperors for over 500 years — from the enthronement of Emperor Kogon in 1331 (Genko 1) during the Nanbokucho period until the relocation of the capital to Tokyo in 1869 (Meiji 2). The current buildings, reconstructed in 1855 (Ansei 2), preserve the original …
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Origins
The history of the Kyoto Imperial Palace begins in the Nanbokucho period. From the enthronement of Emperor Kogon in 1331 until the relocation of the capital to Tokyo in 1869, it served as the residence of successive emperors for some 540 years. Initially used as a sato-dairi (temporary palace), it w…
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Related Articles
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Nijo Castle and Tokugawa Rule in Kyoto: Walking the Stage of the Restoration
Nijo Castle, built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603, stood as the symbol of Edo shogunate authority in Kyoto. This article traces the 265-year arc of Tokugawa rule from its beginning to the 1867 restoration, across five historic sites in Kyoto.
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Related Figures
— 1

Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Taiko, Ruler of All
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The Kyoto Imperial Palace, burned in the 1476 Onin War, was later rebuilt with support from Oda Nobunaga and then Toyotomi Hideyoshi. As he unified Japan, Hideyoshi's backing of the palace's restoration reflected his reverence for the imperial court. Though the current buildings date to an 1855 rebuilding, their foundation traces back to that earlier restoration under Hideyoshi and others.
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Official Links
Official Site
kyoto-gosho.kunaicho.go.jp
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