5.1.1 Geography: Kyoto and Nara

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The city has an area of 827.9 square kilometers (319.7 sq mi) and a population of almost 1.5 million inhabitants.

Kyoto is a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area, along with Osaka and Kobe. It is one of the oldest municipalities of Japan.

京都　きょうと
Kyouto

Small and medium-sized industries thrive here. Silk weaving is one of Kyoto’s major industries. Kyoto University is the second oldest university in Japan.​

• Kyoto became Japan's imperial court seat in 794 until the move to Tokyo in 1869.

• The Ounin War (1467–1477) damaged Kyoto, but Toyotomi Hideyoshi rebuilt it in the late sixteenth century.

• Established as a modern city in 1889, Kyoto thrived with the Lake Biwa canal in 1890.

HISTORY OF
京都　きょうと

Kyoto is renowned as Japan's cultural capital, boasting ancient Buddhist temples, shrines, palaces, and gardens. Despite modernization, newer architectural structures like its city hall also adorn the city's landscape.

has an estimated population of 367,353. It is also the sixth-largest in the Kansai region and the largest city of the Nara Prefecture.

The total area of Nara is 276.84 square kilometers. Most of the city is located in the Nara basin, and the downtown area is on the east side of the ancient Heijou Palace site.

奈良　なら
Nara

The highest point in the city is at an altitude of 822 m (2,696.85 ft) at the peak of Kaigahira-yama.

• Nara Period (710-794 CE):

  • Ancient capital modeled after China's Tang capital, with notable temples and a grid layout.

  • Eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites highlight its ancient Japanese architecture.

• Capital Shift (710 CE):

  • Empress Gemmei establishes Nara as Japan's capital, replacing Fujiwara-kyo for its strategic location.

HISTORY OF
奈良　なら

• Heian Period (784-794 CE):

  • Emperor Kammu relocates the capital to Nagaokakyo and then Heiankyo (Kyoto) due to internal conflicts and concerns over Buddhist monastery influence.

Watch the videos below to explore must-visit places in
Kyoto and Nara.

Afterward, please share in the Zoom chat box which places you'd like to visit in these cities and explain why.

Another Kyoto Official Travel Guide

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Official Nara Travel Guide名称未設定-2名称未設定-2

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Open Ended

What have you learned about Kyoto and Nara, and which city and places within them are you most excited to visit? Additionally, which traditional food from these cities do you want to try, and what draws you to that particular dish?

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Choose the option that best reflects your thoughts about today's lesson!

• "Loved it! I’m excited to use Japanese with my family!" 🎉

• 
  "Great lesson! My sentences are looking good!" 👍

• 
  "It was okay, but I need a bit more practice." 🤔

• "I’m confused. Can we review it again?" 🔄