京

Capital City

JLPT N4

Interesting Fact

From 794 to 1868, Kyoto (京都) served as Japan's imperial capital, where emperors lived and ruled for more than a thousand years. While Tokyo is the capital today, many of Japan's oldest temples, traditional gardens, tea houses, and geisha districts remain in Kyoto. Walking through streets like Gion often feels like stepping back into the age of samurai and emperors.

Memory Trick

Whenever you see 京, think of the two most famous cities in Japan: • Kyoto (京都) = the ancient capital. • Tokyo (東京) = the modern capital. They both share the same kanji: 京 = Capital City.