Capital of Japan - wikipedia 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. In the course of history, the national capital has been in many locations other than Tokyo. Contents 1 History 1.1 Law and custom 2 List of capitals 2.1 Legendary 2.2 Historical 3 Capitals in present - day Japan 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links History Traditionally, the home of the Emperor is considered the capital. From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Heian - kyō, modern - day Kyoto. After 1868, the seat of the Government of Japan and the location of the Emperor 's home was moved to Tokyo. In 1941, the Ministry of Education published the `` designation of Tokyo as capital '' ( 東京 奠 都, Tōkyō - tento ). 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 : `` 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. 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 ). 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 `` designating Tokyo as capital '' ( 東京 奠 都, Tōkyō - tento ) without talking about `` relocating 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. As of 2007, there is a movement to transfer the government functions of the capital from Tokyo while retaining Tokyo as the de jure capital, with the Gifu - Aichi region, the Mie - Kio region and other regions submitting bids for a de facto capital. Officially, the relocation is referred to as `` capital functions relocation '' instead of `` capital relocation '', or as `` relocation of the Diet and other organizations ''. 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. Kashiwabara, Yamato at the foot of Mt. Unebi during reign of Emperor Jimmu Kazuraki, Yamato during reign of Emperor Suizei Katashiha, Kawachi during the reign of Emperor Annei Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Itoku. Waki - no - kami, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kōshō Muro, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōan Kuruda, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kōrei Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōgen Izakaha, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kaika Shika, Yamato ( Palace of Mizugaki ) during reign of Emperor Sujin Shika, Yamato ( Palace of Tamagaki ) during reign of Emperor Suinin Makimuko, Yamato ( Palace of Hishiro ) during reign of Emperor Keikō Shiga, Ōmi ( Palace of Takaanaho ) during reign of Emperor Seimu Ando, Nara ( Palace of Toyoura ) and Kashiki on the island of Kyushu during reign of Emperor Chūai Historical This list of capitals includes the Imperial palaces names in parentheses. This list is incomplete ; you can help by expanding it. Kofun period Karushima, Yamato ( Palace of Akira ), reign of Emperor Ōjin Naniwa, Settsu ( Palace of Takatsu ), reign of Emperor Nintoku Iware, Yamato ( Palace of Wakasakura ), reign of Emperor Richū Tajihi, Kawachi ( Palace of Shibakaki ), reign of Emperor Hanzei Asuka, Yamato ( Palace of Tohotsu ), reign of Emperor Ingyō Isonokami, Yamato ( Palace of Anaho ), reign of Emperor Ankō Sakurai, Nara ( Hatsuse no Asakura Palace ), 457 -- 479 in reign of Emperor Yūryaku Sakurai, Nara ( Iware no Mikakuri Palace ), 480 -- 484 in reign of Emperor Seinei Asuka, Yamato ( Chikatsu - Asuka - Yatsuri Palace ), 485 -- 487 in reign of Emperor Kenzō Tenri, Nara ( Isonokami Hirotaka Palace ), 488 -- 498 in reign of Emperor Ninken Sakurai, Nara ( Nimiki Palace ), 499 -- 506 in reign of Emperor Buretsu Traditional site of Kusuba - no - Miya Palace in Osaka Prefecture Hirakata, Osaka ( Kusuba Palace ), 507 -- 511 Kyōtanabe, Kyoto ( Tsutsuki Palace ), 511 -- 518 in reign of Emperor Keitai Nagaoka - kyō ( Otokuni Palace ), 518 -- 526 in reign of Keitai Sakurai, Nara ( Iware no Tamaho Palace ), 526 -- 532 in reign of Keitai Kashihara, Nara ( Magari no Kanahashi Palace ), 532 -- 535 in reign of Emperor Ankan Sakurai, Nara ( Hinokuma no Iorino Palace ), 535 -- 539 in reign of Emperor Senka Asuka period Asuka, Yamato ( Shikishima no Kanasashi Palace ), 540 -- 571 in reign of Emperor Kinmei Kōryō, Nara ( Kudara no Ohi Palace ), 572 -- 575 Sakurai, Nara ( Osata no Sakitama Palace or Osada no Miya ), 572 -- 585 in reign of Emperor Bidatsu Shiki District, Nara ( Iwareikebe no Namitsuki Palace ), 585 -- 587 in the reign of Emperor Yōmei Shiki District, Nara ( Kurahashi no Shibagaki Palace ), 587 -- 592 in the reign of Emperor Sushun Asuka, Yamato ( Toyura Palace or Toyura - no - miya ), 593 -- 603 in the reign of Empress Suiko Asuka, Yamato ( Oharida Palace or Oharida - no - miya ), 603 -- 629 in the reign of Suiko Asuka, Yamato ( Okamoto Palace or Oakmoto - no - miya ), 630 -- 636 in the reign of Emperor Jomei Kashihara, Nara ( Tanaka Palace or Tanaka - no - miya ), 636 -- 639 Kōryō, Nara ( Umayasaka Palace or Umayasaka - no - miya, 640 Kōryō, Nara ( Kudara Palace or Kudara - no - miya ), 640 -- 642 Asuka, Yamato ( Oharida Palace ), 642 -- 643 Asuka, Yamato ( Itabuki Palace or Itabuki no miya ), 643 -- 645 in the reign of Empress Kōgyoku Osaka ( Naniwa - Nagara no Toyosaki Palace ), 645 -- 654 in the reign of Emperor Kōtoku Asuka, Yamato ( Itabuki Palace ), 655 -- 655 in the reign of Kōtoku Asuka, Yamato ( Kawahara Palace or Kawahara - no - miya ), 655 -- 655 Asuka, Yamato ( Okamoto Palace or Nochi no Asuka - Okamoto - no - miya ), 656 -- 660 in the reign of Emperor Saimei Asakura, Fukuoka ( Asakura no Tachibana no Hironiwa Palace or Asakure no Tachibana no Hironiwa - no - miya ), 660 -- 661 Osaka, ( Naniwa - Nagara no Toyosaki ' ' Palace ( ja ) ), 661 -- 667 Ōtsu, Shiga ( Ōmi Ōtsu Palace or Ōmi Ōtsu - no - miya ), 667 -- 672 in reign of Emperor Tenji and the reign of Emperor Kōbun Asuka, Yamato ( Kiyomihara Palace or Kiomihara - no - miya ), 672 -- 694 in the reign of Emperor Tenmu and in the reign of Empress Jitō Fujiwara - kyō ( Fujiwara Palace ), 694 -- 710 in the reign of Emperor Monmu Nara period Heijō - kyō ( Heijō Palace ), 710 -- 740 in the reigns of Empress Genmei, Empress Genshō, and Emperor Shōmu Kuni - kyō ( Kuni Palace ), 740 -- 744 in the reign of Shomu Naniwa - kyō ( Naniwa Palace ( ja ) ), 744 Naniwa - kyō, Shigaraki Palace, 744 -- 745 Heijō - kyō ( Heijō Palace ), 745 -- 784 Nagaoka - kyō ( Nagaoka Palace ), 784 -- 794 in the reign of Emperor Kanmu Heian period Heian - kyō ( Heian Palace ), 794 -- 1180 in the reign of Kammu and others Fukuhara Palace, 1180 in the reign of Emperor Antoku Medieval Japan and Early modern period ( see also : History of Japan ) Heian - kyō / Kyōto ( Heian Palace ), 1180 -- 1868 Modern Japan ( see also : History of Japan ) Tōkyō ( Kōkyo ), 1868 -- present Capitals in present - day Japan Hiraizumi was the capital of totally independent Northern Fujiwara polity ( Ōshū ) based in Tōhoku region, having defeated Emishi tribes. This polity existed as Kyoto 's internal politics prevented Kyoto 's authority from 1100 to 1189. Hakodate was the capital of the short lived Republic of Ezo ( 1869 ) Shuri was the capital of Ryukyu Kingdom ( 1429 -- 1879 ) and Urasoe was capital of Chuzan from at least 1350, which predated the Ryukyu Kingdom. See also List of capitals and largest cities by country References Japanese Imperial kamon -- a stylized chrysanthemum blossom Jump up ^ `` Facts about Japan ''. The Government of Japan. Retrieved 8 December 2015. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook '' ( section `` Government : : JAPAN '' ). CIA. Retrieved 8 December 2015. Jump up ^ `` Japan country profile ''. BBC News. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015. Jump up ^ Nussbaum, `` Kyōto '' at pp. 585 - 587. Jump up ^ Wendy, Frey. History Alive ! : The Medieval World and beyond. Palo Alto, CA : Teacher 's Curriculum Institute, 2005. ^ Jump up to : Nussbaum, Louis - Frédéric. ( 2005 ). `` Tokyo '', Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 981 -- 982. ^ Jump up to : 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. Jump up ^ 首都 圏 整備 法. Law.e-gov.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011 - 04 - 29. Jump up ^ 首都 圏 近郊 緑地 保全 法. Law.e-gov.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011 - 04 - 29. Jump up ^ `` 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. Jump up ^ `` 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. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, Richard. ( 1915 ). The Imperial Family of Japan, p. 1. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 2. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, pp. 2 - 3. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 3. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 4. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 5. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 6. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 7. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 8. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 9. Jump up ^ コトバンク 「 履中 天皇 」 Jump up ^ コトバンク 「 反正 天皇 」 Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 10. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 12. ^ Jump up to : Koch, W. ( 1904 ). Japan ; Geschichte nach japanischen Quellen und ethnographische Skizzen. Mit einem Stammbaum des Kaisers von Japan, p. 13. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 13. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 14 ; excerpt, `` Mikaguri Palace '' Jump up ^ Nussbaum, `` Asuka '' at p. 59. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 15. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 16. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 17 ; except, `` Palace of Kanahashi at Magari, Yamato '' Jump up ^ Brown, Delmer. ( 1979 ). Gukanshō, pp. 262 -- 263 ; excerpt, ``... palace was Osada no Miya of Iware in the province of Yamato. '' Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 18. Jump up ^ Brown, p. 263 ; excerpt, ``... palace was Namitsuki no Miya at Ikebe in the province of Yamato. '' ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 19. ^ Jump up to : Asuka Historical Museum, Palaces of the Asuka Period, '' 1995 ; retrieved 2011 - 11 - 25. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 20. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 21. ^ Jump up to : なにわ 活性 化 プロジェクト ( Naniwa Revialization Project ), August 24, 201 ; retrieved 2011 - 11 - 24. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 23. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 24. Jump up ^ Nussbaum, `` Ōtsu mo Miya '' at p. 216. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 25. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 26. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 27. Jump up ^ Nussbaum, `` Fujiwara '' at pp. 200 -- 201. ^ Jump up to : Nussbaum, `` Heijō - kyō '' at p. 304. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 28. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 29. Jump up ^ Nussbaum, `` Kuni - kyō '' at p. 574. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 30. ^ Jump up to : Nussbaum, `` Naniwa '' at p. 697. Jump up ^ Nussbaum, `` Nagaoka - kyō '' at p. 216 -- 217. ^ Jump up to : Ponsonby - Fane, p. 34. ^ Jump up to : Nussbaum, `` Heian - kyō '' at pp. 303 -- 304. Jump up ^ Nussbaum, `` Fukuhara '' at pp. 216. Jump up ^ Ponsonby - Fane, p. 37. Further 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. ISBN 9780700714094 External links Media related to Capital of Japan at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Capital_of_Japan&oldid=814694972 '' Categories : Capitals by country Former capitals of Japan History of Japan Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from November 2016 Articles with permanently dead external links Articles containing Japanese - language text Incomplete lists from August 2013 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2013 Interlanguage link template link number Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Deutsch Español Esperanto Français 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Lietuvių 日本 語 Русский Simple English Basa Sunda Svenska ไทย Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 10 December 2017, at 10 : 14. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. 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Question: when did tokyo become the capital of japan
Answer: 1941