History of the Kyoto Imperial Palace: As Seen Through Site Plans of the Dairi

The Kyoto Imperial Palace preserves the architectural traditions of the ancient Daidairi, the “Greater Imperial Palace” of the Heian period. Until 1869 (Meiji 2), it served as the residence of successive Emperors and was the center of Japan’s refined court culture, passed down through generations.

However, its history has not been without hardship. Repeated fires forced the relocation of the Imperial residence outside the original Daidairi compound. During these times, the estates of court nobles in the city served as temporary palaces, known as sato-dairi. Even after the palace was permanently established at its current location in 1331 (Genkō 1), it continued to suffer from devastating fires. What is worse, the present Kyoto Imperial Palace, rebuilt in 1855 (Ansei 2), fell into disrepair following the relocation of the Imperial Palace to Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration, and many buildings were dismantled in large-scale evacuations during World War II.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of many people over the centuries, the Kyoto Imperial Palace has overcome numerous crises and continues to be preserved to this day.

History of the Kyoto Imperial Palace: As Seen Through Site Plans of the Dairi

Here, we introduce the transformation of the Kyoto Imperial Palace from the Heian period to the present, utilizing materials from the Imperial Household Agency's collection. We plan to gradually add more content.

Click the viewer's slider panelto display the slider. Next, click and grab the thumb, then move it to the right. As you do this, the site plan of the Kyoto Imperial Palace will overlay and transform from 1855 to the present time for comparison.