Heian-kyō

Heian-kyo was the imperial capital of Japan, founded in 794 CE by Emperor Kanmu on the site of present-day Kyoto. Laid out as a rectangular grid modeled on the Tang dynasty capital of Chang'an, it remained the formal seat of the Japanese imperial court until the government moved to Tokyo in 1869. The name Kyoto gradually replaced Heian-kyo by around 1220, and although the original palace complex was destroyed by fire in 1227, the city's ancient grid still underlies parts of modern Kyoto's street plan, including present-day Senbon-dori tracing the ancient Suzaku-oji avenue.