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Japan · 35.0116°, 135.7681°

Kyoto Map Poster: The Grid of the Old Capital

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Map poster of Kyoto (Japan): streets, water and parks drawn from OpenStreetMap

Why this city works as a poster

Kyoto was founded in 794 as Heian-kyō, modelled on the Chinese capital Chang'an: a north-south grid the city has kept to this day. On the map this grid fills a basin closed by mountains to the east, north and west: the grid stops dead where the slopes begin, which gives it a natural frame. The Kamo River runs along its east side, from north to south.

Recommended framing

Portrait, 6 to 8 km across, to hold the whole grid and the first slopes to the east and west. At 2 km, the Imperial Palace park or the moats of Nijō Castle become crisp rectangles within the grid.

Which theme to pick

A restrained theme with fine linework: the grid speaks for itself. Distinguish parks, or the large rectangle of the Imperial Palace blends into the weave.

Where to centre the map

Kyoto Gyoen
The large green rectangle of the Imperial Palace, north of the centre.
Nijō-jō
The castle's rectangular moats: a frame within the frame.
Gion
East of the Kamo, the grid gives way to lanes climbing towards the temples.

How its streets are oriented

Street orientation in Kyoto: orientation order 0.74, clear grid0° (N) – 180° (S): 40.7% of street length10° (N) – 190° (S): 5.0% of street length20° (NNE) – 200° (SSW): 2.8% of street length30° (NNE) – 210° (SSW): 1.3% of street length40° (NE) – 220° (SW): 0.6% of street length50° (NE) – 230° (SW): 0.5% of street length60° (ENE) – 240° (WSW): 1.0% of street length70° (ENE) – 250° (WSW): 1.0% of street length80° (E) – 260° (W): 2.0% of street length90° (E) – 270° (W): 30.2% of street length100° (E) – 280° (W): 5.2% of street length110° (ESE) – 290° (WNW): 2.3% of street length120° (ESE) – 300° (WNW): 1.3% of street length130° (SE) – 310° (NW): 1.1% of street length140° (SE) – 320° (NW): 0.5% of street length150° (SSE) – 330° (NNW): 1.2% of street length160° (SSE) – 340° (NNW): 0.9% of street length170° (S) – 350° (N): 2.7% of street length180° (S) – 0° (N): 40.7% of street length190° (S) – 10° (N): 5.0% of street length200° (SSW) – 20° (NNE): 2.8% of street length210° (SSW) – 30° (NNE): 1.3% of street length220° (SW) – 40° (NE): 0.6% of street length230° (SW) – 50° (NE): 0.5% of street length240° (WSW) – 60° (ENE): 1.0% of street length250° (WSW) – 70° (ENE): 1.0% of street length260° (W) – 80° (E): 2.0% of street length270° (W) – 90° (E): 30.2% of street length280° (W) – 100° (E): 5.2% of street length290° (WNW) – 110° (ESE): 2.3% of street length300° (WNW) – 120° (ESE): 1.3% of street length310° (NW) – 130° (SE): 1.1% of street length320° (NW) – 140° (SE): 0.5% of street length330° (NNW) – 150° (SSE): 1.2% of street length340° (NNW) – 160° (SSE): 0.9% of street length350° (N) – 170° (S): 2.7% of street lengthNESW

Within 3 km of the centre, we measured the orientation of 448 km of streets. Its orientation order is 0.74 out of 1: Kyoto ranks 4th of the 64 cities in the study.

The streets follow a clear grid: two perpendicular directions carry most of the network. The main grid is aligned with north.

See the full study: street orientation in 64 cities

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