is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu.
The Meiji Restoration returned Japan to imperial rule in 1868. Emperor Meiji, who was now the absolute sovereign, went to stay in Tokyo during the next year. The imperial court has not returned to Kyoto since then. During the instigation of Fuhanken Sanchisei in 1868, the prefecture received its suffix fu. The subsequent reorganization of the old provincial system merged the former Tango Province, Yamashiro Province and the eastern part of Tanba Province into today's Kyoto Prefecture.
Although many Japanese major cities were heavily bombed during World War II, the old capital escaped such devastation. During the occupation, the U.S. Sixth Army and I Corps were headquartered in Kyoto.
Geography
Kyoto Prefecture is almost in the center of Honshu and of Japan. It covers an area of , which is 1.2% of Japan. Kyoto is the 31st largest prefecture by size. To the north, it faces the Sea of Japan and Fukui Prefecture. To the south, it faces Osaka and Nara Prefectures. To the east, it faces Mie and Shiga Prefectures. To its west is Hyōgo Prefecture. The prefecture is separated in the middle by the Tanba Mountains. This makes its climate very different in the north and south.
21% of the prefecture's land area was designated as Natural Parks, namely Sanin Kaigan National Park; Biwako, Kyoto Tamba Kogen, Tango-Amanohashidate-Ōeyama and Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Parks; and Hozukyō, Kasagiyama, and Rurikei Prefectural Natural Parks.
Municipalities
thumb|left|400px|Map of Kyoto Prefecture
;Cities
Fifteen cities are located in Kyoto Prefecture:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="2" |Flag, name<small> w/o suffix</small>
! colspan="3" |Full name
! rowspan="2" |Area<br/> (km<sup>2</sup>)
! rowspan="2" |Population
! rowspan="2" |Map
|-
!Japanese
!Transcription
!Translation
|-
|25px Ayabe
|綾部市
|Ayabe-shi
|Ayabe City
| style="text-align:right" | 347.10
| style="text-align:right" | 31,846
| style="text-align:center" | 1
|-
|25px Fukuchiyama
|福知山市
|Fukuchiyama-shi
|Fukuchiyama City
| style="text-align:right" | 552.54
| style="text-align:right" | 77,306
| style="text-align:center" | 2
|-
|25px Jōyō
|城陽市
|Jōyō-shi
|Jōyō City
| style="text-align:right" | 32.71
| style="text-align:right" | 74,607
| style="text-align:center" | 3
|-
|25px Kameoka
|亀岡市
|Kameoka-shi
|Kameoka City
| style="text-align:right" | 224.80
| style="text-align:right" | 86,174
| style="text-align:center" | 4
|-
|25px Kizugawa
|木津川市
|Kizugawa-shi
|Kizugawa City
| style="text-align:right" | 85.13
| style="text-align:right" | 77,907
| style="text-align:center" | 5
|-
|25px Kyōtanabe
|京田辺市
|Kyōtanabe-shi
|Kyōtanabe City
| style="text-align:right" | 42.92
| style="text-align:right" | 73,753
| style="text-align:center" | 6
|-
|25px Kyōtango
|京丹後市
|Kyōtango-shi
|Kyōtango City
| style="text-align:right" | 501.44
| style="text-align:right" | 50,860
| style="text-align:center" | 7
|-
|25px Kyoto (capital)
|京都市
|Kyōto-shi
|Kyoto City
| style="text-align:right" | 827.83
| style="text-align:right" | 1,463,723
| style="text-align:center" | 8
|-
|25px Maizuru
|舞鶴市
|Maizuru-shi
|Maizuru City
| style="text-align:right" | 342.13
| style="text-align:right" | 80,336
| style="text-align:center" | 9
|-
|25px Miyazu
|宮津市
|Miyazu-shi
|Miyazu City
| style="text-align:right" | 172.74
| style="text-align:right" | 16,758
| style="text-align:center" | 10
|-
|25px Mukō
|向日市
|Mukō-shi
|Mukō City
| style="text-align:right" | 7.72
| style="text-align:right" | 56,859
| style="text-align:center" | 11
|-
|25px Nagaokakyō
|長岡京市
|Nagaokakyō-shi
|Nagaokakyō City
| style="text-align:right" | 19.17
| style="text-align:right" | 80,608
| style="text-align:center" | 12
|-
|25px Nantan
|南丹市
|Nantan-shi
|Nantan City
| style="text-align:right" | 616.40
| style="text-align:right" | 31,629
| style="text-align:center" | 13
|-
|25px Uji
|宇治市
|Uji-shi
|Uji City
| style="text-align:right" | 67.54
| style="text-align:right" | 179,630
| style="text-align:center" | 14
|-
|25px Yawata
|八幡市
|Yawata-shi
|Yawata City
| style="text-align:right" | 24.35
| style="text-align:right" | 70,433
| style="text-align:center" | 15
|}
Kansai Science City is located in the southwest.
;Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each district:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="2" |Flag, name<small> w/o suffix</small>
! colspan="3" |Full name
! rowspan="2" |Area<br/> (km<sup>2</sup>)
! rowspan="2" |Population
! rowspan="2" |District
! rowspan="2" |Map
|-
!Japanese
!Transcription
!Translation
|-
|25px Ide
|井手町
|Ide-chō
|Ide Town
| style="text-align:right" | 18.04
| style="text-align:right" | 7,406
|Tsuzuki District
| style="text-align:center" | 16
|-
|25px Ine
|伊根町
|Ine-chō
|Ine Town
| style="text-align:right" | 61.95
| style="text-align:right" | 1,928
|Yosa District
| style="text-align:center" | 17
|-
|25px Kasagi
|笠置町
|Kasagi-chō
|Kasagi Town
| style="text-align:right" | 23.52
| style="text-align:right" | 1,144
|Sōraku District
| style="text-align:center" | 18
|-
|25px Kumiyama
|久御山町
|Kumiyama-chō
|Kumiyama Town
| style="text-align:right" | 13.86
| style="text-align:right" | 15,250
|Kuse District
| style="text-align:center" | 19
|-
|25px Kyōtamba
|京丹波町
|Kyōtamba-chō
|Kyōtamba Town
| style="text-align:right" | 303.09
| style="text-align:right" | 12,907
|Funai District
| style="text-align:center" | 20
|-
|25px Minamiyamashiro
|南山城村
|Minamiyamashiro-mura
|Minamiyamashiro Village
| style="text-align:right" | 64.11
| style="text-align:right" | 2,391
|Sōraku District
| style="text-align:center" | 21
|-
|25px Ōyamazaki
|大山崎町
|Ōyamazaki-chō
|Ōyamazaki Town
| style="text-align:right" | 5.97
| style="text-align:right" | 15,953
|Otokuni District
| style="text-align:center" | 22
|-
|25px Seika
|精華町
|Seika-chō
|Seika Town
| style="text-align:right" | 25.68
| style="text-align:right" | 36,198
|Sōraku District
| style="text-align:center" | 23
|-
|25px Ujitawara
|宇治田原町
|Ujitawara-chō
|Ujitawara Town
| style="text-align:right" | 58.16
| style="text-align:right" | 8,911
|Tsuzuki District
| style="text-align:center" | 24
|-
|25px Wazuka
|和束町
|Wazuka-chō
|Wazuka Town
| style="text-align:right" | 64.93
| style="text-align:right" | 3,478
|Sōraku District
| style="text-align:center" | 25
|-
|25px Yosano
|与謝野町
|Yosano-chō
|Yosano Town
| style="text-align:right" | 108.38
| style="text-align:right" | 20,092
|Yosa District
| style="text-align:center" | 26
|}
<gallery mode="packed">
File:京都夜景 2015 (31985638715).jpg|Kyoto City
File:Kisen bridge, Uji river.jpg|Uji City
File:Tanisuji Oiwakechō, Kameoka-shi, Kyōto-fu 621-0804, Japan - panoramio.jpg|Kameoka City
File:Nagaokakyo Station West Exit Square - May 1, 2013.jpg|Nagaokakyō City
File:東舞鶴駅前 - panoramio - kcomiida.jpg|Maizuru City
File:The view of Fukuchiyama city, Kyoto pre.JPG|Fukuchiyama City
File:Aso Bay view from Kasamatsu Park01s3s4592.jpg|Miyazu City and Aso Bay
</gallery>
Mergers
Demographics
thumb|266x266px|Kyoto population pyramid in 2020
thumb|266px|Kyoto Prefecture has one of the highest [[List of Japanese prefectures by life expectancy|life expectancy in the country. In 2020 it was 85.54 years.]]