Kyoto Population 2026

Kyoto has a population of 1,463,723, making it the #9 biggest city in 🇯🇵 Japan, located in Kyoto. Roughly 1.2% of Japan's population lives here. It is about 6.6× smaller than Tokyo, the country's biggest city.

TokyoKyoto
Location of Kyoto (capital Tokyo shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.
Population (city proper)
1,463,723
Rank in Japan
#9
Coordinates
35.02°N, 135.75°E
~50 m elevation · Asia/Tokyo
Distance to capital (Tokyo)
365 km
227 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Kyoto

CityPopulationRank in Japan
Uji192,925#127
Kameoka97,181#280
Maizuru92,465#299
Kamigyō-ku83,000#337
Kōtari80,608#342
Kizugawa77,907#352
Fukuchiyama77,306#356
Jōyō74,607#373

Cities near Kyoto

  • Kamigyō-ku83,000 people · ~1 km away
  • Arashiyama50,000 people · ~7 km away
  • Mukō56,859 people · ~8 km away
  • Ōtsu345,070 people · ~11 km away
  • Kōtari80,608 people · ~12 km away
  • Uji192,925 people · ~15 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Kyoto?
Kyoto has a population of 1,463,723 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #9 biggest city in Japan.
What region is Kyoto in?
Kyoto is located in Kyoto, Japan.
Is Kyoto the capital of Japan?
No, the capital of Japan is Tokyo, about 365 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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