Greater Kyoto is a metropolitan area in Japan encompassing Kyoto City, the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as its surrounding areas including à Âtsu, the capital of Shiga Prefecture.
The metropolitan area is also referred to as Keiji (京æ»Â) or Keishin (京津). The name Keiji is constructed by extracting a representative kanji from Kyoto (京é½) and Shiga (æ»Âè³Â). The name Keishin is constructed by extracting a representative kanji from Kyoto (京é½) and à Âtsu (大津).
The greater Kyoto area is defined by Urban Employment Area as KyotoâÂÂKusatsu Metropolitan Employment Area (KyotoâÂÂKusatsu MEA). The metropolitan area had a total population of 2,801,044 as of 2015 and is the fourth-largest in Japan. The cities and towns of the metropolitan area with their 2020 populations are listed below.
A wider metropolitan area based on commuting patterns is also defined by as the Kyoto metropolitan area. This area consists of 13 cities and towns of Shiga Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, and Osaka Prefecture, in addition to Kyoto MEA. The total population as of 2020 for the region was estimated at 3,785,351. The following areas, along with the above Kyoto MEA, are included in the Kyoto metropolitan area, with their 2020 populations:
48 universities and colleges in the area participate in the .
Kyà Âto Station is a hub of the rail network in the area.