Heian

Heian (平安京), officially the Heian Metropolis is the capital of Yamatai, serving as the seat of the Government of Yamatai and the Empress of Yamatai. It is one of the 34 provinces of Yamatai and is located on the southern coast of Akitsukuni island, on the Murota peninsula. Forming the core of the wider Kinai Metropolitan Area, Heian is the second-most populous city in Yamatai with a population of 3.96 million.

Heian is a that was built around the previous fishing town of Murota in the 1860s. The traditional centre of government was Yamato for much of Yamataian history. During the period of military rule in Yamatai, it was decided to move the capital. Planning began in 1857, with the government purchasing land on the Murota peninsula close to to Mount Aozora, which is significant in Yamataian culture. Construction of the city began in 1859 around the town of Murota, and by 1873 the government had moved in. Designed from the start to be a new financial and industrial hub in Akitsukuni, the city quickly attracted migrants and expanded rapidly several times as Yamatai grew in economic and political strength on the international stage. The city was subject to punitive bombing raids by Chisei during the latter part of the Second Escar-Varunan War. Heian later experienced a major reconstruction and expansion in the 1950s, attaining provincial-level designation in 1959.

In the present day, Heian is a major financial centre of Yamatai, competing with Niihama. It is home to the Heian Securities Exchange as well as multinational corporations such as Aozora Group, Matsumura, and Takaoka. Several of Yamatai's most prestigious universities are located in Yamatai, including the National University of Yamatai, the Imperial University of Heian, and the Morishita Miyuki Academy for Women. Heian Station is a hub of transportation in the Kinai region, and the city is served by an extensive network of rail and subways. Notable districts in Heian include Ishibashi (the city's administrative centre), Kōjimachi (where the Imperial Palace is located), Murota (the central business district), and Sōtenbori (an entertainment district).

Etymology
The characters of Heian, 平安, translate directly to "peace", or "tranquillity and peace". The name was chosen by a panel of experts from the National University of Yamatai from within the Kojiki, the holy text of Michi, when the city was under construction. A competition was held nationwide for names for the new capital, and ultimately Heian was chosen by Empress Kayako.

History
In ancient times, the Kingdom of Miyako had its capital at Miyako on Akitsukuni. In the year 470, the Empire of Yamatai, which the modern Yamataian state is developed from, was founded near Yamato on the slopes of Hijiriyama in Nagato Province. Yamato would continue to serve as the capital of Yamatai until 710, when Hijiriyama erupted and caused the Imperial Court to move the capital to Kōya on Akitsukuni. Following the end of the Kōya period, in 1153 the capital was returned to Yamato.

By the 19th century, centuries of development and the onset of the industrial revolution had caused Yamato to face severe overcrowding, with large slums appearing outside of the city and haphazard industrial areas crowded along the Kamikawa river (神川). The archaic layout of the central city and the mountainous terrain surrounding Yamato hampered urban planning initiatives, and despite the later forceful removal of slums by the military government, Yamato remained messy and confusing to navigate. In addition, the large amount of historical and culturally important buildings and districts in the city made it difficult for the government to carry out drastic reconstruction of the government district.

Another factor in the decision to move the capital was apparently the Imperial Navy's desire to have a naval base in the capital city, which was supported by the Imperial Grand Marshal at the time, Fujimoto Miyuki, who was formerly a Navy admiral. Planning for the shifting of the capital began in 1857, spearheaded by a team led by Lieutenant-General Kanazawa Ikuna. The site around the town of Murota on Akitsukuni was believed to be the most suitable, due to its strategic bay, proximity to the important port of Shinagawa, potential for future growth across the Murota Peninsula, and location close to the culturally significant Mount Aozora.

Construction of the new city began in 1859. The Awagawa river was diverted and numerous canals were dug in order to provide fresh water for the city, with labour comprising of large amounts of Songese labourers brought in from colonial Ekuni. Construction paused briefly in 1868 due to the outbreak of the First Shen-Yamataian War, but resumed in mid 1869. By 1873, construction on the city was declared complete with the completion of the Imperial Government House, and the Yamataian Imperial High Council moved to Heian in July 1873, declaring the move to be a symbol of Yamatai's great progress as a state. Heian would continue to grow dramatically through the late 19th century, as Yamatai's economy and political situation rapidly improved.

In 1895, the Port of Heian was completed to supplement the nearby port of Shinagawa. The Kinai Metropolitan Area was officially established in 1924 with the construction of the Kinai Metropolis Loop Line mass transit railway, connecting Heian with the neighbouring cities of Awara and Shinagawa, as well as the industrial port of Higane.

Cityscape
Heian's sprawling cityscape has been described as "only surpassed by Niihama as a showcase of the Yamataian urban phenomenon".

Heian is roughly divided into three areas, the south-east, south-west, and inland north.

The south-east area, often referred to as Azuma ("East"), lies on the eastern coast of the Murota peninsula and includes Ishibashi, the administrative centre of the city and home to the national government buildings, Murota, the central business district, as well as Okadabashi, a wealthy business and retail hub and the location of Heian Station.

West of the Murota River, which runs north-south in the city, the south-west area of Heian is often referred to as Nishi ("West") and includes the Ise Bay coast. This area includes the Port of Heian, Hinobashi, a business and shopping district home to a variety of Yamataian industrial conglomerates, and Sōtenbori, a world famous entertainment district.

The area north of the National Road 70-01 is considered to be Kita ("north"), and includes Kōjimachi, where the Heian Imperial Palace is located, as well as Morishita, a garden district home to many of Yamatai's top universities. Shinagawa-Heian International Airport, the main international airport of the Kinai Metropolitan Area, is also located in the north-western part of the Kita area.

Heian contains numerous urban canals and bridges, many of which serve as the namesake for their surrounding neighbourhoods. There are currently 760 bridges in Heian overseen by the metropolitan government.