Heian-kyo was designed according to the principles of Chinese feng shui; surrounded by mountains on all sides with the Kamo-gawa River (the Yodo-gawa River system) in the east and the Katsura-gawa River (the Yodo-gawa River system) in the west which both meander southward.
平安京は中国の風水に忠実に設計された都市で四方を山に囲まれ、東に鴨川(淀川水系)が西に桂川(淀川水系)が蛇行しながら南へと流れている。