At the end of the Edo period, Kyoto City suddenly became the political center and thrived more than ever with the explosive growth in population, but soon it fell into decline because a large part of the city was burned down in the Kinmon Rebellion; moreover, several members of the Imperial Family and court nobles moved to Tokyo.
幕末、にわかに政治の中心地となった京都は人口が膨れ上がりかつてない活況を見せたものの、禁門の変で街の多くが焼けたのに加え、明治維新後に皇室・公家の大半が東京へ移り住んだため、一転急速な衰退を見せた。