The List of Kyoto's fires encompasses an essential aspect of urban life in the Japanese capital.
History
Although accidental fire were regular occurrences, some blazes were so devastating that they were afterwards identified as "great;" and these larger fires were more specifically identified by reference to the Japanese era name in which the blaze occurred; as in what came to be known as "the Great Hoei Fire" of 1708.
Great fires
The Great Hoei fire, so-called because it occurred during the Hoei era, broke out on April 28, 1708. The Great Kyōhō fire, so-called because it occurred during the Kyōhō era, is also identified by the name of the area of Kyoto in which the blaze began. In identifying this disaster as the "Great Nishijin fire," an unusual focus is directed towards the cloth weavers clustered in one part of Kyoto. On August 3, 1730, a fire broke out in Muromachi and 3,790 houses were burnt. Over 30,000 looms in Nishi-jin were destroyed. In response, the bakufu distributed rice. The city of Kyoto was home to many cloth weavers, and the neighborhood in which this craft was centered was called Nishijin. The great fire of 1730 broke out not far from the Imperial Palace in the Nishijin neighborhood; and for this reason it was called the Great Nishijin fire. The Great Tenmei fire, so-called because it occurred during the Tenmei era, raged unchecked for several days. A fire in the city, which began at 3 o'clock in the morning ofMarch 6, 1788, continued to burn uncontrolled until March 8 ; and embers smoldered until they were extinguished by heavy rain on March 11. The emperor and his court fled the fire, and the Imperial Palace was destroyed. No other re-construction was permitted until a new palace was completed. This fire was considered a major event. The Dutch VOCopperhoofd in Dejima noted in his official record book that "people are considering it to be a great and extraordinary heavenly portent." The Great Genji fire, so-called because it occurred during the Genji era, began on August 20, 1864, as an unintended consequence of the Kinmon Incident.
Fires other than the major ones are also identified by the Japanese era name or nengō in which the disaster developed.
June 8, 976 : The Imperial Palace burned down; and the Sacred Mirror was blackened to such an extent that it reflected no light.
December 31, 980 : The Imperial Palace burned down; and the Sacred Mirror was half destroyed.
December 5, 982 : The Imperial Palace burned down; and the Sacred Mirror was reduced to a lump of melted metal which was collected and presented to the emperor.
1148 : The imperial palace was consumed by flames.
May 27, 1177 : A great fire in the capital was spread by high winds; and the palace was reduced to cinders.
1361 : Snowfall was unusually heavy; and there was also a disastrous fire in Kyoto as well as a violent earthquake.
