Hyōjungo · Standard Japanese
The Tokyo-area variety that forms the basis of Standard Japanese (Hyōjungo). Carried nationwide by broadcasting, education, and government use.
Kyoto-ben
Also known as: Kyō-kotoba, Kyoto dialect
The Kyoto variety of Kansai Japanese. Historically the prestige speech of the imperial court, marked by softer cadence, distinct honorific forms, and a long literary heritage.
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Kyoto-ben?
Kyoto-ben is a dialect of the Japanese language.
Where is Kyoto-ben spoken?
Kyoto-ben is primarily spoken in Japan.
Which region is Kyoto-ben associated with?
Kyoto-ben is part of the East Asia region on DialectAtlas.
Is Kyoto-ben known by other names?
Yes — Kyoto-ben is also referred to as Kyō-kotoba, Kyoto dialect.
What are the other dialects of Japanese?
Japanese also includes Tokyo Japanese, Kansai-ben, Hakata-ben, Tōhoku-ben, Hokkaido-ben, Hiroshima-ben, Nagoya-ben. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Japanese dialects
See on the atlas →Kansai dialect · Kinki dialect · Osaka-ben
The major dialect group of the Kansai region, with Osaka as its modern centre. Strongly distinct from Tokyo Japanese in pitch accent, copula forms, and idiom. Kyoto-ben is treated separately here.
Fukuoka dialect
The dialect of Fukuoka and the Hakata district on northern Kyushu. Recognisable for sentence-final particles like "to" and "tai".
Tōhoku dialect · Zūzū-ben
The dialects of north-eastern Honshu around Sendai. Distinguished by reduced vowel contrasts and merged sibilants — historically caricatured as "zūzū-ben".
The variety spoken across Hokkaido. A relatively young dialect shaped by 19th-century settlement, mostly close to Standard Japanese but with Tōhoku and coastal influences.
Geibi dialect
The Chūgoku-region dialect of Hiroshima and surrounding Geibi area. Known to many Japanese viewers through Hiroshima-set film and television.
Owari dialect
The dialect of Nagoya and the Owari plain. Sits between the Tokyo and Kansai regions and shares features with both, while keeping a distinct vowel inventory.
Nearby dialects
See on the atlas →43 km away
The major dialect group of the Kansai region, with Osaka as its modern centre. Strongly distinct from Tokyo Japanese in pitch accent, copula forms, and idiom. Kyoto-ben is treated separately here.
105 km away
The dialect of Nagoya and the Owari plain. Sits between the Tokyo and Kansai regions and shares features with both, while keeping a distinct vowel inventory.
310 km away
The Chūgoku-region dialect of Hiroshima and surrounding Geibi area. Known to many Japanese viewers through Hiroshima-set film and television.
363 km away
The Tokyo-area variety that forms the basis of Standard Japanese (Hyōjungo). Carried nationwide by broadcasting, education, and government use.
518 km away
The dialect of Fukuoka and the Hakata district on northern Kyushu. Recognisable for sentence-final particles like "to" and "tai".
582 km away
The dialects of north-eastern Honshu around Sendai. Distinguished by reduced vowel contrasts and merged sibilants — historically caricatured as "zūzū-ben".