Qibla · Japan
Qibla direction in Kyoto
To face the Kaaba in Kyoto, turn to 290.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (20.9° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 9,171 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Kyoto should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Kyoto as a needle at 290.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 291°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Kyoto
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 20.9° towards north: the result is the bearing of 290.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 21° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Kyoto, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Kyoto to Mecca points to 260.8° (west), a full 30.1° away from the true Qibla of 290.9° (west). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 314 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Kyoto first heads west, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 290.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 35.0211° N, 135.7539° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Kyoto to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 9,171 km from Kyoto as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 8,997 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 11 h 17 min, although most pilgrims from Kyoto connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Kyoto run 6 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Kyoto rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Kyoto
On 73 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Kyoto while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in June (30 days); for example, on 1 June 2027 it happens at 18:15 local time.
On 264 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in March (31 days), for instance on 15 February 2027 at 07:23.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 07:23 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 07:47 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 08:10 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 08:37 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 08:58 |
| 1 May 2027 | — | 09:23 |
| 15 May 2027 | — | 09:43 |
| 1 June 2027 | 18:15 | 10:04 |
| 15 June 2027 | 18:09 | 10:15 |
| 1 July 2027 | 18:14 | 10:17 |
| 15 July 2027 | 18:26 | 10:10 |
| 1 August 2027 | — | 09:50 |
| 15 August 2027 | — | 09:26 |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 08:53 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 08:22 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 07:47 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 07:18 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 06:45 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Kyoto: at 18:18 and 18:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Kyoto compared with other cities
Compared with Tokyo, 365 km away, the Qibla in Kyoto is turned 2.1° further anticlockwise (290.9° against 293.0°), and Mecca is 303 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Uji (15 km), prays towards 291.0°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.
Across the 154 cities in Japan on this site, the Qibla ranges from 288.1° in Sasebo to 295.3° in Kushiro, a spread of 7.2°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Japan.
Qibla in cities near Kyoto
Qibla in Kyoto: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Kyoto?
It is 290.9° from true north, which is west: 20.9° north of west.
How far is Kyoto from Mecca?
9,171 km in a straight line over the globe, and 8,997 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Kyoto?
On 73 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Kyoto not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 260.8°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Kyoto at 290.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 290.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.