Kansai

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The Kansai (Japanese: 関西) region of Japan, also known as the Kinki region (近畿地方, Kinki-chihō), lies in the middle of Japan's main island, Honshu.

Related Topics:
Japanese - Japan - Honshu

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The ki (畿) in Kinki is also read in Japanese as miyako meaning capital. It stems from the fact that up until the Edo era Japan's capital was located in this region.

Related Topics:
Japanese - Edo era

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The Kansai region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Mie, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga. The Kansai region is often compared (yet more often contrasted) with the Kant? region, which lies to the east and is comprised primarily of Tokyo and the surrounding area.

Related Topics:
Prefecture - Nara - Wakayama - Mie - Kyoto - Osaka - Hyogo - Shiga - Kant? region - Tokyo

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Whereas the Kanto region is symbolic of standardization throughout Japan (from the government to economics to the language), the Kansai region displays many more idiosyncrasies through the culture in Kyoto, the mercantilism of Osaka, the history of Nara, the internationality of Kobe, and the distinct dialect (Kansai-ben) heard through the seven prefectures.

Related Topics:
Kyoto - Osaka - Nara - Kobe - Kansai-ben

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