Kansai region

Kinki (Japanese近畿, dt " near the capital "), even Kinki - Chiho (近畿 地方, " Kinki Region " ) is a region in Japan. It is located in the western part of Honshu, the main island of Japan. There is a current administrative term for the region with the prefectures of Shiga, Mie, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Wakayama and Hyogo with 33,109 km ² and a population of 22.7 million ( 2000). In contrast, the force about for the same area historical name Kansai called today the varied cultural region around the three cities Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe ( Keihanshin ), depending on the view and conversation situation covers about the area of Kinki to Shikoku and Chugoku.

The name Kinki is because virtually all of Japan's main cities, most recently Kyoto, were until the Meiji restoration in this region.

Regional characteristics

In contrast to the Kanto region, there are several centers in Kinki: Kyoto 's cultural heart, Ōsaka as a trading center and culinary capital, Kobe as a modern and international city and many other cities of historical importance such as Nara.

The region, particularly Osaka is in Japan for their sense of humor well known and popular. The local, pronounced Japanese dialect is called Kansai - ben.

The city pair Osaka (大阪) and Kobe (神 戸) is collectively, Hanshin (阪神) denotes formed from the second character of Osaka and the first of Kobe. This term refers to, for example, the highway between the two cities and can be found, inter alia, on behalf of the appropriate railway company and the baseball team Hanshin Tigers again.

Similarly, Keihan (京阪) refers to the cities of Kyoto (京都) and Osaka, Hanna (阪 奈) to Osaka and Nara (奈良) and Keihanshin (京 阪神) on the trio of the biggest cities in the region.

History

A historical name for the region is Kinai (畿内, dt "Inside the capital, "), even Gokinai (五 畿内, dt " Heart of the five metropolitan areas " ) or Goki (五 畿, dt " five metropolitan areas "). In the Japanese ancient times it consisted of the five provinces of Yamato, Yamashiro, Kawachi, and Izumi Settsu and was the center of Gokishichidō management system.

The Keihan region ( Kyoto - Osaka ) was referred to during the Edo period as Kamigata (上方), which roughly translates to " higher place " means and refers to Kyoto's function as the residence of the emperor.