Everything about Kinki totally explained
The or the lies in the southern-central region of
Japan's main island
Honshū. The region includes the
prefectures of
Nara,
Wakayama,
Kyoto,
Osaka,
Hyōgo, and
Shiga. Sometimes
Fukui,
Tokushima and
Mie are also included. While the use of the terms "Kansai" and "Kinki" have changed over history, in most modern contexts the two can be considered the same.
Overview
The Kansai region is the cultural and historical heart of Japan with 11% of its land area and 24 million residents. The
Kinki Plain with the cities of
Osaka and
Kyoto forms the core of the region, from there the Kansai area stretches west along the
Seto Inland Sea towards
Himeji and
Kobe and east encompassing
Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. In the north the region is bordered by the
Sea of Japan, to the south by the
Kii Peninsula and
Pacific Ocean, and to the east by the
Japanese Alps (for Kansai) or
Ise Bay (for Kinki). Four of
Japan's national parks lie within its borders, in whole or in part. The area also contains six of the seven top prefectures in terms of
national treasures. Other geographical features include
Amanohashidate in
Kyoto Prefecture and
Awaji Island in
Hyōgo.
The Kansai region is often compared with the
Kantō region, which lies to its east and consists primarily of
Tokyo and the surrounding area. Whereas the Kanto region is symbolic of standardization throughout Japan, the Kansai region displays many more idiosyncrasies: the culture in
Kyoto, the mercantilism of
Osaka, the history of
Nara or the cosmopolitanism of
Kobe, and represents the focus of
counterculture in Japan. This East-West rivalry has deep historical roots, particularly from the
Edo period. With a samurai population of less than 1% the culture of the merchant city of Osaka stood in sharp contrast to that of
Edo, the seat of power for the
Tokugawa shogunate.
Many characteristic traits of Kansai people descend from Osaka merchant culture. Catherine Maxwell, an editor for the newsletter
Omusubi, writes: "Kansai residents are seen as being pragmatic, entrepreneurial, down-to-earth and possessing a strong sense of humour. Kanto people on the other hand are perceived as more sophisticated, reserved and formal, in keeping with Tokyo’s history and modern status as the nation’s capital and largest metropolis."
Popular regional dishes include
takoyaki,
okonomiyaki and
kitsune udon.
Hyōgo Prefecture is well known for its
Kobe beef and other dairy products.
Sake is another specialty of the region, the areas of
Nada and
Fushimi produce 45% of all sake in Japan. As opposed to food from Eastern Japan, food in the Kansai area tends to be sweeter, and foods such as
nattō tend to be less popular. During the
Kamakura period, this border was redefined to include
Ōmi and
Iga Provinces. (
see Kamigata) Like all
regions of Japan, the Kansai region isn't an administrative unit, but rather a cultural and historical one.
The Kansai region lays claim to the earliest beginnings of Japanese civilization. It was
Nara, the most eastern point on the
Silk Road, that became the site of Japan's first permanent capital. This
period (AD
710-
784) saw the spread of
Buddhism to Japan and the construction of
Tōdai-ji in
745. The Kansai region also boasts the
Shinto religion's holiest shrine at
Ise Shrine (built in
690 AD) in
Mie prefecture.
The
Heian period saw the capital moved to Heian-kyō (平安京, present-day
Kyoto), where it would remain for over a thousand years until the
Meiji Restoration. During this golden age, the Kansai region would give birth to traditional Japanese culture. In
819,
Kūkai, the founder of the
Shingon sect of Buddhism
established his monastery at
Mount Koya in
Wakayama prefecture. Japan's most famous tale, and some say the world's first modern novel,
The Tale of Genji was penned by
Murasaki Shikibu while performing as a
lady-in-waiting in Heian-kyo.
Noh and
Kabuki, Japan's traditional dramatic forms both saw their birth and evolution in Kyoto, while
Bunraku, Japanese puppet theater, is native to
Osaka.
Because of its unique position in Japanese history, the Kansai region hosts a number of well-known historical and cultural landmarks, including five of Japan's thirteen
World Heritage Sites:
Hōryū-ji,
Himeji Castle,
Kiyomizu-dera,
Tōdai-ji, and
Mount Koya.
Gallery
Image:NintokuTomb.jpg|Daisenryo Kofun, the largest burial mound in the world
Image:Horyu-ji kondo02 2000b.jpg|Hōryū-ji Golden Hall, the oldest wooden structure in the world
Image:TodaijiDaibutsu0224.jpg|Daibutsu at Tōdai-ji, the largest bronze statue in the world
Image:NaraTodaiji.jpg|Tōdai-ji Main Hall, the largest wooden structure in the world
Image:Biwa Lake.jpg|Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan and the 3rd oldest lake in the world
Image:Okuni with cross dressed as a samurai.jpg|Izumo no Okuni, who founded Kabuki in Kyoto
Image:Kongo.jpg|Kongō Gumi, world's oldest continuously operating company, constructed several Japan's cultural assets
Image:Amanohashidate_from_south.jpg|Amanohashidate, one of Three Views of Japan
Image:Sen_no_Rikyu_JPN.jpg|Sen no Rikyū, a merchant from Osaka, perfected the courtesy of tea ceremony
Image:Toji-temple-kyoto.jpg|Japan's tallest temple pagoda in Tō-ji, Kyoto
Image:Nintendo_office.jpg|Nintendo became the most successful in the world's video game industry
Image:Osamu_Tezuka.jpg|Osamu Tezuka, regarded as "The Father of Manga", grew up in Hyogo
Further Information
Get more info on 'Kinki'.
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