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The Kansai region of Japan, also known
as the Kinki region (近畿地方; Kinki-chiho), lies in the middle of Japan's main
island, Honshu.
The Ki (畿) in Kinki is Japanese for
miyako meaning city or metropolis. It stems from the fact that up until the
Edo era Japan's capital was located in this region.
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
Kanto
region, which lies to the east and is comprised primarily of
Tokyo and the
surrounding area.
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.
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