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The of Japan , also known as the , lies in the Southern-Central region of Japan's main island, Honshū . The region includes the Prefecture s of Nara , Wakayama , Mie , Kyoto , Osaka , Hyōgo , and Shiga . OVERVIEW Making up 11% of Japan's land area and 24 million residents, the Kansai region is the cultural and historical heart of Japan. Japan Reference: Kansai , retrieved , 2007 Other geographical highlights include Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture and Awaji Island in Hyōgo . The Kansai region is often compared (yet more often contrasted) with the , 2007 Many characteristic traits of Kansai people descend from Osaka merchant culture. As 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." Livingabroadin.com - "Prime Living Locations in Japan", retrieved January 22 , 2007 Popular regional foods include , 2007 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. The Dialects (弁, ''-ben'') of the people of the Kansai region have their own variations of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar which are unique to the region. Kansai-ben is the group of dialects spoken in the Kansai area, but is often treated as a dialect in its own right. Kansai-ben is especially strong in cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. HISTORY The terms Kansai (関西), Kinki (近畿) and Kinai (畿内) have a very deep history, dating back almost as far as the nation of Japan itself. As a part of the Ritsuryō reforms of the 6th century, the Gokishichidō system established the Provinces of Yamato , Yamashiro , Kawachi , Settsu and Izumi . Kinai and Kinki, both roughly meaning "the neighbourhood of the capital", referred to these provinces. In common usage, Kinai now refers to the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto (Keihanshin) area, the center of the Kansai region. Kansai (literally "west of the border") in its original usage refers to the land west of the Ousaka Checkpoint (逢坂の関), the border between Yamashiro Province and Ōmi Province (present-day Kyoto and Shiga prefectures).Entry for . Kōjien , fifth edition, 1998, 4-00-080111-2 During the Kamakura Period , this border was redefined to include Ōmi and Iga Provinces. It is not until the Edo Period that Kansai came to acquire its current form.Entry for . Kōjien , fifth edition, 1998, 4-00-080111-2 (''see Kamigata '') Like all Regions Of Japan , the Kansai region is not an administrative unit, but rather a cultural and historical one. The Kansai region lays claim to the earliest beginnings of Japanese civilization. It was , 2007 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 , 2007 - Kiyomizu-dera, Todai-ji, and Mount Koya are part of collections of sites and chosen as representative GALLERY |
Image:Horyu-ji Kondo02 2000bjpg
| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Hōryū-ji" class="copylinks">Hōryū-ji Golden Hall, the oldest wooden structure in the world |
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Image:TodaijiDaibutsu0224jpg
| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Daibutsu" class="copylinks">Daibutsu at Tōdai-ji , the largest bronze statue in the world |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Tōdai-ji" class="copylinks">Tōdai-ji Main Hall, the largest wooden structure in the world |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Lake_Biwa" class="copylinks">Lake Biwa , the largest lake in Japan and the 3rd oldest lake in the world |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Izumo_no_Okuni" class="copylinks">Izumo No Okuni , who founded Kabuki in Kyoto |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Kongō_Gumi" class="copylinks">Kongō Gumi , world's oldest continuously operating company, constructed several Japan's cultural assets |
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Image:Amanohashidate From Southjpg
| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Amanohashidate" class="copylinks">Amanohashidate , one of Three Views Of Japan |
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Image:Sen No Rikyu JPNjpg
| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Sen_no_Rikyū" class="copylinks">Sen No Rikyū , a merchant from Osaka, perfected the courtesy of Tea Ceremony |
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Image:Toji-temple-kyotojpgJapan's Tallest Temple
| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/pagoda" class="copylinks">Pagoda in Tō-ji , Kyoto |
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Image:Nintendo Officejpg
| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Nintendo" class="copylinks">Nintendo became the most successful in the world's Video Game industry |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Osamu_Tezuka" class="copylinks">Osamu Tezuka , regarded as "The Father of Manga ", grew up in Hyogo |
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