Kansai Region
Kansai is a region in central Japan extending from the Sea of Japan to the Pacific Ocean. It includes the Kinki Region in Honshu (the prefectures of Kyoto, Osaka, Mie, Shiga, Hyogo, Nara, and Wakayama), and more broadly is extended to Fukui Prefecture and a part of Shikoku. The term "Kansai" usually connotes a cultural and historical viewpoint, whereas the Kinki Region is an administrative and geographical designation that has clearly defined boundaries. Kansai means "west of barriers" and was used in comparison to Kanto, "east of barriers." A barrier is a checkpoint or seki set up on the frontier between the emperor's residence and the outside world. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), Kansai and Kanto were separated by three checkpoints, "Suzu station" (today Mie Prefecture), "Fuwa station" (Gifu Prefecture), and "Arachi station" (Fukui Prefecture).
Kansai has a rich cultural heritage and played an important role in politics, economics, and culture from ancient times. The capitals of Japan were located in Kansai, Heijo-kyo (Nara City) from 710 and Heiankyo (Kyoto City) from 794 until the seventeenth century. Presently, Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe form the center of the Kansai Region—the second economic pole after Tokyo (in the Kanto Region).
Further Reading
Tomohiko, Harada, and Sakudoo Yotaro. (1993) The Culture and History of Kansai. Trans. by Tsuneyoshi Matsuno. Osaka, Japan: TM International Academy.
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