The terms Kansai (関西), Kinki (近畿), andKinai (畿内) have their roots during theAsuka period. When theold provinces of Japan were established, several provinces in the area around the then-capitalYamato Province were collectively named Kinai and Kinki, both roughly meaning "the neighbourhood of the capital".
Kansai (literallywest of the tollgate) in its original usage refers to the land west of the Osaka Tollgate (逢坂関), the border betweenYamashiro Province andŌmi Province (present-dayKyoto andShiga prefectures).[4] During theKamakura period, this border was redefined to includeŌmi andIga Provinces.[4] It is not until theEdo period that Kansai came to acquire its current form.[5] (seeKamigata)
While the use of the terms "Kansai" and "Kinki" have changed over history, in most modern contexts the use of the two terms is interchangeable. The term "Kinai", once synonymous with Kinki, now refers to theKyoto–Osaka–Kobe (Keihanshin) area at the center of the Kansai region. Like allregions of Japan, the Kansai region is not an administrative unit, but rather a cultural and historical one, which emerged much later during theHeian period after the expansion of Japan saw the development of theKantō region to the east and the need to differentiate what was previously the center of Japan in Kansai emerged.
The name "Kinki" is pronounced similarly to the English word "kinky", which means "twisted" or "perverted". This has become a problem due tointernationalization, and some organizations have changed their name as a result.
In April 2016, Kinki University (近畿大学,Kinki Daigaku) changed its English name toKindai University.[6][7]Keizai sangyō-kyoku (経済産業局,Kinki Bureau of Economy) uses "Kansai" in English notation, andKinki Unyukyoku (近畿運輸局,Kinki Transport Bureau) also uses "Kansai" in English notation since 2015.[8] In addition, theKinki shōkō kaigi-sho rengō-kai (近畿商工会議所連合会,Kinki Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association) changed its name to "Kansai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association" on July 22, 2015.[9] In the fall of 2014,Kansai Keizai Rengōkai (公益社団法人関西経済連合会,Kansai Economic Federation) asked the government to unify the name of the local agency to "Kansai".[8] On June 28, 2003, the English name of the major private railway companyKintetsu Railway was changed fromKinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. to the official abbreviation Kintetsu Corporation. It was subsequently changed again toKintetsu Railway Co., Ltd. on April 1, 2015.
Geofeatures map of KansaiKansai region, satellite photoTheAkashi Kaikyō Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world until 2022, with a centre span of 1,991 m
The Kansai region is often compared with theKantō region, which lies to its east and consists primarily ofTokyo and the surrounding area. Whereas the Kantō region is symbolic of standardization throughout Japan, the Kansai region displays many more idiosyncrasies – the culture inKyoto, the mercantilism ofOsaka, the history ofNara, or the cosmopolitanism ofKobe – and represents the focus ofcounterculture in Japan. This East-West rivalry has deep historical roots, particularly from theEdo period. With a samurai population of less than 1% the culture of the merchant city of Osaka stood in sharp contrast to that ofEdo, the seat of power for theTokugawa shogunate.[12][13][14][15]
Many characteristic traits of Kansai people descend from Osaka merchant culture. Catherine Maxwell, an editor for the newsletterOmusubi, writes: "Kansai residents are seen as being pragmatic, entrepreneurial, down-to-earth and possessing a strong sense of humor. Kantō 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."[12][16]
Kansai is known for its food, especially Osaka, as supported by the saying "Kyotoites are ruined by overspending on clothing, Osakans are ruined by overspending on food." (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ,Kyō no Kidaore, Ōsaka no Kuidaore). Popular Osakan dishes includetakoyaki,okonomiyaki,kitsune udon andkushikatsu. Kyoto is considered a mecca of traditionalJapanese cuisine likekaiseki. Kansai has manywagyu brands such asKobe beef andTajima cattle from Hyōgo,Matsusaka beef from Mie andŌmi beef from Shiga.Sake is another specialty of the region, the areas ofNada-Gogō andFushimi produce 45% of all sake in Japan.[17] As opposed to food from Eastern Japan, food in the Kansai area tends to be sweeter, and foods such asnattō tend to be less popular.[12][16]
Thedialects of the people from the Kansai region, commonly calledKansai-ben, have their own variations of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. Kansai-ben is the group of dialects spoken in the Kansai area, but is often treated as a dialect in its own right.
The Kansai region lays claim to the earliest beginnings of Japanese civilization. It wasNara, the most eastern point on theSilk Road, that became the site of Japan's first permanent capital.[20] Thisperiod (AD 710–784) saw the spread ofBuddhism to Japan and the construction ofTōdai-ji in 745. The Kansai region also boasts theShinto religion's holiest shrine atIse Shrine (built in 690 AD) inMie prefecture.[21]
TheHeian period saw the capital moved toHeian-kyō (平安京, present-dayKyoto), where it would remain for over a thousand years until theMeiji Restoration. During this golden age, the Kansai region would give birth to traditional Japanese culture. In 788,Saicho, the founder of theTendai sect of Buddhism established his monastery atMount Hiei inShiga prefecture. Japan's most famous tale, and some say the world's first novel,The Tale of Genji was penned byMurasaki Shikibu while performing as alady-in-waiting in Heian-kyo.Noh andKabuki, Japan's traditional dramatic forms both saw their birth and evolution in Kyoto, whileBunraku, Japanese puppet theater, is native toOsaka.
The economy of Kansai region is largely based on that ofKeihanshin (Greater Osaka) metropolitan area. Keihanshin metropolitan area contains theHanshin Industrial Region and is centered mainly around chemical, metal, and other heavy industries. Keihanshin region also contains strong medical and electronics industries within its economy.
International schools have served expatriates in the Kansai region since 1909. Outside of Tokyo and Yokohama, Kansai has the largest number of international schools.
In 1909,Deutsche Schule Kobe was founded to serve German, Austrian and German-speaking Swiss expatriates, traders and missionaries living in the Kobe area.[26] After a long history of teaching a German curriculum, the school changed to The Primary Years Programme (PYP) in 2002. Today,Deutsche Schule Kobe/European School provides curriculum in three languages: German, English, and Japanese.
In 1913, Canadian Methodist Academy opened its doors to sixteen children.[27] The school, renamedCanadian Academy in 1917, served children of missionary parents from grade one through high school and offered boarding facilities for students from throughout Asia. Today, the day and boarding school offers a PreK to Grade 12 education on the campus onRokkō Island, a human-made island. The school, which is no longer affiliated with Canada or the church, is the largest school for expatriates in Kansai. The school is approved by the Japanese Ministry of Education and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)[28] and the Council of International Schools.[29] The school awards both theInternational Baccalaureate (IB) and U.S. high school diplomas.
The number of international schools burgeoned after World War II.
In 1946, St. Michael's International School was established by Anglican Bishop Michael Yashiro and Miss Leonora Lee, a British missionary.[30] Today, the school offers a distinctive British-style primary education based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales. The school has joint accreditation from the Council of International Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Brother Charles Fojoucyk and Brother Stephen Weber foundedMarist Brothers International School in 1951 after communist authorities pressured them to leave Tientsin, China.[31] Today, the international Montessori - Grade 12 school enrolls approximately 300 students. The school is accredited by theWestern Association of Schools and Colleges.
In 1957, a missionary homeschooled her son, his best friend and another student in their home. The next year, the home turned into Kyoto Christian Day School and a full-time teacher was hired.[32] The school was renamedKyoto International School in 1966. Today, the school serves students from two to fourteen years old. The school has been accredited by theWestern Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) since 1992 and authorized by theInternational Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) since 2006.
^UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Japan, retrieved January 17, 2007 – Kiyomizu-Dera, Todai-ji, and Mount Koya are part of collections of sites and chosen as representative
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![Daisen Kofun, the largest burial mound in the world[33]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNintokuTomb_Aerial_photograph_2007.jpg)
