KANSAI (KINKI) - JAPAN

Kansai (関西) or Kinki (近畿) lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island, Honshu. It includes the prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, Wakayama and Shiga. The Kansai area is the second most populous area of Japan, after the Kanto Area.

Kansai abounds with Japanese historical attractions, such as temples and shrines, since Kansai is including the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara. These days Japanese people often compare Kansai with Kanto, which includes Tokyo. In this case Kansai, basically, means Osaka. For example, Kansai vs Kanto dialects, food and art – for example, Manzai which is slapstick and wisecracks by a comedy duo.

People from other regions tend to think of Kansai people as comedians, because Kansai people speak with a distinct dialect … like comedians. Osaka with its “regular guy” atmosphere is one of the great places to sample Japanese urban life in all its mind-boggling intensity, while Wakayama, or other places away from Osaka, have so many beautiful rural areas you might be confused which deep mountains you are in. Nowadays Kyoto is mixed with the modern and the traditional sides of Japan.