Kansai and Hokuriku Region Overview

The Kansai Region

Prefectures in the Kansai Region

Kanji Hiragana Alphabet

1. 京都府　きょうとふ　Kyoto Fu

2. 大阪府　おおさかふ　Osaka Fu

3. 滋賀県　しがけん　Shiga Ken

4. 奈良県　ならけん　Nara Ken

5. 和歌山県　わかやまけん　Wakayama Ken

6. 三重県　みえけん　Mie Ken

7. 兵庫県　ひょうごけん　Hyogo Ken

Kansai Region

The Kansai Region is located in Central western Japan and is home to some familiar cities of Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Kobe. Some less familiar cities of Ise, Otsu, Wakayama, Miyazu, Fukuchiyama, Takarazuka, Takashima, Omihachiman to name a few, and many more traditional villages, beautiful mountain towns, costal fishing villages, lush valleys, and deep forests. This region of Japan has natural beauty, modern cities, traditional culture, foods and tastes different from other regions of Japan. The spoken Japanese here is called Kansai Dialect but it consists of an array of many different dialects that vary from sometimes village to village for instance Kyoto Dialect which is called Miyako Kotoba by locals. If you really enjoy Japanese culture and nature this regions is a great place to travel and live.

京都市中京区寺町商店街 Kyoto City Nakagyouku Teramachi Shoutengai

Tera Machi Shoutengai is located near Shi jou dori and Oike Dori in Kyoto. Great place to shop but usually busy with a lot of shopers. If your interested in a more local place to go shopping try the San Jou Kai shoutengai located between Horikawa Dori and Sen Bon Dori. I will be writing about San Jou Kai Shoutengai in a later post.

京都府京都市嵐山This is a bamboo forest in Arashiyama in Kyoto Fu

京都御所The imperial palace in Kyoto in July of 2022

八幡堀 Hanchiman Canal in Omi Hachiman City in Shiga perfecture

おかげ横丁三重県伊勢市 Okage Yokucho near Ise Shrine in Mie Perfecture in Ise City

Hokuriku Region

The Hokuriku Region

福井県　ふくいけん　Fukui Ken

石川県　いしかわけんIshikawa Ken

富山県　とやまけん　Toyama Ken

The Hokuriku Region is located in North Central Japan. With its crystal clear blue waters, snow capped mountain peaks, mountain temples and shrines, green valleys, and old growth forests this region has an abundants of natural beauty not seen in many other parts of Japan. It is a great place to live.

Diverse Japanese Culture

This regions has a diverse culture that blends the Kansai area central Japan. The culture in this regions reflects Kyoto. Prior to the Meiji period throughout the history of this region, it was heavily depended on trade and commerce with Heiankyo now modern day Kyoto. The dialect spoken in Ishikawa prefecture is a form of Kansai dialect. Kanazawa is one of the oldest cities in Japan and had a wide variety of buildings and traditional architecture from the Meiji era and edo period.

Matsuri

祭り　まつり　Matsuri or festival in English, if you like traditional Japanese festivals this region in my opinion is the best. Traditional Matsuri's in this region can date as far as before the Edo period began. On Noto Hanto, Noto Pennsula alone from the months of July through October there are over 30 different festivals.

Abundance of Natural beauty and Traditional Culture

福井県南越前町河野道の駅 Fukui Ken Minami Echizen Machi Kono Michi No Eki. This is located on Route 8 and looking toward the city of Tsuruga and Tsuruga Pennsula.

石川県金沢市金沢城公園鼠多門 This is Nezumita Mon in Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Ken. This is the gate to Kanazawa Castle Park.

石川県能登町小木イカの駅 This is the giant squid of Ika No Eki in Ogi on Noto Pennsula.

石川県能登町あばれ祭り宇出津This is the Abare Matsuri in Noto Chou. It takes place every year on the first Friday and Saturday of July.

富山県氷見市This is a temple in Toyama Ken in Himi City.

富山県射水市海王丸This is the Kaiomaru in Imizu City in Toyama Ken

富山県入善市町北アルプスThe Japanese Kita Alps seen from Nyuzen Machi in Toyama Ken.

I hope you enjoyed my quick overview of both the Kansai and Hokuriku region.

Where ever you are or where ever your from in this beautiful world. Enjoy the beauty of life around you. Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Please visit my website, Your Guide to Kansai and the Hokuriku Region: https://www.yourkansaiguide.com/