Kansai region

What does an ordinary person associate Japan with? Tokyo, Fujiyama volcano, sushi, tea ceremony, anime, karate and aikido. Meanwhile, every corner of this amazing country can boast of its own features and attractions, interesting legends and colorful holidays.

There are so many interesting places and facts that it is impossible to fit in one material. Therefore, we have prepared a series of articles, and the first article is devoted to the Kansai region. Subscribe to the channel so as not to miss the rest of the materials.The Kansai region is located in the west of Japan and has a special flavor. The Kansai dialect is known far beyond the borders of the country, and millions of people want to try sushi in Kansai. Kansai includes 7 prefectures, each of them will be considered in more detail.

Mie Prefecture is famous for the Ise Temple complex, where the shrine of the sun goddess is located. One of the imperial regalia is kept here – a mirror, with the help of which the gods lured Amaterasu shut up in a cave. For a long time, the main priestesses in the temple of Ise were the daughters of Japanese emperors. Now many festivals are held in the sanctuary, where you can admire the ritual dances and ceremonial vestments of the participants.The Kumano-kodo pilgrimage trails leading to sacred mountains and shrines, including Ise, are one of the symbols of Mie Prefecture. In 2004, they received UNESCO World Heritage Status.The Iga province, which was one of the main ninja centers in the country, is located on the territory of Mie. Here is the largest ninja museum, as well as a castle of the XVI century. It is also believed that the most famous haiku-writing poet, Matsuo Basho, was born in Iga.

Some of the Kumano-kodo trails end in Wakayama Prefecture. One of them leads to Mount Koya, where there are temples of the Shingon Buddhist school, the first of which was founded by the famous monk Kukai, the creator of this school. The famous samurai of the Sengoku period, Sanada Yukimura, spent a long time on Mount Koya.In Wakayama Prefecture is Nachi no taki, the highest waterfall in Japan. It is believed that his spirit dwells in the shrine of Kumano-Nachi-Taisha, to which one of the trails of Kumano-kodo also leads.The city of Taiji is home to the world's largest whale museum, where you can look at whaling tools and chat with dolphins and whales. Also in this city there are the oldest in the country kudzira-torii – torii made of whale bones.

The main attraction of Shiga Prefecture is Lake Biwa, the largest in Japan. In addition to its size, it is also impressive in age – only Baikal and Tanganyika are older than it. Due to the amazing scenery and proximity to Kyoto, the Battle is often mentioned in classical literature, especially in the works of the Heian period. The lake is home to more than a thousand species of animals, including endemics. Two of them – the giant catfish of Lake Biwa and the crucian nigorobuna - even represent the prefecture in a series of commemorative coins.On the shore of Lake Biwa is the capital of the prefecture, the city of the Father, famous for the fact that in 1891 an attempt was made on the future Emperor Nicholas II.Near Otsu is the famous Mount Hiei, the location of many Buddhist monasteries. The oldest among them is Enryaku-ji, founded at the end of the VIII century by the Site that created the Tendai school of Buddhism.There is also another famous monastery on Mount Hiei – Mii-dera. A popular legend is associated with his bell. One day, the legendary monk Benkei decided to steal the bell of the Miidera temple. Despite its severity, Benkei carried out his plan without any problems. However, the bell instead of ringing began to complain and ask to return it back, and Benkei had to take it back to Mii-dera.Shiga Prefecture is also home to Koga County, which was home to several ninja clans during the Edo era. Now, not far from the city of Conan, there is a museum dedicated to them, where you can learn about the history of the ninja, their weapons and medicines.

Hyogo Prefecture is famous for Far Eastern storks, rare endangered birds. In Hyogo there is a specialized park engaged in breeding and adaptation of storks in nature. In 1971, the population of Far Eastern storks completely disappeared in Japan, then ecologists of Hyogo Prefecture appealed to representatives of the Khabarovsk Territory with a request to transfer 6 stork chicks to Japan, which was done. Now there are about 150 individuals of this species in Japan. Hyogo Prefecture and Khabarovsk Krai are still actively working together to preserve the Far Eastern stork.The port city of Kobe is located in Hyogo, where the Kitano quarter is located, which has preserved the European-style buildings of the late XIX - early XX century. Also in Kobe there is the oldest mosque in Japan, which is still functioning today. In addition, Kobe has the Akashi-Kaike, the largest suspension bridge in the world. It connects the city with the island of Awaji. In addition to the historical buildings of the Kitano quarter, tourists in Kobe are attracted by the annual festival of light, which attracts 3-4 million people.In the city of Himeji there is a castle of the same name, which is the most popular among tourists. The greatest influx of visitors is observed during hanami, cherry blossom, which attracts not only foreigners, but also the Japanese themselves. The castle has the status of a national treasure of Japan and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.In Hyogo there is also the city of Akko, the former capital of the eponymous principality, whose ruler was avenged by 47 Ronins. This story has not lost popularity for hundreds of years, the famous Kabuki Theater play "Tyusingura" is based on it, and today it gathers full halls, as well as numerous ukiyo-e paintings and movies, including "47 Ronin" with Keanu Reeves. Ako hosts an annual festival dedicated to the faithful Ronin.

Nara Prefecture is famous for its ancient Buddhist and Shinto temples. The city of Ikaruga is home to the Horyuji Temple, considered the oldest temple in Japan and one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world.In the city of Terni, the legendary Totsuka-no-Tsurugi sword is kept in the Isonokami shrine, with which the god Susanoo defeated the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi. In addition to him, there is a special sword with 7 blades in the collection of the sanctuary.In the center of the province, the city of Nara, which was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784, there is the Todai-ji temple - the largest wooden structure in the world, famous for the huge 30-meter statue of Buddha Vairochana. In some columns of the temple there is an opening called the Buddha's nostrils. It is believed that whoever climbs through it will gain enlightenment. Pilgrims trying to do this often get stuck, and other visitors have to pull them out.In addition to Todaiji, the Kasuga Shrine, the ancestral temple of the Fujiwara clan, is located in Nara. There is a huge collection of lanterns in the sanctuary, there are about 3 thousand of them in total. A garden has been operating at the temple for several centuries. One of the oldest plants is considered to be wisteria, growing at the gate, it is about 800 years old. On the territory of Kaluga there is a museum with the most complete collection of objects from the Heian era.

In Osaka Prefecture is the city of Saki, where the kofun (burial) of Emperor Nintoku is located, which is the largest kofun in Japan and one of the largest burials in the world. Kofun is a mound in the form of a keyhole and has several steps. Also in Sakai is the house of Seng no Rikyu, a master of the tea ceremony, who had a huge influence on the development of this art.The center of Osaka Prefecture is the city of the same name, the third most populous in Japan. Its main attraction is the castle, built at the end of the XVI century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the unifiers of the country. In 1614-1615, the fall of Osaka Castle after a long siege allowed Tokugawa Ieyasu to become the sole ruler of Japan. The next fall of Osaka Castle, which occurred in 1868, and its subsequent burning marked the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

The center of Kyoto Prefecture, the heart of the Kansai region– is the city of the same name, the second most populous in Japan, the former capital of the country for more than a thousand years from 794 to 1869. Some researchers claim that de jure Kyoto is still the capital of Japan, since the emperor did not sign the decree on its transfer to Tokyo. In any case, the title of the cultural capital of Kyoto is rightfully.On its territory there are a huge number of historical monuments dating back to the Heian and Edo periods, millions of tourists come to see the famous Golden and Silver temples, look into the windows of enlightenment and delusion in the Genko-an temple, visit the richest museums and magnificent festivals of Gion, Jidai and Miyako Odori, look at the "view of 10 thousand gold" opening from the main gate of the sammon temple of Nanzen-ji, see the well of the Rokudo-Tinno-ji temple, through which Ono no Takamura descended into Hell, visit all places, related to the Bakumatsu era and do many more interesting things.

What does an ordinary person associate Japan with? Tokyo, Fujiyama volcano, sushi, tea ceremony, anime, karate and aikido. Meanwhile, every corner of this amazing country can boast of its own features and attractions, interesting legends and colorful holidays.

There are so many interesting places and facts that it is impossible to fit in one material. Therefore, we have prepared a series of articles, and the first article is devoted to the Kansai region. Subscribe to the channel so as not to miss the rest of the materials.The Kansai region is located in the west of Japan and has a special flavor. The Kansai dialect is known far beyond the borders of the country, and millions of people want to try sushi in Kansai. Kansai includes 7 prefectures, each of them will be considered in more detail.

Mie Prefecture is famous for the Ise Temple complex, where the shrine of the sun goddess is located. One of the imperial regalia is kept here – a mirror, with the help of which the gods lured Amaterasu shut up in a cave. For a long time, the main priestesses in the temple of Ise were the daughters of Japanese emperors. Now many festivals are held in the sanctuary, where you can admire the ritual dances and ceremonial vestments of the participants.The Kumano-kodo pilgrimage trails leading to sacred mountains and shrines, including Ise, are one of the symbols of Mie Prefecture. In 2004, they received UNESCO World Heritage Status.The Iga province, which was one of the main ninja centers in the country, is located on the territory of Mie. Here is the largest ninja museum, as well as a castle of the XVI century. It is also believed that the most famous haiku-writing poet, Matsuo Basho, was born in Iga.

Some of the Kumano-kodo trails end in Wakayama Prefecture. One of them leads to Mount Koya, where there are temples of the Shingon Buddhist school, the first of which was founded by the famous monk Kukai, the creator of this school. The famous samurai of the Sengoku period, Sanada Yukimura, spent a long time on Mount Koya.In Wakayama Prefecture is Nachi no taki, the highest waterfall in Japan. It is believed that his spirit dwells in the shrine of Kumano-Nachi-Taisha, to which one of the trails of Kumano-kodo also leads.The city of Taiji is home to the world's largest whale museum, where you can look at whaling tools and chat with dolphins and whales. Also in this city there are the oldest in the country kudzira-torii – torii made of whale bones.

The main attraction of Shiga Prefecture is Lake Biwa, the largest in Japan. In addition to its size, it is also impressive in age – only Baikal and Tanganyika are older than it. Due to the amazing scenery and proximity to Kyoto, the Battle is often mentioned in classical literature, especially in the works of the Heian period. The lake is home to more than a thousand species of animals, including endemics. Two of them – the giant catfish of Lake Biwa and the crucian nigorobuna - even represent the prefecture in a series of commemorative coins.On the shore of Lake Biwa is the capital of the prefecture, the city of the Father, famous for the fact that in 1891 an attempt was made on the future Emperor Nicholas II.Near Otsu is the famous Mount Hiei, the location of many Buddhist monasteries. The oldest among them is Enryaku-ji, founded at the end of the VIII century by the Site that created the Tendai school of Buddhism.There is also another famous monastery on Mount Hiei – Mii-dera. A popular legend is associated with his bell. One day, the legendary monk Benkei decided to steal the bell of the Miidera temple. Despite its severity, Benkei carried out his plan without any problems. However, the bell instead of ringing began to complain and ask to return it back, and Benkei had to take it back to Mii-dera.Shiga Prefecture is also home to Koga County, which was home to several ninja clans during the Edo era. Now, not far from the city of Conan, there is a museum dedicated to them, where you can learn about the history of the ninja, their weapons and medicines.

Hyogo Prefecture is famous for Far Eastern storks, rare endangered birds. In Hyogo there is a specialized park engaged in breeding and adaptation of storks in nature. In 1971, the population of Far Eastern storks completely disappeared in Japan, then ecologists of Hyogo Prefecture appealed to representatives of the Khabarovsk Territory with a request to transfer 6 stork chicks to Japan, which was done. Now there are about 150 individuals of this species in Japan. Hyogo Prefecture and Khabarovsk Krai are still actively working together to preserve the Far Eastern stork.The port city of Kobe is located in Hyogo, where the Kitano quarter is located, which has preserved the European-style buildings of the late XIX - early XX century. Also in Kobe there is the oldest mosque in Japan, which is still functioning today. In addition, Kobe has the Akashi-Kaike, the largest suspension bridge in the world. It connects the city with the island of Awaji. In addition to the historical buildings of the Kitano quarter, tourists in Kobe are attracted by the annual festival of light, which attracts 3-4 million people.In the city of Himeji there is a castle of the same name, which is the most popular among tourists. The greatest influx of visitors is observed during hanami, cherry blossom, which attracts not only foreigners, but also the Japanese themselves. The castle has the status of a national treasure of Japan and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.In Hyogo there is also the city of Akko, the former capital of the eponymous principality, whose ruler was avenged by 47 Ronins. This story has not lost popularity for hundreds of years, the famous Kabuki Theater play "Tyusingura" is based on it, and today it gathers full halls, as well as numerous ukiyo-e paintings and movies, including "47 Ronin" with Keanu Reeves. Ako hosts an annual festival dedicated to the faithful Ronin.

Nara Prefecture is famous for its ancient Buddhist and Shinto temples. The city of Ikaruga is home to the Horyuji Temple, considered the oldest temple in Japan and one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world.In the city of Terni, the legendary Totsuka-no-Tsurugi sword is kept in the Isonokami shrine, with which the god Susanoo defeated the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi. In addition to him, there is a special sword with 7 blades in the collection of the sanctuary.In the center of the province, the city of Nara, which was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784, there is the Todai-ji temple - the largest wooden structure in the world, famous for the huge 30-meter statue of Buddha Vairochana. In some columns of the temple there is an opening called the Buddha's nostrils. It is believed that whoever climbs through it will gain enlightenment. Pilgrims trying to do this often get stuck, and other visitors have to pull them out.In addition to Todaiji, the Kasuga Shrine, the ancestral temple of the Fujiwara clan, is located in Nara. There is a huge collection of lanterns in the sanctuary, there are about 3 thousand of them in total. A garden has been operating at the temple for several centuries. One of the oldest plants is considered to be wisteria, growing at the gate, it is about 800 years old. On the territory of Kaluga there is a museum with the most complete collection of objects from the Heian era.

In Osaka Prefecture is the city of Saki, where the kofun (burial) of Emperor Nintoku is located, which is the largest kofun in Japan and one of the largest burials in the world. Kofun is a mound in the form of a keyhole and has several steps. Also in Sakai is the house of Seng no Rikyu, a master of the tea ceremony, who had a huge influence on the development of this art.The center of Osaka Prefecture is the city of the same name, the third most populous in Japan. Its main attraction is the castle, built at the end of the XVI century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the unifiers of the country. In 1614-1615, the fall of Osaka Castle after a long siege allowed Tokugawa Ieyasu to become the sole ruler of Japan. The next fall of Osaka Castle, which occurred in 1868, and its subsequent burning marked the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

The center of Kyoto Prefecture, the heart of the Kansai region– is the city of the same name, the second most populous in Japan, the former capital of the country for more than a thousand years from 794 to 1869. Some researchers claim that de jure Kyoto is still the capital of Japan, since the emperor did not sign the decree on its transfer to Tokyo. In any case, the title of the cultural capital of Kyoto is rightfully.On its territory there are a huge number of historical monuments dating back to the Heian and Edo periods, millions of tourists come to see the famous Golden and Silver temples, look into the windows of enlightenment and delusion in the Genko-an temple, visit the richest museums and magnificent festivals of Gion, Jidai and Miyako Odori, look at the "view of 10 thousand gold" opening from the main gate of the sammon temple of Nanzen-ji, see the well of the Rokudo-Tinno-ji temple, through which Ono no Takamura descended into Hell, visit all places, related to the Bakumatsu era and do many more interesting things.