Kinki Region

History

History of Kinki Region

•First permanent Capital located in Nara•Location of five of Japan's thirteen World Heritage Sites•Horyu-ji•Himeji Castle•Kiyomizu-dera•Todai-ji•Mount Koya•Capital Moved to Heian-kyo

History of Kyoto

•Originally founded as Heian-kyo in 794•Capitol moved from Nara to Nagaoka and then from Nagaoka to Heian-kyo•Fallen into a state of disrepair by the mid sixteenth century•Restored to greatness under the rules of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi•Capitol moved to Edo (Tokyo) in the seventeenth century by the Tokugawa Shogunate•During WWII protected from extensive bombing by US Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson•Kyoto University home to Japan's first modern philosophical school of though, The Kyoto School

Geography

Yodo River

•Flows through Osaka and into the Osaka Bay

•It is a source of water for irrigation and is used for power in the process of hydroelectricity. 

Yodo River

•Yoshinoyama: has lots of Cherry Blossoms

•Koyayama: temple mountain

Cities

Kyoto•Once served as the Imperial Capital of Japan

•Kyoto means Capital City

•Has also been called Kyo, Miyako, and Kyo no Miyako

•The city transformed into a war zone, with mansions transformed into fortresses

•Kyoto still maintaining a large number of original buildings

Kyoto•Found in the Kyoto basin

•One of the best preserved cities in Japan

•Tourism a big industry, voted second most beautiful city in Japan

•Home to the Japanese film industry, and Manga museum

•Electronics companies centered there such as Nintendo and Kyocera

Osaka

•Name means large slope

•Considered center of commerce

•During the day the population grows to 3.7 million, from 2.6 million at night.

•Gourmet capital of Japan

•Estimated inhabitation since 5-6th century bc

•Served as an early seaport

Osaka

•Open on the west to Osaka bay

•Surrounded on the other sides by 10 smaller cities

•Several different business districts

•24 Wards in Osaka

•Kansai International Airport built on a man-made island off the coast

Attractions

Osaka Castle – Osaka

Osaka Castle – Osaka

Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion - In Kyoto

Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion - In Kyoto

Nishiki Market – In Kyoto

Nishiki Market – In Kyoto

Gion Matsuri Festival - in Kyoto

Gion Matsuri Festival - in Kyoto

Iga-ryu Ninja Museum – in Mie

Iga-ryu Ninja Museum – in Mie