hajime SASAKI

National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter

If you were wondering about visiting Japan (京都:Kyoto, 大阪:Osaka, 奈良:Nara, 兵庫:Hyogo, in particular) and hiring a local guide, I would like to make an itinerary considering your interests and time schedule of visiting Japan.

Where is Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hyogo?

There are 47 prefectures in Japan. 京都:Kyoto, 大阪:Osaka, 奈良:Nara, 兵庫:Hyogo are categorized as 関西:KANSAI region. If you were interested in other prefectures or Japanese letters, I would like you to check mobile apps I mode below.

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京都:Kyoto

Kyoto is an ancient capital of Japan for over thousand years (from 794, when Kyoto became the imperial capital at the time of Emperor Kanmu, to 1869, when the capital moves to Tokyo). Kyoto is also a religious center of Japan since there are about 1600 Buddhist temples in the city as well as about 300 Shinto shrines. Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto was inscribed on The UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.

Osaka developed earlier in ancient times than Nara and Kyoto. In the 5th century, Emperor nintoku built his capital in Osaka. And, after Taika Reform in 645, the first full-scale capital was established. Osaka is the third-largest city in Japan, with the population of over 2.6 million. The city was noted for several canals connected with rivers and the sea, which formed a large network of watercourses until the middle of the 19th century.

Nara became the imperial capital in 710 when Emperor Genmei transferred the capital to Heijo-kyo in Nara. The city is full of places of historic and artistic interest. Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area was inscribed on The UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara was inscribed on The UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

Kobe city (the population of 1.5 million), where belongs to Hyogo prefecture, is one of the two largest port cities in Japan, since Yokohama city (the second largest city, with the population of about 3.7 million) is the largest one. The city is located between mountains and Seto Inland Sea. Akashi city, where is next to Kobe, is noted for the longest suspension bridge in the world.