| Hyōgo Prefecture | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Kansai |
| Capital | Kobe |
| Surface | 8 400.96 km² |
| Inhabitants | 5.502.987 (2017) |
| Tourism site | |
| Institutional website | |
There Hyōgo Prefecture (兵 庫 県 Hyōgo-ken) is a prefecture of Japan.
To know
Geographical notes
Hyōgo prefecture is located in the western region of Kansai, on the main Japanese island of Honshu.
Background
When Japan's prefecture system was inaugurated in the early Meiji era, most modern prefectures were made up of one or two of the old Japanese provinces (Hiroshima was once a province of Bingo and Aki, Nara was once a province of Yamato). Hyogo, however, inherited three entire provinces and sections of two others. These include:
- Tajima - In the north of Hyogo, along the Sea of Japan
- Harima - In the southwest of Hyogo, along the Inland Sea, home to Himeji
- L'Awaji island - At the entrance to the Inland Sea, culturally linked to Shikoku
- Tamba - Shared with the prefecture of Kyoto, in the northeast of Hyogo
- Settsu - Shared with the prefecture of Osaka, that hosts Kobe and the area of Hanshin
While these provinces no longer exist administratively, they were part of Hyogo with distinct regional dialects and identities. This combination has made Hyogo one of Japan's geographically and culturally most diverse prefectures, and the only one to cover the entire width of the central island of Honshu.
Territories and tourist destinations
Hyōgo Prefecture: full screen map.Urban centers
- Kobe (神 戸) - The capital of the prefecture, a port city with an international flavor
- Aioi (相 生)
- Akashi (明石) - Dynamic fish market and the longest suspension bridge in the world
- Akō (赤 穂)
- Fukusaki (福 崎)
- Himeji (姫 路) -
It houses the most beautiful castle in Japan. - Kinosaki (城 崎) - A neighborhood in the city of Toyooka famous for its onsen (hot springs).
- Nishinomiya (西宮) - Home of the Koshien stadium and of "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya"
- Takarazuka (宝 塚) - Famous for its female-only theater magazine and the Tezuka Osamu Museum
- Takasago (高 砂)
- Tatsuno (た つ の)
It houses the most beautiful castle in Japan.Other destinations
- 1 Arima Onsen (有 馬 温泉) - Historic spa town, separated from Kobe from a hill
- 2 Awaji Island (淡 路 島) - Onion farms and large bridges for Shikoku
How to get
By plane
The prefecture's only significant airport is theKobe airport (IATA UKB), which serves a limited variety of domestic destinations.
Adjacent to the Osaka prefecture, L'Kansai International Airport (IATA KIX) is a major international hub and Osaka Itami (formally Osaka International Airport, IATA ITM) is the busiest and best served domestic airport in the country Kansai. Hyogo - Itami is only 40 minutes by bus from downtown Kobe.
How to get around
What see
- The Navel Park of Japan (Nihon no Heso Kouen). Located in the city of Nishiwaki, this park marks the geographic center of Japan, locally called its navel. There's a large navel monument, and the park is also home to a children's science museum. If you go to their planetarium you can see the massive telescope. PLEASE NOTE that the actual center is not in the park, but down a hill, the train station, through a small tunnel and along the Kakogawa River. Don't miss the charming art gallery near the train station.
- Himeji Castle. One of the best castles in Japan, a 5 year renovation was successfully completed.
What to do
- Meditation (Antaiji (安泰 寺)), Kutoyama, Shin-onsen-cho, Mikata-gun. This is not a guest house. Antaiji is a monastery in the Soto Zen school. It was founded in 1923 and made famous by Sawaki Kodo Roshi and his pupil, and later abbot, Kosho Uchiyama Roshi. Many practitioners have practiced in Antaiji and continues to welcome serious trainees abroad for short and long term stays.
At the table
Safety
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Hyōgo Prefecture
Commons contains images or other files on Hyōgo Prefecture
