Kansai is a region in Western Honshu which contains the prefectures of Hyogo-ken, Osaka-fu, Kyoto-fu, Shiga-ken, Mie-ken, Nara-ken, and Wakayama-ken. The major cities in this region are Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe.

Kansai is also a good place to go in Japan if you want a sample of what Japan has to offer without having to travel far and wide. Experience the big city life in Osaka, step back into traditional Japan in Kyoto, see Japan's vision of the future in Kobe, experience rural Japan in Shiga-ken, and hike your way around spectacular mountain ranges and coastal areas in Mie-ken and Wakayama-ken.

Here's a bit of the local dialect: for "thank you" while the common Japanese "Arigato" is used regularly, if you really want to put a smile on the face of a local say "Okini!"

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