Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
located in the
Kansai region
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...
of
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Tottori Prefecture is the least populous prefecture of Japan at 570,569 (2016) and has a geographic area of . Tottori Prefecture borders Shimane Prefecture to the west, Hiro ...
to the west.
Kōbe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, which ...
Himeji
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
,
Nishinomiya
270px, Nishinomiya City Hall
270px, Aerial view of Nishinomiya city center
270px, Hirota Shrine
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 484,368 in 218948 households and a population density of ...
, and
Amagasaki
270px, Amagasaki Castle
270px, Aerial view of Amagasaki city center
270px, Amagasaki Station
is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 455,555 in 223812 households, and a population de ...
. Hyōgo Prefecture's mainland stretches from the
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, i ...
archipelago
An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands.
Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Archi ...
of islands belonging to the prefecture are located. Hyōgo Prefecture is a major economic center,
transportation hub
A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles and/or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include railway stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stops, airports and ferry slips. F ...
, and tourist destination in western Japan, with 20% of the prefecture's land area designated as Natural Parks. Hyōgo Prefecture forms part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area, the second-most-populated urban region in Japan after the
Greater Tokyo area
The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, consisting of the Kantō region of Japan (including Tokyo Metropolis and the prefectures of Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tochigi) as well as the ...
and one of the world's most productive regions by
GDP
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is ofte ...
.
History
Present-day Hyōgo Prefecture includes the former
provinces
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Harima
or Banshū (播州) was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyōgo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tanba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji.
During the ...
Settsu
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
As of 2017, the city has an estimated population of 85,290 and a population density of 5,664 people per km². The total area is 14.88 km².
Surrounding municipalities
*Osaka Prefecture
**Higa ...
.
In 1180, near the end of the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese ...
,
Emperor Antoku
was the 81st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1180 through 1185.
During this time, the Imperial family was involved in a bitter struggle between warring clans. Minamoto no Yo ...
,
Taira no Kiyomori
was a military leader and ''kugyō'' of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan.
Early life
Kiyomori was born in Heian-kyō, Japan, in 1118 as the first so ...
, and the Imperial court moved briefly to Fukuhara, in what is now the city of Kobe. There the capital remained for five months.
Himeji Castle
is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji which is located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network o ...
, a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
, is in the city of Himeji.
Southern Hyōgo Prefecture was severely devastated by the 6.9 Mw
Great Hanshin earthquake
The , or Kobe earthquake, occurred on January 17, 1995, at 05:46:53 JST (January 16 at 20:46:53 UTC) in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, including the region known as Hanshin. It measured 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale and ha ...
of 1995, which destroyed major parts of Kobe and Awaji, as well as Takarazuka and neighboring Osaka Prefecture, killing nearly 6,500 people.
Geography
Hyōgo has coastlines on two seas: to the north, the
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, i ...
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
coastline in the
Kii Channel
The , also called the Kii Strait, is a strait separating the Japanese island of Shikoku from the Kii Peninsula on the main island of Honshū. This strait connects the Inland Sea with the Pacific Ocean.
The name of the strait derives from Ki ...
. The northern portion is sparsely populated, except for the city of Toyooka, and the central highlands are only populated by tiny villages. Most of Hyōgo's population lives on the southern coast, which is part of the
Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto
is a metropolitan region in the Kansai region of Japan encompassing the metropolitan areas of the cities of Kyoto in Kyoto Prefecture, Osaka in Osaka Prefecture and Kobe in Hyōgo Prefecture. The entire region has a population () of 19,302,746 ...
metropolitan area. Awaji is an island that separates the Inland Sea and
Osaka Bay
Osaka Bay (大阪湾 ''Ōsaka-wan'' ) is a bay in western Japan. As an eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea, it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Kii Channel and from the neighbor western part of the Inland Sea by the Akashi Strait. ...
, lying between Honshu and
Shikoku
is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
.
Summertime weather throughout Hyōgo is hot and humid. As for winter conditions in Hyōgo, the north of Hyōgo tends to receive abundant snow, whilst the south receives only the occasional flurry.
Hyōgo borders on Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture,
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Tottori Prefecture is the least populous prefecture of Japan at 570,569 (2016) and has a geographic area of . Tottori Prefecture borders Shimane Prefecture to the west, Hiro ...
Rokkō Island
is a man-made island in Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan. It is located in the southeast region of the Port of Kobe. The island has a rectangular shape, and covers . The residential area of the island, featuring apartment buildings—man ...
*
Port Island
is an artificial island in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan. It was constructed between 1966-1980 (Phase 1) and 1987-2009 (Phase 2) at Port of Kobe, and officially opened with an exposition called " Portopia '81." It now houses a heliport, numerous ho ...
National parks
*
Sanin Kaigan National Park
is a National Park in the Tottori, Hyōgo, and Kyōto Prefectures, Japan. Established in 1963, the park runs continuously along the Sea of Japan coast from Tottori to Kyōtango. The park covers 87.83 km². Sanin Kaigan National Park ...
*
Setonaikai National Park
is a Japanese national park, comprising areas of Japan's Seto Inland Sea, and of ten bordering prefectures. Designated a national park in 1934, it has since been expanded several times. It contains about 3,000 islands, known as the Setouchi ...
Kami
are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
)
File:TakenoBeach Hyogo prefecture.jpg,
Sanin Kaigan National Park
is a National Park in the Tottori, Hyōgo, and Kyōto Prefectures, Japan. Established in 1963, the park runs continuously along the Sea of Japan coast from Tottori to Kyōtango. The park covers 87.83 km². Sanin Kaigan National Park ...
(Takeno Beach in Toyooka)
File:Tajima mihonoura39st3200.jpg, Sanin Kaigan National Park (Tajima-mihonoura of Sanin Coast in Shinonsen)
Mergers
Future mergers
The city of Akō and the only town in Akō District ( Kamigōri), were scheduled to merge and the city would still retain the name Akō. Akō District would be defunct if the merger was successful. However, the merger hasn't taken place.
Economy
As in all prefectures nationwide, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries play a big role in the economy of Hyogo Prefecture.
Hyōgo Prefecture also has an IT industry, many heavy industries, metal and medical, Kobe Port being one of the largest ports in Japan. Kobe Port also hosts one of the world's fastest supercomputers, and Hyogo Prefecture passed laws to keep Kobe Port free of nuclear weapons (a
nuclear-free zone
A nuclear-free zone is an area in which nuclear weapons (see nuclear-weapon-free zone) and nuclear power plants are banned. The specific ramifications of these depend on the locale in question.
Nuclear-free zones usually neither address nor pro ...
) since the year 1975.
Hyōgo is a part of the
Hanshin Industrial Region
The is one of the largest industrial regions in Japan. Its name comes from the ''on''-reading of the kanji used to abbreviate the names of Osaka (大阪) and Kobe (神戸), the two largest cities in the megalopolis. The GDP of this area (Osaka ...
. There are two research institutes of Riken, natural sciences research institute in Japan, in Kobe and Harima. "
SPring-8
SPring-8 (an acronym of Super Photon Ring – 8 GeV) is a synchrotron radiation facility located in Sayo Town, Sayo District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, which is the main facility of Harima Science Garden City. It was developed jointly by RIKEN ...
", a synchrotron radiation facility, is in Harima.
Culture
National Treasures of Japan
*
Himeji Castle
is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji which is located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network o ...
in
Himeji
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
(
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
Ichijō-ji
is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in Kasai, Hyōgo, Japan.
It was first established in 650 at Emperor Kōtoku's request, and the temple complex and buildings have undergone several periods of destruction and reconstruction since its ...
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
*
Chōkō-ji
Chōkō-ji (朝光寺 ''Chōkōji'') is a Buddhist temple, in Yashiro, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.
History
According to the official record of the temple, this temple was originally constructed on the Mount Gongen in the 7th century, by Hodo-Shon ...
Kami, Hyōgo (Mikata)
is a town located in Mikata District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 16,256 in 6368 households and a population density of 44 persons per km². The total area of the town is . The Ojiro neighborhood of the ...
File:Jodoji Ono Hyogo01n3200.jpg, Jōdo-ji in Ono
File:Ichijoji Kasai13bs4272.jpg, Ichijo-ji in Kasai
File:Kakogawa Kakurinji12n4592.jpg, Kakurin-ji in Kakogawa
File:Hyogo-mikata-kami-kawai chorakuji-daibutsu.jpg, Chorakuji-daibutsu
Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Historic Buildings in Japan
Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art
is a purpose built municipal art gallery in Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It was opened in 2002.
The major collections of the museum are foreign and Japanese sculptures, foreign and Japanese prints, Western-style and Japanese-style ...
in Nada Ward,
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
.
*
Kobe City Museum
The opened in Kobe, Japan in 1982. It is one of Japan's many museums which are supported by a municipality.
The museum resulted from the merger of the Municipal Archaeological Art Museum and Municipal Namban Art Museum. The museum is housed ...
Kobe Maritime Museum
Kobe Maritime Museum is a museum in Kobe, Japan focusing on the history of Japanese shipping and Port of Kobe, Kobe harbor.
One of the exhibits is the ''Yamato 1''.
See also
*Port of Kobe
*Meriken Park
*Kobe Port Tower
External linksKobe Mariti ...
Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum
opened in 1934 in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan to display the collection of Kanō Jihei, seventh head of the . As such it was one of the first private Japanese museums, museums in Japan. The collection of some 1450 items includes two National T ...
Himeji City Museum of Art
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
in
Himeji
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum
is a masculine Japanese given name.
Possible writings
Osamu can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:
*治 "reign"
*修 "discipline"
*理 "logic"
*収 "obtain"
*紀 "chronicle"
*統 "rule"
The name can also be written in hir ...
in Takarazuka.
File:Hyogo prefectural museum of art08s3200.jpg,
Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art
is a purpose built municipal art gallery in Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It was opened in 2002.
The major collections of the museum are foreign and Japanese sculptures, foreign and Japanese prints, Western-style and Japanese-style ...
in
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
.
File:Kobe city museum01 1920.jpg,
Kobe City Museum
The opened in Kobe, Japan in 1982. It is one of Japan's many museums which are supported by a municipality.
The museum resulted from the merger of the Municipal Archaeological Art Museum and Municipal Namban Art Museum. The museum is housed ...
in Kobe.
File:Kosetsu Museum:香雪美術館 - panoramio.jpg, KOSETSU Museum of Art in Kobe.
File:Himeji City Museum of Art20bs4480.jpg,
Himeji City Museum of Art
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
in
Himeji
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
.
File:Asago Art Village08n4272.jpg, Asago Art Village in Asago.
File:Tezuka osamu01 2048.jpg, Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum in Takarazuka.
Takarazuka University
is a private university in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan, established in 1987.
Campus
*Takarazuka Campus (School of Art & Design and Media Design): 7-27, Hanayashiki-Tsutsujigaoka, Takarazuka, Hyogo ()
*Umeda Campus, Osaka (School of Nursing): 13-16, ...
*
Koshien University
Koshien University
is a private university in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the w ...
Sanda
*
Kwansei Gakuin University
, colloquially known as , is a private, non-denominational Christian coeducational university in Japan. The university offers Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees to around 25,000 students in almost 40 different disciplines across 11 ...
Otemae University
Otemae University ( ja, 大手前大学 Ōtemae Daigaku) is a liberal arts oriented school that began in 1946. It is in the Kansai region of Japan and has three campuses: one in Itami, one in Osaka, and a co-educational university in Nishinomi ...
*
Mukogawa Women's University
is a private university located near Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan, founded in 1939. It has an international branch campus in Spokane, Washington, USA: Mukogawa U.S. Campus.
History
* Feb 25, 1939 Educational Corporation Mukog ...
Kobe University
, also known in the Kansai region as , is a leading Japanese national university located in the city of Kobe, in Hyōgo. It was established in 1949, but the academic origins of Kobe University trace back to the establishment of Kobe Higher Comme ...
Kobe Gakuin University
is a private, co-educational university located on the western edge of the city of Kobe, in Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan. It was founded in 1966 and overlooks the city of Akashi, the Akashi Straits and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge - the longest susp ...
*
Kobe City University of Foreign Studies
, for short, is a municipal university in Japan. It is located in Gakuen-higashimachi, Nishi-ku, Kobe City.
History
It was founded in 1946 as , a coeducational college with a three-year curriculum. Kobe City was heavily damaged in World Wa ...
*
Kobe Women's University
is a private women's college in Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1940, and it was chartered as a university in 1966.
It has three campuses:
* in Sannomiya
* on Port Island
* in Suma (main campus)
See also
*Kob ...
*
Kobe Shukugawa Gakuin University
, colloquially abbreviated to , was a private non-sectarian and coeducational university located in Kobe, Japan. Established in 2007, it had been specialized in Tourism Studies. However, mainly due to the financial problems occurred in the manage ...
Konan University
is a university on the slopes of Mount Rokkō in Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Japan. A private university with approximately 10,000 students, it offers a wide variety of programs to Japanese students, as well as an international exchange program th ...
*
University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences
is a private university in Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, ...
*
University of Hyogo
The is a public university in Japan. Its headquarters is in Chuo-ku, Kobe City.
History
The University of Hyogo (UH) was established in April 2004 by integrating three universities which were run by Hyogo Prefecture government: , and th ...
Kato
*
Hyogo University of Teacher Education
is a national university in Katō, Hyōgo, Japan, founded as "New Concept University" of Teacher Education for Undergraduate and Graduate in 1978.
Graduate School satellite campus in Kobe was established in 2000.
See also
* Darryl Takizo Yagi ...
Akashi
*
University of Hyogo
The is a public university in Japan. Its headquarters is in Chuo-ku, Kobe City.
History
The University of Hyogo (UH) was established in April 2004 by integrating three universities which were run by Hyogo Prefecture government: , and th ...
University of Hyogo
The is a public university in Japan. Its headquarters is in Chuo-ku, Kobe City.
History
The University of Hyogo (UH) was established in April 2004 by integrating three universities which were run by Hyogo Prefecture government: , and th ...
Akō
*
University of Hyogo
The is a public university in Japan. Its headquarters is in Chuo-ku, Kobe City.
History
The University of Hyogo (UH) was established in April 2004 by integrating three universities which were run by Hyogo Prefecture government: , and th ...
High schools
There are 163 public and 52 private high schools within Hyogo prefecture. Of the public high schools, some are administered by the Hyogo prefectural government, whilst the others are administered by local municipalities.
*
Ashiya International Secondary School
Hyogo Prefectural Ashiya International Secondary School is a public, full-time, coeducational secondary school located in Hyogo prefect, Japan. The school motto is Respect, Integration, Contribution.
The students come from Australia, Austria, ...
, founded 2003
Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Hyōgo.
Football (soccer)
*
Vissel Kobe
is a Japanese professional football club based in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The team's home stadium is Noevir Stadium Kobe, in Hyōgo-ku, though some home matc ...
(
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
)
*
INAC Kobe Leonessa
INAC Kobe is a Japanese football club from Kobe, founded in 2001. INAC stands for International Athletic Club while Leonessa means Lioness in Italian.
In 2006 INAC Leonessa was promoted to the Nadeshiko.League, where it has played since 2020 ...
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
)
*
Hanshin Tigers
The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railwa ...
(
Nishinomiya
270px, Nishinomiya City Hall
270px, Aerial view of Nishinomiya city center
270px, Hirota Shrine
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 484,368 in 218948 households and a population density of ...
)
Volleyball
*
Hisamitsu Springs
is a women's volleyball team based in Kobe city, Hyogo and Tosu city, Saga, Japan. It plays in V.League 1. The club was founded in 1948.
In July 2020 the team announced an official name change from "Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Springs" to "Hi ...
(
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
)
*
JT Marvelous
is a women's volleyball team owned by Japan Tobacco Ltd., and based in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. The team is the reigning champion of the V.League 1 after winning the 2019-20 and 2020–21 seasons.
Honours
Domestic competitions
; Japan Vo ...
(
Nishinomiya
270px, Nishinomiya City Hall
270px, Aerial view of Nishinomiya city center
270px, Hirota Shrine
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 484,368 in 218948 households and a population density of ...
)
Rugby
*
Kobelco Steelers
The Kobelco Kobe Steelers are a Japanese rugby union team owned by Kobe Steel, and based in Kobe. They were the first ever Top League champions when the League started in the 2003-2004 season. The team rebranded as Kobelco Kobe Steelers ahead of ...
(
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
)
*
World Fighting Bull
World Fighting Bull were a Japanese rugby union team that played in the county's Top League
Japan Rugby League One (formerly the Top League) is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in ...
(
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
)
Basketball
*
Nishinomiya Storks
The Nishinomiya Storks (西宮ストークス) are a professional basketball team based in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan that competes in the Japanese B.League .
History
The club was formed in 2011 as the Hyogo Storks (兵庫ストーク ...
(
Nishinomiya
270px, Nishinomiya City Hall
270px, Aerial view of Nishinomiya city center
270px, Hirota Shrine
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 484,368 in 218948 households and a population density of ...
)
Tourism
A popular troupe of
Takarazuka Revue
The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals and stories adapted from films, novels, manga, and Japa ...
Arima Onsen
is an onsen, or hot springs in Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan. This Onsen is still a hidden treasure of modern Kobe, behind Mount Rokkō. It attracts many Japanese who want tranquility with beautiful natural surroundings and yet easy access from the ...
in the south of the province in Kita-ku, Kobe is one of the
Three Ancient Springs {{Short description, Group of hot springs in Japan
The Three Ancient Springs (日本三古湯, ''Nihon San Kotō'') are a group of ancient ''onsen'' in Japan.
According to the '' Nihon Shoki'' and ''Fudoki'', both from the eighth century, they are ...
in Japan. The north of Hyogo Prefecture has sightseeing spots such as Kinosaki Onsen, Izushi, and Yumura Onsen.
Takeda Castle
was a Sengoku period Japanese castle located in the Wadayama neighborhood of the city of Asago, in the northern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It is located north of Himeji, and north-west of Kyoto, and is situated some 353 metres above sea ...
in Asago is often referred to locally as the "Machu Picchu of Japan". The matsuba crab and Tajima beef are both national delicacies.
File:170811 Rokko-Arima Ropeway Kobe Japan00n.jpg,
Arima Onsen
is an onsen, or hot springs in Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan. This Onsen is still a hidden treasure of modern Kobe, behind Mount Rokkō. It attracts many Japanese who want tranquility with beautiful natural surroundings and yet easy access from the ...
Harborland
is a shopping district in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan. Kobe Port Tower is located there.
This shopping district was made on the site of the former freight yard, Minatogawa Kamotsu Station of the Japanese National Railways
The abbreviated JNR ...
–
Meriken Park
Meriken Park is a waterfront park located in the port city of Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The park features the Kobe Port Tower, Kobe Maritime Museum, and a memorial to victims of the Great Hanshin earthquake. The name of the park comes fro ...
area in Kobe
File:Westin Awaji Island Hotel 06.jpg,
Awaji Yumebutai
The is a complex of conference center, hotel and memorial in Awaji, Hyōgo, built near the epicenter of the 1995 Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake. It was designed by Tadao Ando,
who had begun planning for the project (as a park) prior to the ea ...
in Awaji
File:Ichikawa river Ikuno Asago Hyogo01s5bs4272.jpg, Kuchiganaya in Asago
File:Kinosaki onsen02 1920.jpg, Kinosaki Onsen
File:Yumura onsen11s1920.jpg, Yumura Onsen
File:Tonomine highland 01 b.jpg, Tonomine highland in Kamikawa
File:Kounotori 06f4439.jpg, Toyooka Stork Park
File:20130507 takeda castle 10.jpg, Takeda Castle
Festivals and events
*Miyuki Street New Year's midnight traditional sale, Himeji
*Nishinomiya Shrine's Ebisu Festival in January
*Yanagihara Ebisu Festival in January, Kobe
*Tada Shrine's Genji Festival in April, Kawanishi
*Kobe Festival and Parade in May
*Aioi Peron Festival in May
*Himeji
Yukata
A is an unlined cotton summer kimono, worn in casual settings such as summer festivals and to nearby bathhouses. Originally worn as bathrobes, their modern use is much broader, and are a common sight in Japan during summer. Though are traditio ...
Festival in June
*Dekansho Bon Dancing Festival in August, Sasayama
*Nada Fighting Festival, Himeji
*Kobe Luminarie in December
*Ako Chushingura Parade
Transportation
Rail
*
JR West
, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, an ...
**
San'yō Shinkansen
The is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Osaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan. Operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), it is a westward cont ...
**
JR Kobe Line
The is the nickname of portions of the Tokaido Main Line and the Sanyo Main Line, between Osaka Station in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture and Himeji Station in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture. The line, along with the JR Kyoto Line and the Biwako Line, ...
**
Wadamisaki Line
The is the spur line of the Sanyō Main Line, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and connecting Hyogo on the main line and Wadamisaki.
Operation
The line has only two stops, and only operates during morning and evening, and ma ...
Kakogawa Line
The is a railway line in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), which connects the cities of Kakogawa and Tamba.
The line begins at Kakogawa Station on the JR Kobe Line (Sanyō Main Line) and ends at Ta ...
**
Bantan Line
The is a railway line that connects Himeji and Wadayama station in Asago City, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The line is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and serves as a connector between the Sanyo Main Line and the Sanin Main ...
Akō Line
is a railway line owned by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Aioi, Hyōgo to Okayama, Okayama in Japan. A loop line off the Sanyō Main Line, the Akō Line commences at Aioi, is situated south of the main line approximately parallel ...
*
Hankyu Railway
, trading as , is a Japanese private railway company that provides commuter and interurban service to the northern Kansai region and is one of the flagship properties of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., in turn part of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Gro ...
Itami Line
270px, Gogadzuka Kofun
270px, Aerial view of Itami city center
270px, Konoike inari shihi
270px, Arioka Castle ruins
) is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 197,215 in 83580 households and ...
**
Imazu Line Imazu may refer to:
People
* Eddie Imazu (1897–1979), Japanese art director
*Hiroshi Imazu (born 1946), Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet
Places
*Ōmi-Imazu Station, a railw ...
Nose Railway
The , occasionally abbreviated as Nose Railway or , is a Japanese private railway company headquartered in Kawanishi, Hyogo, which links several areas in the mountainous Nose, Osaka, area to Kawanishi-noseguchi Station in Kawanishi, where one can ...
Seishin-Yamate Line
The , also known by its nickname of "Midori no U-Line" ( ja, みどりのUライン, lit=The green "U" line), is one of the two lines of the Kobe Municipal Subway. It links the central districts to the east and western suburbs of Kobe. The line c ...
**
Kaigan Line
The , also known as the "Yumekamome" ( ja, 夢かもめ), is one of two lines of the Kobe Municipal Subway. Trains of the line are propelled by linear motors. This is the third linear motor rapid transit line to be built in Japan.
History
Con ...
**
Hokushin Line
The is a line of Kobe Municipal Subway connecting Tanigami in Kita-ku, Kobe and Shin-Kobe in Chūō-ku, Kobe. The line has only these two stations.
Formerly operated by the third-sector Hokushin Kyuko Railway (a subsidiary of Hankyu railway ...
*Hojo Railway (Ao-Hojo)
*
Hanshin Railway
is a Japanese private railway company of Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group that links Osaka and Kobe. It also owns the Hanshin Tigers baseball team.
The first character for Kobe (神戸) and the second character for Osaka (大阪) combine to form th ...
**
Main Line
Mainline, ''Main line'', or ''Main Line'' may refer to:
Transportation
Railway
* Main line (railway), the principal artery of a railway system
* Main line railway preservation, the practice of operating preserved trains on an operational railw ...
Mukogawa Line
is a branch line of the Hanshin Electric Railway Main Line in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan with no through service. The line is single-tracked, but is double-tracked at all stations except Suzaki Station. The route follows the weste ...
**
Hanshin Nanba Line
The is a railway line operated by the private railway operator Hanshin Electric Railway connecting Amagasaki Station (Hanshin), Amagasaki Station in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, and Ōsaka Namba Station in Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. ...
*
Sanyo Railway
, stylized as SANYO, is a Japanese electronics company and formerly a member of the ''Fortune'' Global 500 whose headquarters was located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo had over 230 subsidiaries and affiliates, and was founded by ...
**
Main Line
Mainline, ''Main line'', or ''Main Line'' may refer to:
Transportation
Railway
* Main line (railway), the principal artery of a railway system
* Main line railway preservation, the practice of operating preserved trains on an operational railw ...
Kitakinki Tango Railway
was a railway operator in Japan. The company's name, which consists of "Kitakinki" meaning northern Kinki region and "Tango" meaning Tango Province, is occasionally abbreviated as KTR.
KTR was a so-called "third sector" company jointly funded by ...
**
Miyazu Line
The is a railway line of the Kyoto Tango Railway in Kyoto Prefecture and Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Trains on the line are operated by Willer Trains Inc. as part of its Kyoto Tango Railway system.
The and the are the aliases assigned by Wille ...
People movers
*
Kobe New Transit
is the third-sector semipublic company that runs Port Island Line ("Port Liner") and Rokkō Island Line ("Rokkō Liner") automated guideway transit (AGT) systems in Kobe, Japan. When opened in 1981, the Port Liner was the world's first fully aut ...
**
Port Liner
The , commonly known as is an urban automated guideway transit (AGT) system in Kobe, Japan, operated by Kobe New Transit. Opened in 1981, the Port Liner was the world's first driverless urban transit system, a few years ahead of the VAL syst ...
Chūgoku Expressway
The (part of Asian Highway Network ) is an expressway in Japan, which extends from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai and Chūgoku regions in western Honshu, Japan's main island. Other major cities along the expressway ...
*
San'yō Expressway
The (Asian Highway Network ) is an expressway in Japan, running from Kobe through Hiroshima along the Inland Sea and terminating in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The entire length of the expressway was opened in 1997. The main line has a total length of ...
Hanshin Expressway
The is a network of expressways surrounding Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, Japan. Operated by , it opened in 1962.
Portions of the Hanshin Expressway about east of Fukae Station collapsed during the Kobe earthquake on 17 January 1995. These sectio ...
Ume Aoki
is a Japanese Mangaka, manga artist, illustrator and dōjin artist from Hyōgo Prefecture. She officially romanizes her name as aokiume. She illustrates under the pennames apricot+ for many of her dōjinshi, and for the visual novel ''Sanarar ...
, manga artist
*
Mana Ashida
is a Japanese actress, '' talent'' and singer. Ashida's first appearance was in Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's ''ABC Short Movie 2'', though she rose to prominence after acting in the television drama ''Mother''. She became the youngest lead s ...
, child actress from
Nishinomiya
270px, Nishinomiya City Hall
270px, Aerial view of Nishinomiya city center
270px, Hirota Shrine
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 484,368 in 218948 households and a population density of ...
*
Koichi Domoto
is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, television personality, voice actor. Along with Tsuyoshi Domoto (with whom he has no blood-relation), he is a member of the duo KinKi Kids, who holds the Guinness World Rec ...
, singer of
KinKi Kids
is a Japanese duo consisting of Koichi Domoto and Tsuyoshi Domoto under the talent agency Johnny & Associates. KinKi Kids was formed in 1993 and officially debuted on July 21, 1997. With more than 30 million physical copies sold, they are one of ...
*
Heath
A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler a ...
, musician, singer-songwriter and bassist of
X Japan
was a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive soun ...
is from
Amagasaki
270px, Amagasaki Castle
270px, Aerial view of Amagasaki city center
270px, Amagasaki Station
is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 455,555 in 223812 households, and a population de ...
Miracle Hikaru
, is a Japanese Impressionist (entertainment), impressionist of the comedic performing arts from Toyooka, Hyōgo. She is best known for her impersonation of Hikaru Utada. Her professional activities are currently managed by Jinsei Pro.
Prior to h ...
, comedian and impersonator is from Toyooka
* Kanō Jigorō, founder of the martial art Judo
* Jun, musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist of
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria (, also fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theatre that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images, such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts, onto walls, smoke, or sem ...
is from
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
*
Shinji Kagawa
Shinji Kagawa ( ja, 香川 真司 ''Kagawa Shinji'' ; born 17 March 1989) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Belgian First Division A club Sint-Truiden and the Japan national team. He is widely regarded as one o ...
, footballer from
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
*
Tomoya Kanki
, better known mononymously as Tomoya, is a Japanese musician and drummer of the band One Ok Rock. Although not an original member, he has appeared on every One Ok Rock album.
Tomoya attended ESP Musical Academy where one of his lecturers who wa ...
, drummer of
One Ok Rock
(stylized in all caps as ONE OK ROCK) is a Japanese rock band, formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 2005. Originally five members, the band currently consists of vocalist Takahiro Moriuchi, guitarist and bandleader Toru Yamashita, bassist Ryota Kohama, a ...
*
Takumi Kawanishi
Takumi (匠) is a Japanese word meaning "artisan". It is also a masculine Japanese given name or a surname using various kanji characters. The given name can also be written in hiragana or katakana.
Possible writings
Takumi can be written using d ...
(J-pop idol singer and dancer, member of
JO1
is a Japanese boy band formed through the reality competition show '' Produce 101 Japan''. The group is composed of eleven members: Issei Mamehara, Ren Kawashiri, Takumi Kawanishi, Shosei Ohira, Shion Tsurubo, Ruki Shiroiwa, Keigo Sato, Syoya Ki ...
)
*
Tomomi Ogawa
, known for both her full name or by her stage name Tomomi, is a Japanese musician, singer and songwriter. She serves as the bassist and a vocalist (in their earlier years she used to share lead vocals with Haruna) of the Japanese rock band Scanda ...
, bassist of
Scandal
A scandal can be broadly defined as the strong social reactions of outrage, anger, or surprise, when accusations or rumours circulate or appear for some reason, regarding a person or persons who are perceived to have transgressed in some way. Th ...
*
Itzuki Yamazaki
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler who is best known as one half of the tag team Jumping Bomb Angels with Noriyo Tateno. Debuting in 1981, she worked with All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, World Championsh ...
Kaoru
Kaoru is a Japanese given name for males or females.
Name Meanings
The name's
meaning varies depending on its written form:
*薫/郁/芳 — "fragrance", common for both males and females
*馨/香 — "fragrance", more common for females
...
, guitarist of
Dir En Grey
Dir En Grey (stylized as DIR EN GREY and previously as Dir en grey) is a Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in February 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. With a consistent lineup of guitari ...
*
Ayaka Kimura
, born October 30, 1981 and known professionally as , is a Japanese actress and former singer. From 1998 to 2008, Nagate was part of Hello! Project as a member of the Japan-based girl group Coconuts Musume.
History
Nagate joined Hello! Pr ...
, actress, former singer of
Coconuts Musume
was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 1999 and associated with Hello! Project. It was promoted as the "girls from Hawaii". After nine years, the group officially disbanded when Ayaka Kimura graduated from Hello! Project ...
is from Kobe
*
Keiko Kitagawa
is a Japanese actress and former model. She was an exclusive model for the Japanese '' Seventeen'' magazine from late 2003 to mid-2006, and quit modeling when she left the magazine. Her first acting role was Sailor Mars in the Sailor Moon live ac ...
, actress from
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. It was originally serialized in Kodansha's ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Nakayoshi'' from 1991 to 1997; the 52 individual chapters were published in 18 volumes. The serie ...
and
Buzzer Beat
is a Fuji TV Japanese television drama starring Tomohisa Yamashita, Keiko Kitagawa, and Saki Aibu.
The series primarily focuses on two characters, Naoki Kamiya ( Tomohisa Yamashita), a professional basketball player, and Riko Shirakawa (Keiko K ...
was born in Kobe
*
Miho Komatsu
is a former Japanese singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Kobe, Japan, Komatsu began her career as a songwriter, writing "Kono Machi de Kimi to Kurashitai" for Field of View. In May 1997, she released her debut single " Nazo", which serve ...
, singer and songwriter from
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
*
Yūji Kuroiwa
is a Japanese politician and the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture located in Kantō region of Japan.Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
, current governor of
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-densest at . Its geographic area of makes it fifth-smallest. Kanag ...
*
Kamui Kobayashi
is a Japanese professional racing driver who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) and in the Super Formula Championship for KCMG . He previously competed in Formula One, Formula E, the GP2 Series, and ...
, former
Sauber
Sauber Motorsport AG is a Swiss motorsport engineering company. It was founded in 1970 (as PP Sauber AG) by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in . After operating it un ...
Amagasaki
270px, Amagasaki Castle
270px, Aerial view of Amagasaki city center
270px, Amagasaki Station
is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 455,555 in 223812 households, and a population de ...
Girl Next Door
The girl next door is a young female stock character who is often used in romantic stories. She is so named because she often lives next door to the protagonist or is a childhood friend. They start out with a mutual friendship that later often ...
*
Kiyomatsu Matsubara
was a Japanese marine biologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist.
Born Kiyomatsu Sakamoto in Hyogo Prefecture, Kiyomatsu Matsubara was the first professor of the Department of Fisheries of the University of Kyoto and is considered to be the fo ...
, ichthyologist, herpetologist and marine biologist
*
Aya Matsuura
is a Japanese actress and pop singer, from Himeji, Hyogo, Japan.
Career
2000–2009: Hello! Project
Aya auditioned in 2000 for the fourth Morning Musume & Heike Michiyo Protegee Audition and was selected along with Sheki-Dol to become a part o ...
, singer is from
Himeji
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
Generations from Exile Tribe
Generations from Exile Tribe (Japanese: ジェネレーションズ・フロム・エグザイル・トライブ, stylized as GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE and formerly known as Generations) is a seven-member Japanese dance and vocal group formed ...
is from
Amagasaki
270px, Amagasaki Castle
270px, Aerial view of Amagasaki city center
270px, Amagasaki Station
is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 455,555 in 223812 households, and a population de ...
* Mina Myoui – American-born Japanese singer of South Korean group
Twice
Twice (; Japanese: トゥワイス, Hepburn: ''To~uwaisu''; commonly stylized as TWICE) is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, ...
. Raised in
Nishinomiya
270px, Nishinomiya City Hall
270px, Aerial view of Nishinomiya city center
270px, Hirota Shrine
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 484,368 in 218948 households and a population density of ...
*
Hiro Matsushita
, also known by , is a Japanese businessman and former racing driver. Matsushita is the first and only Japanese driver to win the Toyota Atlantic Championship (Pacific) in 1989 and also the first Japanese driver to race at the Indy 500. He is th ...
– Businessman, former driver in
Champ Car
Champ Car World Series (CCWS) was the series sanctioned by Open-Wheel Racing Series Inc., or Champ Car, a sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 2004 to 2008. It was the successor to Championship Auto Racing Teams ...
series. Chairman of
Swift Engineering
Swift Engineering Inc. is an American spacecraft engineering firm that builds autonomous systems, helicopters, submarines, spacecraft, ground vehicles, robotics, and composite parts. Swift used to produce racing cars for open-wheel racing series ...
Miyavi
, better known by his stage name Miyavi (雅, stylized as MIYAVI), is a Japanese guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor known for his finger- slapping style of playing a guitar.
He has been active since 1999, first as guitaris ...
, musician, although born in
Konohana-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka city, Japan. It stands at the mouth of the Yodo River. It is home to the popular western-style theme park of Universal Studios Japan. It will be the site of Expo 2025, a World's Fair to be held in 2025. Notable peop ...
Masamune Shirow
, better known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. Shirow is best known for the manga '' Ghost in the Shell'', which has since been turned into three theatrical anime films, two anime television series, an anime television movie, an a ...
So Taguchi
is a Japanese former outfielder. After ten seasons with the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball, he played eight years in Major League Baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, followed by a final ...
Masahiro Tanaka
is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). From 2007 through 2013, he played for the Eagles in NPB. Tanaka was posted by the Eagles after the 2013 season to be s ...
, pitcher for the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
*
Nagaru Tanigawa
is a Japanese author. He is a graduate of the law school at Kwansei Gakuin University. He is best known as the creator of the '' Haruhi Suzumiya'' series for which he won the grand prize at the eighth annual Sneaker Awards and has been adapted i ...
, creator of the ''
Haruhi Suzumiya
is a Japanese light novel series written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito. It was first published in 2003 by Kadokawa Shoten in Japan with the novel ''The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya'', and has since been followed ...
'' series was born in
Kinki
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu, Honshū. The region includes the Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Nara Prefecture, Nara, Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Osaka Prefectur ...
*
Tsuneko Taniuchi
Tsuneko Taniuchi (谷内恒子 Taniuchi Tsuneko), born in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan, in 1946, is a contemporary artist, who uses performance as her main medium. Her practice, which oscillates between scripted situations and participatory works ...
, contemporary performance artist
*
Fumito Ueda
is a Japanese video game designer. Ueda is best known as the director and lead designer of '' Ico'' (2001) and ''Shadow of the Colossus'' (2005) while leading Team Ico at Japan Studio, and ''The Last Guardian'' (2016) through his own development ...
, video game creator of ''
Ico
is an action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and Team Ico, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, released for the PlayStation 2 video game console in 2001 and 2002 in various regions. It was designed and directed by Fumito U ...
'', ''
Shadow of the Colossus
''Shadow of the Colossus'' is a 2005 action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and Team Ico, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It takes place in a fantasy setting and follows Wander, a young man who ...
'', and ''
The Last Guardian
''The Last Guardian'' is a 2016 action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and GenDesign and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Players control a boy who befriends a giant half-bird, half-mammal creatur ...
''
*
Juri Ueno
is a Japanese actress. She first gained recognition in the 2005 film ''Swing Girls'' where she was a recipient of Newcomer of the Year prize at the Japanese Academy Awards. Ueno achieved mainstream success for playing the titular role in the live ...
,
Japanese Academy Award
The , often called the Japan Academy Prize, the Japan Academy Awards, and the Japanese Academy Awards, is a series of awards given annually since 1978 by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association (日本アカデミー賞協会, ''Nippon Akademii- ...
-winning actress best known for her performances in ''
Swing Girls
is a Japanese 2004 teen comedy film directed and co-written by Shinobu Yaguchi. The plot follows a group of inept high school girls who form a big band. The cast includes Juri Ueno, Yuta Hiraoka, Shihori Kanjiya, Yuika Motokariya and Yukari To ...
'' and the live-action adaptation of ''
Nodame Cantabile
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tomoko Ninomiya. It was serialized in Japan by Kodansha in the ''josei'' manga magazine ''Kiss'' from July 2001 to October 2009 and collected in 23 ''tankōbon'' volumes. A two-v ...
Shota Yasuda
is a five-member Japanese boy band from Japan's Kansai region. They are managed by the multimedia talent agency Johnny & Associates and signed to Infinity Records. The group was formed in 2002 and made their CD debut in 2004 as "Johnny's modern ...
, guitarist of
Kanjani Eight
is a five-member Japanese boy band from Japan's Kansai region. They are managed by the multimedia talent agency Johnny & Associates and signed to Infinity Records. The group was formed in 2002 and made their CD debut in 2004 as "Johnny's modern ...
is from Amagasaki
*
Piko
Piko (stylized PIKO, pronounced "peek-oh") is a German model train brand in Europe that also exports to the United States and other parts of the world.
History
Founded in 1949, PIKO was once a state-owned enterprise in the German Democratic R ...
, musician,
Vocaloid
is a singing voice synthesizer software product. Its signal processing part was developed through a joint research project led by Kenmochi Hideki at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, in 2000 and was not originally intended to b ...
Washington state
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
in the United States on October 22, 1963, the first such arrangement between Japan and the United States.
In 1981, a sister state agreement was drawn up between Hyogo and the state of
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of this agreement in 1992, the Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre was established in
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...