is a
metropolitan region
A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
in the
Kansai region of
Japan encompassing the metropolitan areas of the cities of
Kyoto in
Kyoto Prefecture,
Osaka in
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 () and has a geographic area of . Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Nara ...
and
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 ...
in
Hyōgo Prefecture. The entire region has a population () of 19,302,746 over an area of .
[Japan Statistics Bureau]
- "2015 Census", retrieved June 27, 2021 It is 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 p ...
), containing approximately 15% of Japan's population.
The
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 ...
in Osaka-Kobe is $681 billion as measured by PPP , making it one of the world's most productive regions, a match with
Paris and
London.
MasterCard Worldwide reported that Osaka is the 19th ranking city of the world's leading global cities and has an instrumental role in driving the global economy. If Keihanshin were a country, it would be the 16th-largest economy in the world, with a GDP of nearly $953.9 billion in 2012.
[NationMaster.com](_blank)
/ref>
The name ''Keihanshin'' is constructed by extracting a representative '' kanji'' from ''Kyoto'' (京都), ''Osaka'' (大阪), and ''Kobe'' (神戸), but using the Chinese reading instead of the corresponding native reading for each of the characters taken from ''Osaka'' and ''Kobe'', and the '' Kan-on'' Chinese reading of the character for Kyoto instead of the usual ''Go-on
are one of the several possible ways of reading Japanese kanji. They are based on the classical pronunciations of Chinese characters of the then- prestigious eastern Jiankang (now Nanjing) dialect.
''Go-on'' preceded the readings. Both ''go-on ...
'' Chinese reading.
Definitions
Major Metropolitan Area
The Japan Statistics Bureau defines a Major Metropolitan Area or MMA (大都市圏) as a set of municipalities where at least 1.5% of the resident population aged 15 and above commute to school or work in a designated city
A , also known as a or , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by order of the Cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19, of the Local Autonomy Law.
Designated cities are delegate ...
(defined as the core area). If multiple designated cities are close enough to have overlapping outlying areas, they are combined into a single multi-core area. In the 2005 census, the designated cities used to define the Keihanshin MMA were Osaka, 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 ...
, and Kyoto. Sakai
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...
has subsequently become a designated city.
This region consists of the combination of the metropolitan areas of Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, and Himeji, and additionally includes several periurban areas (particularly in eastern Shiga Prefecture) that are not part of the four metropolitan areas.
, the entire Keihanshin region had a population of 19,302,746 over an area of .[
]
Range of distance
The Japan Statistics Bureau defines the set of municipalities that are entirely or mostly within of the Municipal Office of Osaka as one measure of the metropolitan area. , the population for this region was 16,260,117.
Urban Employment Area
The Urban Employment Area is a metropolitan area definition developed at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
. This definition is comparable to the Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
in the United States. The basic building blocks are municipalities.
The core area is the set of municipalities that contain a ''densely inhabited district'' (DID) with a population of 10,000 or more. The Urban Employment Area is called Metropolitan Employment Area, when its core area has 50,000 DID population or more. Otherwise, the area is called Micropolitan Employment Area. A DID is a group of census enumeration districts inhabited at densities of 4,000 or more persons per km². Outlying areas are those municipalities where 10% or more of the employed population work in the core area or in another outlying area. Overlaps are not allowed and an outlying area is assigned to the core area where it has the highest commuter ratio.
This definition assigns a Metropolitan Employment Area to the following cities of the Keihanshin region: Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Himeji, and Wakayama. The lists below indicate which cities belong to which metropolitan area. Towns and villages are not listed.
Osaka MEA
The Osaka Metropolitan Employment Area has a population () of 12,078,820 and consists of the following cities:
*Core cities: Osaka, Sakai
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...
, Kadoma, Higashiōsaka
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 489,077 in 233,124 households and a population density of 7900 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is known as one of the industrial ci ...
*Outlying cities
**Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 () and has a geographic area of . Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Nara ...
(entire prefecture)
**Hyōgo Prefecture (southeastern part): 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 ...
, 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 ...
, Ashiya, Itami
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 a ...
, Takarazuka, Kawanishi, Sanda
**Nara Prefecture (northern part): Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
, Tenri
is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. The modern city was founded on April 1, 1954, and is named after the Japanese new religion Tenrikyo, which has its headquarters in the city. As of April 1, 2015, the city has an estimated population ...
, Yamatotakada
is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of April 1, 2017, the city had an estimated population of 66,400 and 29,713 households. The population density is 4,000 persons per km², and the total area is 16.48 km².
The city continue ...
, Yamatokōriyama
is a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 84,059 and 38,944 households.
Geography
Yamato Koriyama is located in the northern part of the Nara Basin and stretches approximately 9 km from east to west and ...
, Kashihara, Sakurai, Ikoma, Kashiba, Katsuragi
**Other cities: Yawata (Kyoto), Hashimoto (Wakayama)
Kyoto MEA
The Kyoto Metropolitan Employment Area has a population () of 2,801,044 and consists of the following cities:
*Core cities: Kyoto, Kusatsu
*Outlying cities
**Kyoto Prefecture (southern part): Uji
is a Cities of Japan, city on Greater Kyoto, the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
Founded on March 1, 1951, Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara, Nara, Nara and Kyoto, Kyoto, Kyoto. The city s ...
, Kameoka
is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 87,518 in 29,676 households and a population density of 390 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kameoka abuts Kyoto to the east and is loc ...
, Joyo, Muko, Nagaokakyo, Kyotanabe
**Shiga Prefecture (southwestern part): Otsu, Moriyama
270px, Lake Biwa from Moriyama
is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 85,485 in 34366 households and a population density of 1533.63 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
M ...
Kobe MEA
The Kobe Metropolitan Employment Area has a population () of 2,565,501 and consists of the following cities:
*Core cities: 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 ...
*Outlying cities
**Hyōgo Prefecture (southern part): Akashi, Kakogawa, Takasago, Miki, and Ono
ONO, Ono or Ōno may refer to:
Places Fiji
* Ono Island (Fiji)
Israel
* Kiryat Ono
* Ono, Benjamin, ancient site
Italy
* Ono San Pietro
Ivory Coast
* Ono, Ivory Coast, a village in Comoé District
Japan
* Ōno Castle, Fukuoka
* ...
Himeji MEA
The Himeji Metropolitan Employment Area has a population () of 773,389 and consists of the following cities:
*Core cities: 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 ...
*Outlying cities
**Hyōgo Prefecture (southwestern part): Aioi, Tatsuno
Wakayama MEA
The Wakayama Metropolitan Employment Area has a population () of 569,758 and consists of the following cities:
*Core cities: Wakayama
*Outlying cities
**Wakayama Prefecture (northwestern part): Kainan
Historical demographics of Keihanshin
Per Japanese census data, Keihanshin, also known as Greater Osaka, has had continuous population throughout the 20th century. From 1960 to 2010 the population nearly doubled from 10.6 million to 19.3 million. Beginning at around 2010, Keihanshin has experienced a small population decline.
Cities
Core cities
The core cities formed Keihanshin are government ordinance cities. These cities designated the three largest cities as special cities with Tokyo in 1889. Kobe designated the six largest cities as special cities in 1922, and adopted the ward system in 1931. Following World War II, the six largest cities was replaced by the government designated city system in 1956. Afterwards, Sakai became a government designated city in 2006.
The core cities of Keihanshin are:
* Osaka (population 2.75 million)
* 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 ...
(population 1.53 million)
* Kyoto (population 1.46 million)
* Sakai
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...
(population 826,447)
Other cities within the area
The other cities in the prefectures of Osaka, Hyōgo, Kyoto and Nara include:
* Aioi
* Akashi
*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 ...
(pop 460,000)
* Ashiya
* Awaji
* Daitō
*Fujiidera
270px, The temple of Fujii-dera, after which the city is named
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 63,446 in 29501 households and a population density of 7100 persons per km². The total area o ...
*Habikino
270px, Habikino city office
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 109,479 in 50918 households and a population density of 4100 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is known ...
* Hannan
*Higashiōsaka
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 489,077 in 233,124 households and a population density of 7900 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is known as one of the industrial ci ...
(pop 490,000)
*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 ...
(pop 530,000)
*Hirakata
260px, Hirakata Park
is a city in northeastern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 397,681 in 183075 households and a population density of 6100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Hirakat ...
(pop 400,000)
*Ibaraki Ibaraki may refer to any of the following places in Japan:
* Ibaraki Prefecture, one of the 47 prefectures of Japan
**Ibaraki, Ibaraki, a town in Ibaraki Prefecture
**Ibaraki Airport, an airport in Omitama, Ibaraki
**Ibaraki dialect, the dialect sp ...
* Ikeda
*Itami
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 a ...
* Izumi
* Izumiōtsu
*Izumisano
Izumisano ( ja, 泉佐野市, Latn, ja, Izumisano-shi, ) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 98,840 in 47658 households and a population density of 1700 persons per km². The total area of the ...
* Jōyō
* Kadoma
* Kaizuka
* Kakogawa
*Kameoka
is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 87,518 in 29,676 households and a population density of 390 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kameoka abuts Kyoto to the east and is loc ...
* Kasai
*Kashiwara
270px, Kashiwara City Hall
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 67,698 in 32007 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kashiwara is located about ...
* Katano
* Katō
*Kawachinagano
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 101,649 in 47493 households and a population density of 930 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kawachinagano is located in the sou ...
* Kawanishi
*Kishiwada
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 190,853 in 88598 households and a population density of 2600 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is well known for its Danjiri Mats ...
*Kizugawa
is a city located in southern Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It is the southernmost city in the prefecture and it is named after the Kizu River, a tributary of the Yodo River, which runs through the city. Kizugawa City is a part of the Kansai Scienc ...
* Kyōtanabe
*Matsubara
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 117,811 in 57351 households and a population density of 7100 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Matsubara is located in the cent ...
* Miki
*Minoh
is a city in northwestern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Its name is commonly romanized as "Minō" or "Minoo"; however, the city government officially uses the spelling Minoh in English. As of October 2016, the city has an estimated population of 134 ...
* Moriguchi
*Mukō
is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 56,070 in 23748 households and a population density of 2200 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Mukō is located in southern Kyoto Prefe ...
* Nagaokakyō
*Nantan Nantan may refer to:
*Nantan, Kyoto, Japan
* Nantan, Shwegu, Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English ...
*Neyagawa
270px, Neyagawa Green City
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 228,802 in 111,545 households and a population density of 9,300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Neyagaw ...
*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 ...
(pop 490,000)
*Ono
ONO, Ono or Ōno may refer to:
Places Fiji
* Ono Island (Fiji)
Israel
* Kiryat Ono
* Ono, Benjamin, ancient site
Italy
* Ono San Pietro
Ivory Coast
* Ono, Ivory Coast, a village in Comoé District
Japan
* Ōno Castle, Fukuoka
* ...
* Ōsakasayama
* Sanda
* Sasayama
* Sennan
*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 ...
*Shijōnawate
270px, Shijōnawate City Hall
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 54,969 in 246822 households and a population density of 2900 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Shi ...
* Suita (pop 390,000)
* Takaishi
* Takarazuka
* Takasago
*Takatsuki
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is located in northern Osaka's Hokusetsu region.
As of 2020, the city had an estimated population of 347,944 and a population density of 3,300 persons per km². The total area is 105.31 km².
The c ...
(pop 350,000)
* Tatsuno
*Tondabayashi
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 108803 in 51632 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Tondabayashi is located in the sout ...
*Toyonaka
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on October 15, 1936.
Geography Climate
Toyonaka has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The averag ...
(pop 400,000)
*Uji
is a Cities of Japan, city on Greater Kyoto, the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
Founded on March 1, 1951, Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara, Nara, Nara and Kyoto, Kyoto, Kyoto. The city s ...
* Yao
*Yawata
is a city located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. the city has an estimated population of 70,433 and a population density of 2,893 persons per km². The total area is 24.35 km².
The city was founded on November 1, 1977 and currently has ...
Additional cities
In the major metropolitan area (MMA) definition used by the Japanese Statistics Bureau, the following cities in the prefectures of Mie, Shiga
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,412,916 (1 October 2015) and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to the northe ...
, Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
, Wakayama are included:
Mie Prefecture
*Nabari
is a city located in central Mie Prefecture, Japan, bordering on Nara Prefecture to the west. , the city had an estimated population of 77,022 in 34,658 households and a population density of 590 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
Shiga Prefecture
*Higashiōmi
Yōkaichi Kite Festival
is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 113,229 in 45771 households and a population density of 290 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Higashiōmi ...
* Hikone
*Kōka
was a after ''Tenpō'' and before ''Kaei.'' This period spanned the years from December 1844 through February 1848. The reigning emperors were and .
Change of era
* December 2, 1844 (): The new era name of ''Kōka'', meaning "Becoming Wide ...
* Konan
* Kusatsu
*Moriyama
270px, Lake Biwa from Moriyama
is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 85,485 in 34366 households and a population density of 1533.63 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
M ...
*Ōtsu
270px, Ōtsu City Hall
is the capital city of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 343,991 in 153458 households and a population density of 740 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Ōtsu ...
(pop 350,000)
* Ōmihachiman
* Rittō
* Takashima
* Yasu
Nara Prefecture
* Gojō
*Gose
Gose () is a warm fermented beer that originated in Goslar, Germany. It is usually brewed with at least 50% of the grain bill being malted wheat. Dominant flavours in gose include a lemon sourness, a herbal characteristic, and a strong saltin ...
* Ikoma
* Kashiba
* Kashihara
* Katsuragi
*Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
(pop 350,000)
* Sakurai
*Tenri
is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. The modern city was founded on April 1, 1954, and is named after the Japanese new religion Tenrikyo, which has its headquarters in the city. As of April 1, 2015, the city has an estimated population ...
* Uda
*Yamatokōriyama
is a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 84,059 and 38,944 households.
Geography
Yamato Koriyama is located in the northern part of the Nara Basin and stretches approximately 9 km from east to west and ...
*Yamatotakada
is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of April 1, 2017, the city had an estimated population of 66,400 and 29,713 households. The population density is 4,000 persons per km², and the total area is 16.48 km².
The city continue ...
Wakayama Prefecture
* Wakayama (pop 360,000)
* Hashimoto
* Iwade
Iwade is a village and civil parish north of the town of Sittingbourne in the English county of Kent.
History
Iwade was established in the late Medieval period, when it was a settlement linking Watling Street to the coast via Key Street (a s ...
* Katsuragi
Transportation
Air
There are two major airports. The fairly centrally located Osaka International Airport, laid over the border between the cities of Itami
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 a ...
and Toyonaka
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on October 15, 1936.
Geography Climate
Toyonaka has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The averag ...
, serves primarily domestic routes.
Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport ( ja, 関西国際空港, Kansai Kokusai Kūkō) commonly known as is the primary international airport in the Greater Osaka Area of Japan and the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and ...
opened in 1994 and is now the main international airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
for the region. It sits on an artificial island
An artificial island is an island that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means. Artificial islands may vary in size from small islets reclaimed solely to support a single pillar of a building or structure to those tha ...
well off-shore in Osaka Bay towards the Wakayama outlet. Kansai
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 metropolit ...
is the geographical term for the area of western Honshū surrounding Osaka. The airport island link to the mainland via the Sky Gate Bridge R
, also known as the , serves as a link between the mainland of Osaka, Japan to the artificial island in Osaka Bay on which Kansai International Airport is built. It is the longest double-decked truss bridge in the world. The bridge carries six ...
, containing a six lane expressway and the Kansai Airport Line
The is a railway line between Hineno Station and Kansai Airport Station in Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and owned by Kansai International Airport Co., Ltd. between Rinkū Town and Kansai Airport. It opened on 15 J ...
, a rail link connecting to the Hanwa Line
The is a commuter rail line in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area, owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The 61.3 km (38.1 mi) line runs between Osaka and Wakayama, Japan and has a 1.7 km branchline in a southern O ...
, which connects Wakayama to Osaka. Limited express trains offer non-stop service to Osaka and onward to Kyoto. Local connections are made to other areas. Highway buses also offer service to many areas.
Kobe Airport
is an airport on an artificial island just off the coast of Kobe, south of Sannomiya Station[AIS Japan](_blank)
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 h ...
opened in 2006, offering domestic flights.
Rail
Keihanshin has a very extensive network of railway lines, comparable to that of Greater Tokyo. Main rail terminals in the cities include, Umeda
is a major commercial, business, shopping and entertainment district in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, and the city's main northern railway terminus (Ōsaka Station, Umeda Station). The district's name means "plum field".
History
Umeda was historical ...
/ Osaka, Namba
is a district of Osaka, Japan. It is located in Chūō and Naniwa wards. Namba is regarded as the center of so-called ''Minami'' ("South") area of Osaka. Its name is one of variations on the former name of Osaka, '' Naniwa''. Namba is be ...
, Tennoji, Sannomiya
is a district of Chūō-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, Japan. Today, it is the biggest downtown area in the city. The district takes the name from Sannomiya Shrine, a branch of Ikuta Shrine.
Before the 1920s, Sannomiya was just an edge of the city. T ...
, and Kyoto.
High speed rail
JR Central and 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, and i ...
operate high-speed trains
High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...
on the Tōkaidō-Sanyō Shinkansen
, 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 b ...
line. Shin-Ōsaka Station
is a railway station in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, Japan. It is the western terminus of the high-speed Tōkaidō Shinkansen line from Tokyo, the eastern terminus of the San'yō Shinkansen and one of Osaka's main railway terminals to the north. The lines ...
acts as the Shinkansen terminal station, though the two lines are physically joined, and many trains offer through service. This station is connected to Ōsaka Station
is a major railway station in the Umeda district of Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It forms the city's main rail terminal in the north.
Although it is officially served by only the JR Kobe/Kyoto Lines ...
at Umeda
is a major commercial, business, shopping and entertainment district in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, and the city's main northern railway terminus (Ōsaka Station, Umeda Station). The district's name means "plum field".
History
Umeda was historical ...
by the JR Kyoto Line
The is a commuter rail line in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The name applies to the section of the Tōkaidō Main Line between Kyōto Station and Ōsaka Station.
The Kyo ...
and the subway Midōsuji Line
The is a rapid transit line in Osaka, Japan, operated by Osaka Metro. Constructed under Midōsuji, a major north-south street, it is the oldest line in the Osaka subway system and the second oldest in Japan, following the Tokyo Metro Ginza Lin ...
. Shin-Osaka Station is the busiest high-speed stations. The smaller stations of Kyoto Station
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the city ...
, Shin-Kobe Station
is a railway station on the San'yō Shinkansen and the Seishin-Yamate Line serving the city of Kobe, Japan, and the surrounding area. It is located to the north of Kobe city centre, at the foot of Mount Rokkō. The Shinkansen trains mostly run ...
, Nishi-Akashi Station
is a passenger railway station located in the city of Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). As part of the Urban Network, the ICOCA, Suica, PiTaPa, TOICA and SUGOCA can all be used on the San'yō Main Line (th ...
, Himeji Station
is a passenger railway station located in the city of Himeji, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Himeji is a major stop on the San'yō Main Line and the Sanyō Shinkansen, and the western end of the JR Kobe Line. The stat ...
, and Aioi Station also are within the Keihanshin area.
All trains on the two Shinkansen lines stop at Shin-Ōsaka Station and provide connections to other major cities in Japan. The Tokaido Shinkansen offers service to the east, stopping in such cities as Kyoto, Nagoya, Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
and Tokyo. From Tokyo connections can be made to other Shinkansen servicing areas north of Tokyo. The Sanyo Shinkansen offers service to the west, stopping in such cities as 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 ...
, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. Through service is also offered to the Kyushu Shinkansen
The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed railway network. It is an extension of the San'yō Shinkansen from Honshu connecting the city of Fukuoka (Hakata Station) in the north of Japan's Kyushu Island to the city of Kagoshima ( Kagoshima-Chuo S ...
extending service to such cities as Kumamoto and Kagoshima.
There are also numerous Limited Express services which operate on conventional lines, but are designed for comfortable long distance travel. Many of these trains operate at speeds that most other countries would consider "high-speed". From Osaka and Kyoto, Limited Express services connect most major cities within the Keihanshin area and beyond, and are more popular than the Shinkansen for connections within the area due to service to more areas and more centrally located and well connected stations in areas also serviced by Shinkansen. Lower ticket prices also encourages usage, though they are more expensive than the regular/commuter trains which operate on the same lines.
Commuter rail
Both 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, and i ...
and private lines connect Keihanshin and its suburbs. The commuter rail network of JR West is called the Urban Network
, 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, and ...
. Major stations on the JR Osaka Loop Line
The is a railway loop line in Japan operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It encircles central Osaka.
Part of a second, proposed outer loop line, the Osaka Higashi Line, from Hanaten to Kyuhoji was opened on March 15, 2008, an ...
include Osaka (Umeda), Tennōji, Tsuruhashi, and Kyōbashi. JR West competes with such private rail operators as Keihan Electric Railway, Hankyu Railway, 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 the c ...
, Kintetsu Railway, and Nankai Electric Railway
is a private railway in Japan, founded in 1884. The name ''Nankai'' (which means "South Sea") comes from the company's routes along the Nankaidō, the old highway that ran south from the old capital, Kyoto, along the sea coast. Nankai predates ...
. The Keihan and Hankyu lines connect Osaka and Kyoto; the Hanshin and Hankyu lines connect Osaka and Kobe; the Kintetsu lines connect to Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
, Yoshino, Ise Ise may refer to:
Places
*Ise, Mie, a city in Japan
** Ise Grand Shrine, a Shinto shrine located in Ise, Mie
* Ise Ekiti, a city in Nigeria
* Ise, Norway, a village in Norway
* Ise Province, an ancient province of Japan
* River Ise, a tributary of ...
and Nagoya; and the Nankai lines connect to Osaka's southern suburbs and Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport ( ja, 関西国際空港, Kansai Kokusai Kūkō) commonly known as is the primary international airport in the Greater Osaka Area of Japan and the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and ...
as well as Wakayama and Mt. Koya. Many lines in Keihanshin accept either ICOCA or PiTaPa
is a contactless smart card ticketing and electronic money system used in the Kansai region (and may also be used in some areas of Okayama Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, and Shizuoka Prefecture) of Japan. The name ''PiTaPa'' is an acronym of ...
contactless smart cards for payment.
Municipal subway
The Osaka Metro
The is a major rapid transit system in the Osaka Metropolitan Area of Japan, operated by the Osaka Metro Company, Ltd. It serves the city of Osaka and the adjacent municipalities of Higashiosaka, Kadoma, Moriguchi, Sakai, Suita, and Yao. O ...
system is a part of Osaka's extensive rapid transit system. The Metro system alone ranks 13th in the world by annual passenger ridership, serving over 912 million people annually (a quarter of Greater Osaka Rail System's 4 billion annual riders), despite being only 8 of more than 70 lines in the metro area.
Economy
GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
Compared with other urban regions of the world, the agglomeration of Osaka-Kobe is the ninth largest economy, in terms of gross metropolitan product at purchasing power parity (PPP), in 2015 according to a study by the Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution, often stylized as simply Brookings, is an American research group founded in 1916. Located on Think Tank Row in Washington, D.C., the organization conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in ...
.
Metropolitan employment areas
Prefectures
* 2014 average exchange rate (1 US dollar = 110 yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar (US$) and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the e ...
)
GDP (nominal) 2014
Kansai region and Top 20 Countries.World Economic Outlook Database October 2017
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See also
* 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 a ...
( Osaka and 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 ...
area)
* Kamigata
Kamigata (上方) was the colloquial term for a region today called Kansai (''kan'', barrier; ''sai'', west) in Japan. This large area encompasses the cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. The term is used particularly when discussing elements of Edo ...
* Kansai region
* Kansai Science City
* Keihanshin industrial region
* List of metropolitan areas by population
The United Nations uses three definitions for what constitutes a city, as not all cities in all jurisdictions are classified using the same criteria. Cities may be defined as the cities proper, the extent of their urban area, or their metrop ...
* List of metropolitan areas in Asia by population
The Asian continent is one of the fastest-growing continents in the World, with increasing urbanisation and a high growth rate for cities. Tokyo in Japan is the world's largest metropolitan area by population.
The population of the given cities ar ...
* List of metropolitan areas in Japan by population
This is a list of in Japan by population as defined by the Statistics Bureau of Japan (SBJ) and the Center for Spatial Information Service of the University of Tokyo. The region containing most of the people in Japan between Tokyo and Fukuoka ...
* Jing-Jin-Ji
The Jingjinji Metropolitan Region or Jing-Jin-Ji (JJJ),, sometimes rendered in historical context as King–Sin–Peh, also known as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BJ-TJ-HB), Peking–Tientsin–Hopeh and the Capital Economic Zone, is the National Ca ...
References
{{Megacities
Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto
Kansai region
*