Kinki, Japan Overview

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No visit to Japan is complete without a trip to the old political, economic and cultural heartland of Kinki, also known as Kansai.

Situated in the middle of the western dogleg of Japan, Kinki is home to the famous cities of Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Nara.

Although each of these are geographically close their atmosphere and lifestyles are far apart.

kyoto-temple-small.JPGFor instance, Kyoto, the old Imperial capital, is full of ancient temples, an imperial heritage in the form of the amazing Emperor’s palace, the old Geisha town of Gion, and a cultural background said to include the most refined manners and language in all Japan.



180px-umeda_sky_building.jpgOsaka, on the other hand, just seven minutes away by bullet train, is widely decried as Japan’s uncouth relative. Down to earth, direct and in turns hilarious and offensive to Japanese sensibilities, Osakans spawn Japan’s comedians, maintian its economic engine, and feed you some of the best cooking around.

 

kobe.jpgKobe, scene of the worst earthquake in living memory, has rebuilt and revitalised to form one of the most delightful and peaceful cities you can wish to visit.

Historically the interface to the outside world due to its port, Kobe has a long history of foreign contact which has imbued its people with a very global outlook and attitude.

kobeforeign.jpgThis is expressed nowhere more clearly than in its old foreign sector where houses built in European style still stand for crowds to visit, adjacent to the charming herb gardens planted on the side of a mountain.

 

naratemple.jpg

Finally Nara, the home of the world’s biggest free standing wooden structure (and today’s is smaller than previous buildings!), shelters a massive statue of Buddha which looks out serenely onto a large park filled with hungry deer and brings a spiritual calm to an ancient city.





Jobs in Japan

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  • English Language Instructor - Tokyo, Japan The University of Montana is a public, state, II research university with 13,900 students; Toyo University is a private university in central Tokyo with 30,000 students. Job Description English Language Instructor working as University of Mont
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  • Motivated instructor with a passion for teaching children needed in Japan Established school in Utsunomiya, 100km north of Tokyo, seeks motivated, energetic, native English speaker to teach children. Banana Kids English lesson: 1. We strive to make a comfortable atmosphere for Japanese children to get to know foreign
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  • English conversational teachers Gotemba is a peaceful town, approximately 1.5hour drive from Tokyo by highway. Population is about 85,000. Positions are available for English conversational teachers, positions opening in April 2010. There will be a 2week training/probation pe
  • Summer 2010 Position: Graduate School Japan About International University of Japan The International University of Japan is a small English-medium graduate university which specializes in teaching international business, international development and international relations. It is located
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  • Teach English with Japans premiere provider of 1-to-1 lessons Experience Japan on your terms while teaching with Gaba. Operating since 1995, Gaba provides private English instruction from numerous Learning Studio locations around Japan's biggest metropolitan areas: Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. Learn more and apply
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  • Sakura Buds Coming Out Just stopped by the park to check out the cherry trees and saw the buds are already out. Some of them are even green with a little pink showing. It’s time to start cherry blossom watching! Cherry trees this spring could bloom a little earlier this year. If you care about seeing the cherry blossoms in full-bloom, [...]
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  • Sakura Buds Coming Out Just stopped by the park to check out the cherry trees and saw the buds are already out. Some of them are even green with a little pink showing. It’s time to start cherry blossom watching! Cherry trees this spring could bloom a little earlier this year. If you care about seeing the cherry blossoms in full-bloom, [...]
  • Kansai Classifieds Revamped The original Kansai Classifieds has been revamped! The site now exists on its own domain and can be accessed by visiting KansaiClassifieds.com. Users can post ads with up to 4 photos for free. For more than 4 photos, they may soon offer a paid service, mostly for those who wish to save time and energy posting [...]
    • $rss = @fetch_rss('http://www.seekjapan.jp/rss/onjapan_rss.xml'); if ( isset($rss->items) && 0 != count($rss->items) ) { foreach ($rss->items as $item ) { $rss->items = array_slice($rss->items, 0, 5); ?>
  • Kansai Classifieds Revamped The original Kansai Classifieds has been revamped! The site now exists on its own domain and can be accessed by visiting KansaiClassifieds.com. Users can post ads with up to 4 photos for free. For more than 4 photos, they may soon offer a paid service, mostly for those who wish to save time and energy posting [...]
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  • Arashiyama Sakura See sakura blossoms before they bloom! At Akamanma in Arashiyama, a cafe gallery along the Nagatsuji Dori, sakura are in bloom! Kyoka Okumura is showing her fine sakura art and sakura goods on the 2nd floor of Akamanma. Sakura Kyoka art and goods will be on display and for sale at Akamanma in Arashiyama until March 18th. [...]
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  • Redeveloping Umeda At the end of this month, Osaka will begin redeveloping the Umeda Kita Yard, north of JR Osaka Station, where about 2.5 million passengers of railways and subway lines pass through daily.
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  • Get Out the Samura Sword The relationship between America and Japan has been strained by the recent Toyota malfunctions. However, if the people of Japan have their way, the relationship will continue to stay strong as most Japanese are worried more about their relationship with America than the Toyota company itself. Japanese have their ears to the tracks listening for any [...]
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    • $rss = @fetch_rss('http://www.seekjapan.jp/rss/onjapan_rss.xml'); if ( isset($rss->items) && 0 != count($rss->items) ) { foreach ($rss->items as $item ) { $rss->items = array_slice($rss->items, 0, 5); ?>
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  • Shamisen and Piano Concert <a href="http://kansainews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/shamisen-icon.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-662" title="Japanese Shamisen" src="http://kansainews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/shamisen-icon.png" alt="Japanese Shamisen" width="256" height="256" /></a>The <strong>shamisen</strong>, also called <em>sangen</em><strong>, </strong>is a three-stringed banjo-like musical instrument played with a plectrum, a <em>bachi</em> in Japanese. The instrument makes a sound twangy sound similar to the banjo yet very distinct and very Japanese.
    • $rss = @fetch_rss('http://www.seekjapan.jp/rss/onjapan_rss.xml'); if ( isset($rss->items) && 0 != count($rss->items) ) { foreach ($rss->items as $item ) { $rss->items = array_slice($rss->items, 0, 5); ?>
  • Shamisen and Piano Concert <a href="http://kansainews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/shamisen-icon.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-662" title="Japanese Shamisen" src="http://kansainews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/shamisen-icon.png" alt="Japanese Shamisen" width="256" height="256" /></a>The <strong>shamisen</strong>, also called <em>sangen</em><strong>, </strong>is a three-stringed banjo-like musical instrument played with a plectrum, a <em>bachi</em> in Japanese. The instrument makes a sound twangy sound similar to the banjo yet very distinct and very Japanese.
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  • Compare Hotel Prices of the Big Guys! Now there is a much easier way to find the best hotel prices around the Kansai area, and the world for that matter!
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  • Seeking Musicians The Phoenix Hall in the Kita Ward of Osaka is offering the hall to talented musicians free of charge on select dates in 2011 as a part of arts and cultural activities sponsored by Nissay Dowa General Insurance Company, which operates the venue.
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