近畿地區

Kinki Region

近畿地區位於本州中部的西側，是日本第二大重要工業區。這裡有日本的古都—京都，還有大阪和神戶（日本最重要的港口之一）等重要城市，他們共同組成了日本西部的商業中心。大米和柑橘生產、木材加工還有漁業都是該區經濟的重要組成部分。

Located in west central Honshu, the Kinki region is Japan’s second most important area in terms of industry. The ancient capital of Kyoto is in Kinki. So, too, are the cities of Osaka and Kobe (one of Japan’s most important ports), which form the center of commerce for western Japan. Rice and citrusfruit production, lumbering, and fishing are all important to the region’s economy.

西元794年至1868年期間，京都曾經是日本的首都、天皇的居住地，眾多的廟宇、神社及其他歷史古跡使京都聲名遠播，它實際上是官方指定的國家財產和重要文物的“倉庫”。作為著名的旅遊勝地，京都每年都要吸引數百萬來自日本及海外的遊客。古京都遺址於1994年被列為世界文化遺產。

Kyoto, once the capital of Japan and the residence of emperors from 794 to 1868, is famous for its temples, shrines, and other historic sites, and is a virtual storehouse of officially designated National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. As a noted tourist resort, Kyoto attracts millions of tourists every year, from throughout Japan and the world. The Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto were registered as a World Heritage site in 1994.

大阪是日本西部的金融中心，同時也是一個工業中心，尤其是化工、機械、鋼鐵和金屬等行業的中心。東海道新幹線和山陽新幹線的火車都以新大阪站為始發站或終點站（從東京直達博多、九州或廣島的幾趟列車除外）。

Osaka is the financial center of western Japan. It is an industrial center as well, especially for chemicals, machinery, steel, and metal. Both the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Sanyo Shinkansen depart from and arrive at Shin-Osaka station (with the exception of some trains going from Tokyo through to Hakata, Kyushu, or Hiroshima).

天橋立是日本三大美景之一。它是京都東北部的一個沙洲，以其6,000 多棵造型獨特的節瘤松而著名。

Offering yet another of the three most beautiful views of Japan, Amanohashidate is a sandbar in northeastern Kyoto Prefecture. It is noted for the beauty of its more than 6,000 gnarled pine trees.

“關西”一詞是指以大阪、京都和神戶三市為中心的地區。“近畿” 具有界定明確的邊界，是一個官方的地理名稱，而“關西”則是與“關東”相對應的文化和歷史的概念。例如，生活在該地區的人們說話時都帶有關西口音。

The term Kansai refers to an area centering roughly on the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. While Kinki has well-defined borders and is an official geographical designation, Kansai is used in a cultural and historic context, and in contradistinction to Kanto. People living in this region are said to speak with a Kansai accent, for example.