Kansai
/ˈkɑːn.saɪ/noun
A region of west-central Honshu in Japan, centered on Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe.
Did you know?The name reflects Japan’s old system of barrier stations: Kansai was defined in relation to checkpoints guarding the approaches to the imperial capital.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
關西
“west of the pass or barrier”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
kwæːn sej
“barrier/pass + west”
8th Century
Sino-Japanese
関西（かんさい）
“the area west of a barrier, used for western regions associated with the imperial center”
Heian Period
Japanese
Kansai
“the western side of the barrier system, especially the region around the capital”
Modern English
English
Kansai
“A major region of Japan including Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Shiga, Wakayama, and often Mie.”
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