Revitalizing Hyogo Where Dreams Come to Life ＊Messages of encouragement for the creation of Hyogo Yutaka Sado Artistic Director & Conductor, Hyogo Performing Arts Center Shinji Kagawa Pro Soccer Player, Hyogo Prefecture Native Mariko Kinoshita Chirographer Kanae Yagi Weightlifting Athlete (ALSOK), Hyogo Prefecture Native ＊Voices from Foreign Residents Contents ● Messages and Foreword ● Hyogo Prefecture －Gateway to the Asia-Pacific Region ● Hyogo, Kansai and the World ● Hyogo’s Diverse Potential ● Localities in Hyogo －A Japan in Miniature ● Charms of Hyogo: Tourism, Business, Study and Living ● Hyogo Regional Revitalization Strategy ‘Banshu-ori’ is a type of weaving developed by the people and nature of the northern Harima region. This treasured textile is so popular that many high-class overseas brands order it. Messages of encouragement for the revitalization of Hyogo. A region full of character There are many places in Hyogo that are filled with such great character and charm. I work at the Hyogo Performing Arts Center, which was built in Nishinomiya to symbolize the region’s recovery from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. As the center’s artistic director, it is my job to use music to bring a richer future to the people and towns in our region. I hope to continue supplying these ‘vitamins to nourish the soul’ into the future, so that this theater may be a place full of charm for people to gather. Yutaka Sado Artistic Director & Conductor, Hyogo Performing Arts Center My precious home town I grew up in Hyogo. It’s a place that offers the benefits of big cities as well as the natural environment, with the sea and the mountains in close proximity. There are also a lot of sports facilities, making it a great environment for raising kids. I have been to a lot of cities around the world, but I really feel that Hyogo is one of the most attractive places on Earth. It is my precious home town. Shinji Kagawa Pro Soccer Player, Hyogo Prefecture Native Living as nature intended I think the best thing about Hyogo Prefecture is the fact that it has the perfect amount of convenient facilities in an environment full of rich and beautiful nature. This is in addition to the great fusion of Japanese culture and other cultures that we have here. It’s a place where we can experience a high-quality lifestyle, living as nature intended. Mariko Kinoshita Calligrapher So many activities to enjoy and ways to soothe the soul Hyogo Prefecture offers a great range of activities for fun and relaxation. There’s skiing, camping, beaches to swim at, and the million-dollar night view. Kobe is a fantastic shopping hub and has so many stylish cafes. Having all these opportuni- ties for fun and relaxation at your fingertips brings a natural motivation to work hard at your job, studies, sports, or home duties. The activities that soothe my soul the most are going to the Arima Onsen hot springs and eating Kobe beef. Kanae Yagi Weightlifting Athlete (ALSOK), Hyogo Prefecture Native 1 Aomori Air routes and time between KIX and the world Akita Sapporo Sendai Niigata 12:25 Moscow 9:45 Vancouver 9:10 London 1:25 Seoul Seattle 9:25 12:25 Hakodate Rome 14:20 135Newϒ York 16:30 Paris 3:10 Beijing east Nagano 2:10 Shanghai Los Angeles 10:15 16:30 Cairo 3:40 Hong Kong Honolulu 7:35 Tokyo Aomori 5:30 Bangkok Kyoto Yokohama 6:20 Singapore Nagoya Hiroshima Osaka Akita Kobe Johannesburg 17:55 Fukuoka 24:20 San Paulo 11:00 Sydney Hyogo Sendai 10:55 Auckland Prefecture Niigata Kagoshima 135ϒ Nagano east Kanazawa Major networks in Japan Tokyo Kyoto Nagoya Yokohama Hiroshima Kobe Osaka Expressway Fukuoka JR Shinkansen Major cities Kagoshima Naha (As of March 2016) Foreword Hyogo ‒ bringing more dreams to life Located almost exactly in the center of Japan, Hyogo is a vast prefecture bordered by the Sea of Japan to the north, and the Seto Inland Sea to the south, as well as the Pacific Ocean on the other side of Awaji Island. Hyogo offers a great variety of attractions. There is the cosmopolitan city of Kobe (population 1.5 million), as well as Himeji and its World Heritage Site Himeji Castle. Then there is Tajima, the area that has long protected the pedigree of Tajima cattle, used for Kobe beef, and Awaji, the site for the Japanese creation legend. With such a diverse range of wonderful features, offering everything from large cities to abundant nature, people even refer to Hyogo as ‘Japan in miniature’. The lessons we learned from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake have taught us not only about measures to prevent and reduce the impact of disasters, they are also utilized in areas such as medicine and nursing care, child-rearing and education, and crime prevention, as we aim for safety and security in every aspect of the lives of Hyogo residents. Our prefecture has many other strengths to its name ‒ it is a base for manufacturing industries, one of the world’s best science and technology platforms, and is blessed with a climate that produces a great range of food and culinary culture, a local communi- ty with a rich global flair, and a forward-thinking population that is carving out a new future. I intend to continue to maximize these wonderful aspects of Hyogo to revitalize our region, uncovering the new future as we aim to make Hyogo the prefecture which brings the most dreams to life. A prefecture in which each resident can achieve his or her ambitions, and live with a fulfilled heart. Hyogo lets you live the way you want, and work the way you desire, launching any industry you would like. This is the stage to act out the story of your life. Toshizo Ido Governor of Hyogo Prefecture Photo: Takeda Castle Ruins Image provided by Toshihisa Yoshida 2 Hyogo Prefecture ̶ Gateway to the Asia-Pacific Region Hyogo Prefecture, situated in the geographical center of Japan, is easily accessible to the world by sea and air. Within Japan, Hyogo Prefecture offers smooth and uninterrupted passage to various cities by extensive expressway, railway, and airline networks. The Japanese archipelago, shaped like a bow, is located at the eastern end of the Eurasian Continent. Japan consists of four major islands and many smaller ones. Its land extends considerably both east to west and north to south, resulting in a diversity of climatic conditions around the country. The Kansai region, in which Hyogo Prefecture is located, has its own economic and cultur- al features that are distinct from those of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Blessed with a central location, Hyogo Prefecture has developed quick and easy access to various places throughout Japan and around the world. Moreover, since the opening of the Port of Kobe in 1868, Hyogo has served as a gateway to Japan for the outside world. As access to the Prefecture Kobe Airport developed, so did the exchange of cultures. Many aspects of Western culture, such as movies and golf, entered Japan through Hyogo and later have spread throughout the country. At the same time, karaoke, anime, and other aspects of Japanese culture have spread from Hyogo to the world. Airport Access Road Network Kansai International Airport, or Major expressways that traverse KIX, is Japan’s only 24-hour Japan from east to west and from airport. Kobe, Hyogo’s capital, is north to south pass through one of the closest cities to the Hyogo Prefecture. Excellent Airport. The Airport can be access is available from Hyogo to reached in approximately one cities outside of the Prefecture. hour from Kobe by express bus. Construction of the Akashi Kobe Airport, or UKB, is a Kaikyo Bridge, the world’s domestic airport which has longest suspension bridge, was excellent access. It is as little as completed in April of 1998, 16 minutes from downtown Kobe linking Hyogo Prefecture to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge via the Portliner train service and island of Shikoku. is also just half an hour away from KIX via a bay shuttle ferry service. The Port of Kobe Railway Access The Port of Kobe is a major One of the world’s fastest trains, international trade port that is the Shinkansen, or bullet train, connected to more than 130 runs from Kobe to destinations countries and regions as well as east and west, making the travel Port of Kobe over 500 ports globally through time from Kobe to Tokyo only its various international liner about two and a half hours. In routes to places such as North combination with those of Osaka America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Kyoto, Hyogo’s extensive and China. The port is equipped transportation system, including with a high-standard container various railways such as JR, terminal, playing an important Hankyu, Hanshin, Sanyo, Kobe role as a strategic international Dentetsu, and the Kobe Munici- container port. pal Subway, make up an integrat- It is also one of the most ed commuter sphere in the larger popular cruise ports of call in Asia, Kansai metropolitan area. with over 1,000 passenger boats Shinkansen calling at the port annually. 3 Hyogo, Kansai, and the World Hyogo Prefecture has developed into a highly internationalized region centered around the Port of Kobe, and now it serves as home to many international institutions. Hyogo forms the Kansai economic region together with Osaka and Kyoto. A World Metropolis, Kansai Hyogo Within Kansai The area centered around Hyogo, Osaka, and Kyoto is According to ancient Japanese mythology, the Japanese called the Kansai region, and it was the center of Japan for archipelago came into existence with the formation of Awaji over 1,000 years until the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868.