Prefecture flag

Main City: Kobe

Population:  5,537,000 people, ranking 7/47 prefecture (2015) [1]

Area: 8,396 km² [2]

Geographical / Landscape description

Hyogo has coastlines on two seas: to the north lies the Sea of Japan and to the south, the Inland Sea. The northern portion is sparsely populated and the central highlands are only populated by tiny villages. Most of Hyogo's population lives on the southern coast, which is part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. Nearly 20% of the total land area of the prefecture is designated as Natural Parks. [2]

Climate

Due to the region’s vast land size, climates in Hyogo vary by region. The climate in the south is moderate with little rain, while the cloudy and rainy north receives seasonal winds from Siberia in the wintertime and has a lot of snowfall. [2]

Recent history, culture

The prefecture’s most significant feature is certainly the 400 year-old Himeji Castle which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hyogo’s traditional culture has been passed down through the generations in many forms and events that are still performed today like the Nada Fighting Festival (a “battle” between seven fabulously decorated palanquins called Yatai and three portable shrines, or Mikoshi that are smashed into each another) and the Awaji Ningyo Joruri (a traditional puppet theatre). [2] [3]

More chapters:

• Economic overview
• Infrastructure
• Living environment
• Major types of economic activities
• Opportunities for EU Investors / Exporters / Importers
• Setting up a business in the prefecture
• Other contacts