Osaka Prefecture

is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Osaka-fu" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 759; "Kansai" at p. 477.  The capital city is Osaka.Nussbaum,  "Osaka" at p. 759.

 History 
Osaka prefecture was created by merging the area of Kawachi Province, Izumi Province and Settsu Province.Nussbaum,  "Provinces and prefectures"  at p. 780.

In 1994, the Kansai International Airport opened.  This is one of the main international airport hubs of Japan.Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MLIT), Kansai International Airport; retrieved 2012-1-20.

 Geography 
Osaka Prefecture has borders with Hyōgo Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture in the north. Nara is east of Osaka. Wakayama Prefecture shares the prefecture's southern border. The west faces Osaka Bay. 

The  flows through the prefecture.Nussbaum,  "Yodo-gawa"  at p. 1053.

 Cities 
Thirty-three cities are located in Osaka Prefecture:
 Daitō
 Fujiidera
 Habikino
 Hannan
 Higashiōsaka
 Hirakata
 Ibaraki
 Ikeda
 Izumi
 Izumiōtsu
 Izumisano Kadoma
 Kaizuka
 Kashiwara
 Katano
 Kawachinagano
 Kishiwada
 Matsubara
 Minoh
 Moriguchi
 Neyagawa
 Osaka (capital) Ōsakasayama
 Sakai
 Sennan
 Settsu
 Shijōnawate
 Suita
 Takaishi
 Takatsuki
 Tondabayashi
 Toyonaka
 Yao

National Parks
National Parks are established in about 11% of the total land area of the prefecture.Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Shrines and Temples
Hiraoka jinja, Ōtori jina, and Sumiyoshi taisha are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture."Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 ; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan
Osaka based organizations
 Cerezo Osaka
 Gamba Osaka
 Kansai Ki-in (Largest Go organization in Osaka)
 Osaka University (One of the largest national university in Japan)

References

Other websites

 Osaka Prefecture website