Kantō region

The  is one of Japan's regions.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kanto" in   The Japanese conventions of geography and history divide the nation into eight regions, including the Kantō region.Library of Congress Country Studies, Japan (LOC), "Geographic Regions"; "The islands of Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu each form a region, and the main island of Honshu is divided into five regions". Retrieved 2012-4-3.  These have been used since 1905 as basic units for description and comparisonTames, Richard. (2008). A traveller's history of Japan, p. 264. and as cultural markers.

The regions of Japan are a fusion of historical divisions and modern administrative needs".Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), "Regions of Japan". Retrieved 2012-4-11.  The significance of the region in Japan is geographical, cultural and administrative.Brandt, Kim. Kingdom of Beauty: Mingei and the Politics of Folk Art in Imperial Japan, pp. 218-219;Shapira, Philip et al. (1994). Planning For Cities And Regions In Japan, p. 193, citing Research Institute of Construction and Economy. (1991). "Fig. 2-7. "Regional Vitalization and Construction Administration," White Paper on Construction. Retrieved 2012-8-28.

History
In the late 7th century, the Tōkaidō region were identified as one of the eight largest administrative areas of the Imperial system (ritsuryo seido).

Gokishichidō is an ancient system of names for parts of the country, including Tōkaidō.Nussbaum, "Goki-shichidō" at p. 255.  Kantō covers an east-central area of the island of HonshūLOC, "Kanto". Retrieved 2012-2-14. in roughly the same area as the traditional Tōkaidō.

The region of Kantō covers the east-central part of the island of Honshū.

In the Meiji period, the modern regional system was made by Imperial decree.  Japan was divided into regions (chihō ), including the Kantō region. A regional council  (chihō gyōsei kyōgisai) was headed by the governor of the most powerful prefecture in the regional grouping.  The council also included regional chiefs of central government ministries.Steiner, Kurt. (1965).  Local Government in Japan, p. 62.

Table: Kanto Region 
 Province Province capital  50pxPre-modern regions Prefecture Prefecture capital 50pxRegions today Notes Awa MinamibōsōTōkaidō Chiba; Ibaraki Chiba; MitoKantō created in 718 from Kazusa, then rejoined back in 741, later re-split in 781  Hitachi near IshiokaTōkaidō Ibaraki MitoKantō Iga UenoTōkaidō Mie TsuKansai created in 680 from Ise Ise Uji-YamadaTōkaidō Mie TsuKansai  Izu Tōkaidō Shizuoka; Tokyo Shizuoka; TokyoKantō created in 680 from Suruga    Kai Tōkaidō Yamanashi KōfuChūbu   Kazusa near IchiharaTōkaidō Chiba ChibaKantō created from Fusa in the 7th centur Mikawa Tōkaidō Aichi NagoyaChūbu   Musashi near FuchuTōkaidō Kanagawa; Tokyo; Saitama Yokohama; Tokyo; SaitamaKantō transferred in 771 from Tōsandō  Owari near InazawaTōkaidō Aichi NagoyaChūbu   Sagami near HiratsukaTōkaidō Kanagawa YokohamaKantō   Shima Tōkaidō Mie TsuKansai created at the beginning of the 8th century from Ise Shimōsa Tōkaidō Chiba; Ibaraki Chiba; MitoKantō created from Fusa in the 7th century  Suruga Tōkaidō Shizuoka ShizuokaChūbu   Tōtōmi Tōkaidō Shizuoka ShizuokaChūbu  

Over time, Kantō developed its own regional dialects, customs and unique traditional culture.Web-Japan.org, "Regions of Japan". Retrieved 2012-4-15.

Timeline
 1923 (Taishō 12): Great Kantō earthquakeNussbaum, "Taishō Tennō" at p. 929. has its epicenter near Tokyo and Yokohama."Yokohama is Practically Destroyed," The New York Times. September 3, 1923. Retrieved 2012-2-15.

Geography
The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area.  The Kantō covers seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa.

 Subdivisions
North and South subdivisions are sometimes used: 
  covering Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Gunma. 
  covering Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa. South Kantō is often used as synonymous with the Greater Tokyo Area.

East and West subdivisions are sometimes used: 
 : Ibaraki, Tochigi and Chiba.
 : Gunma, Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa (and Yamanashi Prefecture may be included).

Inland and Coastal subdivisions are sometimes used:
 : Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama (and Yamanashi may be included).
 : Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa.

 Greater Kantō 
The Japanese national government defines the  as the Kantō region plus Yamanashi Prefecture.

Japan's national public broadcaster NHK defines the  which includes Yamanashi, Nagano and Niigata Prefectures for regional programming.

Related pages
KinaiTōkaidōTōsandōHokurikudōSan'indōSan'yōdōNankaidōSaikaidō
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan

 References 

Other websites 

  Murdoch's map of provinces, 1903

Category:Regions of Japan
Category:Honshū