Historical Dictionary of Osaka and Kyoto

Front Cover
Scarecrow Press, 1999 - History - 273 pages
Osaka and Kyoto are often overshadowed in the Western imagination by Tokyo's teeming sea of civilization. Nevertheless, Osaka and Kyoto are the setting for most of Japan's important historical events. From the 5th century B.C.E. to the 17th century, the Osaka-Kyoto region (known as the Kansai today) was the center of Japan politically, culturally, and economically. Today, the region continues to play a leading role in the traditional arts as well as serving as the second most important economic area in the country. This volume begins to address a painful lack of information about Osaka and Kyoto in English. Its dictionary-style entries place concise and important information at researchers' and scholars' fingertips. The introductions and chronologies contribute to the usefulness of this ready-reference, and the bibliography points students of Osaka and Kyoto to starting points for further research.
 

Selected pages

Contents

Osaka
1
Chronology of Osaka
3
Introduction to the City of Osaka
7
Overview of Osaka Prefecture
25
Overview of Osaka City
26
The Dictionary
27
Japanese Historical Periods
107
Population of Osaka 19201997
108
Overview of Kyoto Prefecture
143
Overview of Kyoto City
144
The Dictionary
145
Japanese Historical Periods
239
Japans Emperors
240
Population of Kyoto 18901997
244
Visitors to Kyoto 19891993
245
Crafts and Active Craftspeople 1991
246

Foreign Visitors to Osaka
109
Major Economic Enterprises
110
Postwar Mayors and Governors
111
Kyoto
113
Chronology of Kyoto
115
Introduction to the City of Kyoto
123
Land by Type in the Kyoto City Urban Area
247
Kyoto Production by Economic Sector 1991
248
Kyoto Health and Welfare Statistics
249
Postwar Mayors and Governors
250
Copyright

Common terms and phrases

About the author (1999)

Ian Ropke has lived in the Kansai region for nearly 12 years. He has held various editorial, consulting, and translation-related positions. He has also served as the editor of both the Osaka's Visitor's Guide and the Kyoto Visitor's Guide.