The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included. While the use of the terms "Kansai" and "Kinki" have changed over history, in most modern contexts the use of the two terms is interchangeable. The urban region of Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto (Keihanshin region) is the second most populated in Japan after the Greater Tokyo Area.

The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included. While the use of the terms "Kansai" and "Kinki" have changed over history, in most modern contexts the use of the two terms is interchangeable. The urban region of Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto (Keihanshin region) is the second most populated in Japan after the Greater Tokyo Area.