#137: Kanto (Semiweekly-pedia of Japan)

#137: Kanto (category: region)

Kanto is the region in the eastern part of the Honshu island (refer to #062). The Kanto region consists of Tokyo Metropolis (refer to #036) and the following six prefectures: Kanagawa, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Chiba.

The word "kan" in "Kanto" derives from "Seki-sho (meaning governmental checkpoint)" and "to" in Japanese is "east". So, "Kanto" means the east side of the governmental checkpoint (set up at the central Japan in ancient times).

(Monday, July 21st, 2014)    See Archive