- Country
- Japan
- Population
- 5,453,392
- Area
- 8,401 km²
- Wikidata
- Q130290
Map
The Realm of Hyogo is a realm in Japan. It used to have the Provinces of Harima, Tajima, Awaji, Tanba, Settsu but now it is one prefecture.
The prefecture has eight districts. Ako District: Kamigori. Ibo District: Taishi. Kako District: Harima, Inami. Kanzaki District: Fukusaki, Ichikawa, Kamikawa. Kawabe District: Inagawa. Mikata District: Kami, Shin'onsen. Sayo District: Sayo. Taka District: Taka.
Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県, Hyōgo‑ken) sits in the heart of Japan’s Kansai region, stretching from the Sea of Japan in the north to the Seto Inland Sea in the south, with a diverse geography that includes mountains, coastal plains, islands (notably Awaji Island), and bustling port cities. Its history encompasses ancient provincial centers, feudal castle towns, thriving trade hubs, and rich religious heritage, including some of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines. Below are narrative profiles for the 41 cities and towns in Hyōgo with populations of at least 10,000 as of the 2020 census, each with integrated cultural, geographic, historical, and shrine information.
1. Kōbe City
Status: City Population (2020): 1,527,022
Kōbe, the capital of Hyōgo Prefecture, is a major international port city on the Seto Inland Sea. The city’s terrain is framed by the Rokkō Mountain Range to the north and the bay to the south. Originally a small fishing village in Harima Province, Kobe’s transformation began in the late 19th century after the port opened to foreign trade, making it one of Japan’s earliest gateways to the world. Its cosmopolitan character is reflected in districts like Kitano, the waterfront Harborland, and diverse cultural influences that shaped the city’s architecture and food.
Shrines
- Ikuta Shrine – One of Japan’s oldest Myojin Taisha and historically ranked Kanpei‑chūsha. Its origins are tied to early settlement legends and it remains central to Kobe’s identity, hosting seasonal festivals that date back over a millennium.
- Nagata Shrine – Another Myojin Taisha and Kanpei‑chūsha, long revered as a protector of maritime safety and prosperity. Its grounds are extensive and host traditional ceremonies throughout the year.
- Watatsumi jinja – A Myojin Taisha and Kanpei‑chūsha dedicated to the sea deity, reflecting Kobe’s deep historical connection to the ocean and seafaring culture.
- Minatogawa Shrine – Ranked Bekkaku kanpeisha, this shrine honors loyal retainers of the Emperor and is a site of pilgrimage and remembrance, especially on historic anniversaries.
- Hyogo Prefecture Kobe Gokoku Shrine – A Gokoku Shrine commemorating the war dead of Hyōgo from modern conflicts, emphasizing local sacrifice and memory.
Kōbe’s spiritual landscape intertwines with its urban character; the shrines are places of both ancient tradition and modern civic identity.
2. Himeji City
Status: City Population (2020): 530,723
Himeji sits on a coastal plain with easy access to inland and maritime routes, evolving from a strategic feudal center to a vibrant city today. It is most famous for Himeji Castle, Japan’s most celebrated castle and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserving fortifications and aesthetic beauty across centuries.
Shrines
- Itatehyōzu Shrine – A Shikinai Shosha and Prefectural Shrine historically associated with agricultural rites and protection of the fields. Its presence is woven into local seasonal festivals.
- Hiromine Shrine – A Kokushi genzaisha and Prefectural Shrine with ancient roots in the region, associated with harvest blessings and community ceremonies.
- Hyogo Himeji Gokoku Shrine – A Gokoku Shrine honoring those from the city and prefecture who died in modern wars, serving as a focal point for remembrance and local civic events.
Himeji’s cultural heritage blends samurai history, castle town traditions, and agricultural communities, with shrines serving as both spiritual centers and repositories of local memory.
3. Nishinomiya City
Status: City Population (2020): 485,705
Situated between Osaka and Kobe along Osaka Bay, Nishinomiya grew as a market and residential town with riverine landscapes and port influences. It is also the home of Kōshien Stadium, the sacred ground of Japan’s national high school baseball tournament, which plays a central role in the city’s modern identity.
Shrines
- Hirota Shrine – A powerful Myojin Taisha and Kanpei‑taisha, historically listed among the Twenty‑Two Shrines of ancient Japan. It played an important role in national ceremonies in the Heian period and remains a center of traditional rites and festivals.
- Nishinomiya Shrine – A Prefectural Shrine known for local protective rituals and seasonal celebrations that welcome worshippers from across the region.
Nishinomiya’s cultural landscape balances modern urban life with deep historic roots in Shinto festival traditions.
4. Amagasaki City
Status: City Population (2020): 459,717
Amagasaki’s location at the head of Osaka Bay placed it at the heart of Kansai’s industrial growth in the 20th century. Historically a castle town and agricultural market within Settsu Province, it later became a center of shipbuilding, manufacturing, and logistics. Though not dominated by large shrine complexes, its local shrines serve as community anchors for neighborhood festivals and rites tied to seasonal change and civic wellbeing.
5. Akashi City
Status: City Population (2020): 303,838
Akashi enjoys a strategic coastal position overlooking the Akashi Strait and Awaji Island. Its castle, now partially reconstructed, anchors the city’s historical district, and its seafood — including famed akashiyaki — reflects its maritime heritage.
Shrines
- Oishi Shrine – A Prefectural Shrine honoring local protective deities and community founders. It acts as a focal point in annual festivals celebrating harvest and safety.
Akashi’s blend of coastal tradition, castle town history, and shrine festivals marks its unique regional character.
6. Kakogawa City
Status: City Population (2020): 260,988
Kakogawa lies along the fertile basin of the Kakogawa River, making agriculture central to its identity since ancient times. Historically part of Harima Province, the city grew around river trade routes and rural markets that served inland villages and coastal towns alike.
Shrines here often focus on agricultural blessings, community welfare, and rites tied to seasonal cycles, making them central to village and town celebrations.
7. Takarazuka City
Status: City Population (2020): 226,658
Takarazuka’s modern identity is inseparable from the Takarazuka Revue, the all‑female musical theater troupe founded in 1914. Set amid rolling hills and lush scenery, the city attracted visitors and residents drawn to both performing arts and respite from urban centers nearby.
Religious sites here honor local guardian spirits and historical deities, forming backdrops for seasonal celebrations and community rituals that mirror Takarazuka’s artistic rhythms.
8. Itami City
Status: City Population (2020): 198,244
Itami traditionally served as a market town within Settsu Province. Today it’s known for domestic air travel via Itami Airport and close integration with the Osaka metropolitan area. Historic merchant streets and festivals bring forth the city’s older identities, with shrines preserved amid modern urban surroundings.
Shrines in Itami commemorate local founders, community welfare, agricultural blessings, and seasonal celebrations.
9. Kawanishi City
Status: City Population (2020): 152,473
Kawanishi bridges the urban reaches of Osaka and Kobe with rivers, hills, and orchard landscapes. Originally made up of rural hamlets, it grew into a residential city while preserving natural corridors and green spaces. Its shrines anchor neighborhood festivals linked to agricultural cycles and guardian spirits that watch over the community.
10. Sanda City
Status: City Population (2020): 109,324
Sanda, inland in central Hyōgo, was historically a crossroads of Tanba Province. Its highland plains and castle ruins recall feudal administration and agrarian networks. Shrines here play a central role in seasonal rites, from spring planting festivals to autumn harvest gatherings, sustaining ties between rural traditions and modern civic life.
11. Ashiya City
Status: City Population (2020): 94,038
Ashiya is known for scenic residential zones overlooking Osaka Bay and its river valleys. Its community shrines provide spiritual centers for neighborhood ties, hosting summer festivals, New Year rites, and blessings of safety, prosperity, and family wellbeing. The synergy of urban amenities and shrine traditions gives Ashiya a distinct cultural character.
12. Takasago City
Status: City Population (2020): 87,758
Historically a center of salt production on the Harima plains, Takasago’s economy and culture were shaped by maritime and coastal environments. Shrines here often reflect rites connected to sea‑linked livelihoods, protection from tidal forces, and prayers for bountiful harvests of sea and land.
13. Toyooka City
Status: City Population (2020): 77,519
Toyooka anchors northern Hyōgo on the Sea of Japan side, blending coastal culture with historical settlement. Central to its spiritual heritage is Izushi Shrine — a Myojin Taisha and Kokuhei Chūsha that served as the ichinomiya of Tajima Province. Long revered as the foremost shrine of the region, Izushi Shrine’s festivals and processions embody centuries of local identity.
The city also preserves historic castle towns and craft traditions, making Toyooka a nexus of nature, culture, and belief.
14. Miki City
Status: City Population (2020): 75,373
Miki’s inland plains and gentle hills were historically fertile ground for agriculture and settlement within Harima Province. Shrines here are often held in high local esteem, welcoming worshippers for rites of harvest, family prosperity, and seasonal change. Annual festivals knit together village histories with communal life.
15. Tatsuno City
Status: City Population (2020): 74,355
On the Harima coast, Tatsuno blended salt production and castle town culture. Shrines are interwoven with the sea’s rhythms, praying for safe voyages, productive seasons, and protection from natural perils. Seasonal festivals celebrating these themes are woven into the town’s calendar.
16. Tamba City
Status: City Population (2020): 61,511
Tamba’s landscape of hills and forests in central Hyōgo was once pivotal to Tanba Province’s trade and agriculture. Shrines in the region are historically tied to mountain and field spirits, with rites that honor ancestors, seasonal cycles, and protection from natural forces.
17. Ono City
Status: City Population (2020): 47,591
Ono’s rolling hills and river valleys fostered early settlement and market activity. The shrines here reflect deep ties to rural life: rites for harvest blessings, celebrations of water and land spirits, and festivals that bind neighboring villages in shared devotion and memory.
18. Akō City
Status: City Population (2020): 45,921
Akō is synonymous with the Akō Incident and the legend of the 47 Rōnin. Its cultural memory is enshrined at Oishi Shrine — a Prefectural Shrine dedicated to Oishi Yoshio, the leader of the retainers whose loyalty defined the episode. Annual rituals here commemorate courage, loyalty, and the complex interplay of duty and justice in Japan’s samurai history.
The city’s coastal heritage and salt production history add layers to its cultural panorama, with local shrines marking maritime prosperity and protection.
19. Minamiawaji City
Status: City Population (2020): 44,180
Occupying the southern half of Awaji Island, Minamiawaji is drenched in myth and spiritual heritage. According to Shinto cosmology, Awaji Island was among the first lands created by the gods Izanagi and Izanami, making the island a sacred birthplace of the Japanese archipelago. At the heart of this tradition is Izanagi Shrine — a Myojin Taisha and Kanpei‑taisha that served as the ichinomiya of Awaji Province. Its annual rites and festivals reenact creation myths and honor the primordial deities, drawing pilgrims from across Kansai.
Minamiawaji’s cultural calendar is rich with seasonal and agricultural festivals anchored by this shrine’s spiritual prominence.
20. Kasai City
Status: City Population (2020): 42,750
Kasai’s inland plains were key agricultural zones in Harima Province, with shrines celebrating fertility, family prosperity, and protection from floods and drought. Seasonal rituals here often weave together village histories with agrarian cycles, fostering communal bonds.
21. Awaji City
Status: City Population (2020): 42,028
Awaji City covers the northern half of Awaji Island, blending coastal and agricultural landscapes. Its shrines uphold ancient traditions tied to creation myths, maritime livelihood, and seasonal bounty. Shrines here are especially meaningful during festivals honoring sea deities and agricultural rites.
22. Sumoto City
Status: City Population (2020): 41,329
Sumoto anchors central Awaji Island with historical sites like Sumoto Castle overlooking the inland sea. The city’s shrines reflect both maritime heritage and links to agricultural prosperity, with annual celebrations that echo the rhythms of island life.
23. Katō City
Status: City Population (2020): 40,683
Katō’s inland setting preserves traditions of castle towns and farming villages. Shrines here honor local tutelary spirits and seasonal cycles, creating a tapestry of devotion rooted in community continuity.
24. Tamba‑Sasayama City
Status: City Population (2020): 39,637
Tamba‑Sasayama blends feudal architecture with rural landscapes. The city’s shrines celebrate land spirits, mountain guardians, and ancestral rites that mark planting and harvest seasons, linking villagers to centuries of agrarian traditions.
25. Nishiwaki City
Status: City Population (2020): 38,714
Nishiwaki’s highland position brought together watersheds, trade routes, and village settlements. Local shrines reflect the interplay of riverine landscapes and rural life, hosting festivals that honor water blessings, protection, and seasonal transitions.
26. Shisō City
Status: City Population (2020): 34,852
Shisō’s rugged mountains and deep forests fostered distinct village cultures. Central among its spiritual sites is Iwa Shrine — a Myojin Taisha and Kokuhei Chūsha that served as the ichinomiya of Harima Province. Iwa Shrine’s prominence echoes across seasonal rites and communal festivals that bind mountain communities together.
27. Harima Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 33,561
Harima’s coastal plains and tidal flats were the heartland of ancient Harima Province. Local shrines celebrate sea deities, agricultural bounty, and guardian spirits for families and villages. Seasonal rites here integrate harvest festivals and maritime prayers.
28. Taishi Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 33,498
Taishi’s villages and agricultural communities maintain shrine traditions that honor protective deities and village founders, sustaining links between landscape, heritage, and seasonal life.
29. Inami Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 30,268
Inami’s plains and hills support rural communities whose shrines celebrate fertility, prosperity, and community welfare through annual festivals and rites.
30. Inagawa Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 29,703
Inagawa’s position at the fringes of Kansai’s urban reach blends commuter life with rural shrine traditions. Shrines here host rites of protection, family wellbeing, and seasonal transitions.
31. Asago City
Status: City Population (2020): 29,002
Asago’s mountain valleys and rivers shaped early settlements and community networks. Shrines here honor mountain deities, water spirits, and agricultural guardians, structuring festivals around seasonal rites.
32. Aioi City
Status: City Population (2020): 28,374
Aioi’s river valleys and farmland fostered historical connectivity across Harima. Local shrines celebrate seasonal cycles, community protection, and blessings of family wellbeing, forming centers of neighborhood identity.
33. Yabu City
Status: City Population (2020): 22,137
Yabu’s inland landscape of hills and river basins shaped village life. Shrines here host rites honoring water deities and mountain guardians, drawing villagers together in shared celebration and tradition.
34. Fukusaki Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 19,376
Fukusaki’s town fabric is woven with shrine traditions linked to farming welfare, family prosperity, and guardian deities. Community festivals tied to these shrines uphold ancestral rites.
35. Taka Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 19,284
Taka’s rolling hills and valleys support villages whose shrines celebrate seasonal change, agricultural blessing rituals, and family protection rites that sustain community continuity.
36. Kami Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 16,069
Kami’s dispersed settlements host shrine sites venerating founders, tutelary spirits, and seasonal transitions, anchoring community life across generations.
37. Sayō Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 15,885
Sayō’s riverine terrain and farming communities are reflected in shrine traditions that honor water, fertility, and the passage of seasons through annual festivals.
38. Kamigōri Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 13,896
Kamigōri’s rural landscape supports shrine traditions that celebrate local spirits, seasonal rites, and guardian deities associated with land and family wellbeing.
39. Shin’onsen Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 13,328
Shin’onsen (New Hot Springs) brings geothermal landscapes into its identity. Shrines here reflect mountain and water worship, with festivals welcoming seasonal transitions and blessings of wellness.
40. Ichikawa Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 11,239
Ichikawa’s hills and valleys host rural shrines that celebrate agricultural prosperity, founder spirits, and seasonal life through community festivals.
41. Kamikawa Town
Status: Town Population (2020): 10,633
Kamikawa’s inland valleys and village clusters preserve shrine traditions honoring protection, fertility, and seasonal cycles, sustaining local identity through annual rites.