About Hyogo Prefecture

Hyogo Prefecture is located in the center of Japan. The city of Akashi, sitting at 135 degrees east longitude, has become the standard for determining Japan Standard Time. The Chugoku Mountain neatly divides the prefecture into northern and southern halves, and it is the only prefecture in central Honshu to enjoy coasts on both the Japan Sea in the north and the Seto Inland Sea in the south. Hyogo Prefecture is also called the "prefecture with five faces" because it consists of five countries with distinct historical backgrounds and terrains.