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Images of Osaka, Wakayama, Himeji and Nara, taken in October and November 2023.

“Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan, and one of the three major cities of Japan. Osaka means ‘large hill’ or ‘large slope’. It is unclear when this name gained prominence over Naniwa [the old name of the city], but the oldest written evidence for the name dates back to 1496.

“Wakayama is located at the northwest corner of Wakayama Prefecture, bordered by Osaka Prefecture to the north and the Kii Channel and Kitan Strait to the west. It is located on the mouth of the Kinokawa River with the main urban centre of the city on the river’s left bank.

“Himeji is located in the central western part of the Harima Plain in the western part of Hyogo Prefecture, and is the central city of the Harima region of the prefecture.

“Nara was the capital of Japan during the Nara period from 710 to 794 as the seat of the Emperor before the capital was moved to Kyoto.”

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