Kyoto and Osaka, located in the western part of Japan, are among the most popular destinations for visitors from overseas.
Kyoto is known for its many historic temples and shrines, offering a deep sense of Japan’s cultural heritage.
Osaka, on the other hand, has long been a center of commerce and is famous for its vibrant food culture.
Both cities are considered top-tier tourist spots within Japan.
These two cities belong to a region commonly referred to as Kansai.
Because Kansai played a central role in ancient Japan, it developed cultural traits that are quite distinctive—
and its dialect, for better or worse, is often highlighted as one of the region’s defining features.
Anyone who has traveled in this area, especially those who stayed for an extended period,
has likely heard a certain expression at least once.
The word “ookini.”
“Ookini” is a word that carries the meaning of “thank you.”
It is a regional expression—essentially a dialect—used mainly in the Kansai area, especially in Osaka and Kyoto. People from outside Kansai rarely use it. Although the word has been around for a very long time, its usage has been declining in recent years as regional dialects fade, and it is now heard mostly among older generations. Younger people tend not to use it as much.
Still, because “ookini” is widely recognized throughout Japan as a Kansai-style greeting, saying just that one word—no matter where you are in the country—immediately marks you as someone from Kansai.
It is a curious thing: even in a relatively small country like Japan, people often have a strong sense of regional identity. Historically, the Kansai region centered around Osaka and the Kanto region centered around Tokyo have viewed each other as rivals in various cultural and social aspects.
Of course, other regions also have their own local pride, and neighboring areas often develop friendly rivalries based on history, customs, or competing interests. But the long-standing Osaka–Tokyo rivalry is particularly deep-rooted.
s the permanent residence of the emperor. Osaka, in turn, functioned as the nation’s largest economic center, supporting the imperial capital.
When Tokugawa Ieyasu established his shogunate in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) in 1603, Edo effectively became Japan’s political hub for the next 250 years. Even so, Kyoto—where the emperor remained—continued to hold capital-like status alongside Edo.
After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, governmental functions were consolidated in Tokyo, and the emperor also relocated there. Yet even today, in 2026—more than 150 years later—Japan has no explicit legal declaration stating that “Tokyo is the capital of Japan.”
The relationship between Osaka and Tokyo, two cities that form the main artery of the nation, has been shaped by this subtle and complex historical background. In both positive and negative ways, it is only natural that various forms of rivalry have grown between them over time.
In the early 1900s, Japan began promoting policies that encouraged the reduction of regional dialects and the use of a unified national language.
There was even a proposal to adopt the Kyoto dialect—spoken in the city where the emperor had lived for centuries—as the national standard. However, the government ultimately chose to base the new “standard language” on the speech of Tokyo’s Yamanote district, which was considered more advantageous for administrative purposes.
Modern Japanese is fundamentally built upon this Tokyo-based standard.
Had the Kyoto dialect been chosen instead, it is quite possible that “ookini” would have become Japan’s standard expression of gratitude today.
Let me return for a moment to the word “ookini.”
Although I have used this expression hundreds—perhaps thousands—of times over my 64 years, it suddenly struck me the other day:
“Ookini” is a word of gratitude, yet there is nothing in the word itself that directly expresses ‘thanks.’
In fact, I realized that I didn’t truly understand what the word literally meant at all.
I had simply been using it out of habit, without ever questioning it.
It made me wonder what on earth I had been thinking for more than sixty years. (^_^;)
When I looked into it, I found that the literal meaning of “ookini” is something like “a great amount” or “very much.”
In other words, it is essentially the “very much” part of “Thank you very much,” with the “thank you” portion omitted entirely.
Put differently, it is almost like saying “a lot of (^o^)!” as a standalone expression of gratitude.
Incidentally, the standard Japanese word for “thank you,” arigatou, does not contain any direct expression of gratitude either.
The word originally meant “rare” or “something especially fortunate,” and it came to be used as a way of expressing thanks in the sense of “I am grateful for this unexpected blessing.”
When we look closely, we find that many everyday expressions differ quite a bit from their original meanings. Languages often carry layers of history that we no longer notice. Perhaps your own language has similar expressions—words that no longer mean exactly what they once did.
And if you ever visit the Kansai region and something delightful happens, try saying “ookini!” instead of “arigatou.”
You may be surprised at how warmly the locals react. (^^)
Note: The word “ookini” is a casual expression of gratitude used in everyday life.
Its nuance is similar to “Thanks,” “Cheers,” or “Thanks so much” in English.Please be aware that it is not used in formal settings or in situations with clear hierarchical relationships, such as business greetings.