Hyogo is one of nine wards of Kobe, Japan. It has an area of 14.56 km2 and a population of 106,322.The area's location with a natural harbour near the Akashi Strait which links Osaka Bay and the Seto inland sea has been an important location throughout the history of Japan. The capital of Japan was located in the area for a short period in the 12th century. Today the area is an important manufacturing zone.