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National Parks, Quasi-National Parks and Undersea Parks in Kansai

As representatives of Japan's natural scenic beauty, national parks are designated by the Director General of the Environment Agency and managed by the national government. Since the first national park in 1939, a total of 28 parks have been designated as of 1997. Among these, five are situated in Kansai's nine prefectures, and of these five, the Setonaikai National Park was one of the first to be designated. Similarly, quasi-national parks are also designated by the Director General of the Environment Agency as places of natural scenic beauty. These, however, are managed by the prefectures. As of 1997, Japan had 55 quasi-national parks, 14 of which are located in the Kansai region. Criteria for selection include not only natural beauty but also the potential to serve as a resort for nearby urban areas.
A subgroup of the national and quasi-national parks, underwater parks serve to maintain marine scenery. The Kansai region is home to Kushimoto Underwater Park, in Yoshino-Kumano National Park in Wakayama Prefecture, and Mikata Underwater Park, in Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Park in Fukui Prefecture. In addition, 42 natural parks have been designated by prefectural governors.

National Park

	San'in Kaigan National Park	HYOGO/KYOTO/TOTTORI

	Ise-Shima National Park	MIE

	Yoshino-Kumano National Park	WAKAYAMA/MIE/NARA

	Setonaikai National Park	TOKUSHIMA/HYOGO/KAGAWA EHIME/OKAYAMA/HIROSHIMA

	Hakusan National Park	FUKUI

Quasi-National Park

	Muroto-Anan Kaigan Quasi-National Park	TOKUSHIMA/KOCHI

	Meiji Memorial Forest Minoo Quasi-National Park	OSAKA

	Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Park	KYOTO/FUKUI

	Echizen-Kaga Kaigan-Quashi-National Park	FOKUI/ISHIKAWA

	Biwako Quashi-National Park	SHIGA

	Muroo-Akame-Aoyama Quasi-National Park	NARA/MIE

	Suzuka-Quashi National Park	MIE/SHIGA

	Kongou-Ikoma-Kisen Quashi National Park	NARA/OSAKA/WAKAYAMA

	Hyonosen-Ushiroyama-Nakiyama Quashi National Park	HYOGO/OKAYAMA/TOTTORI

	Yamato-Aogaki Quashi National Park	NARA

	Koya-Ryujin Quashi National Park	NARA/WAKAYAMA

	Turugiyama Quashi National Park	TOKUSHIMA/KOCHI

Undersea Park

	Mikata Undersea Park	FUKUI

	Toyooka Undersea Park	HYOGO

	Hamasaka Undersea Park	HYOGO

	Takeno Undersea Park	HYOGO

	Kushimoto Undersea Park	WAKAYAMA

	Awa Oshima Undersea Park	TOKUSHIMA

	Awa-Takegashima Undersea Park	TOKUSHIMA