"Kevin Gowen" <kgowenNOSPAM@myfastmail.com> wrote in message news:<bbngri$b4199
> > No, Kansaijin eat Futomaki with fingers on Setsubun day.
> 
> Don't pay attention to Taniguchi, Kaz. He is obviously a hater of the Kinai
> people.


i was reading some Tanizaki Junichiro this week, and came across very
large differences between people from Osaka/Kyoto (Kansai?) region and
Tokyo.  is it really that pronounced even today?  just curious.  i've
only been to Tokyo, and i couldn't have helped but relate people from
Tokyo with all urban Japanese.  it would be very interesting indeed if
urban Japan in the southern region has a different flavor than Tokyo. 
maybe a call for me to visit Osaka in the coming winter.