Kobe is the sixth largest city in Japan and located north of Osaka Bay. For its locations has always been an important city. Kobe comes from "kanbe" a name for the supporters of Ikuta Shrine, one of the oldest shrines in Japan. Kobe is a pretty new city. It was founded in 1889 and opened trade with the west. Kobe was bombed during WWII and was the inspiration for Studio Ghibli film Grave of the Fireflies. In 1995 Kobe was hit by Great Hanshin earthquake which destroyed most of the city. Nowadays Kobe has big industries like Kawasaki and Kobe Steel; not to mention that it homes the famous Kobe beef.
I have prepared a one day guide to help you cover the top attractions. If you wish to make your own, scroll down!
DAY 1
We will start early today and I am going to give you two options. The first one opens later and is the Shin-Kobe Ropeway that takes you to the Nunobiki Falls, and the second one is the Rokko Cable Car. The second one opens earlier at 7 am
and in my opinion, I will choose the second one.
Rokko Cable Car takes you to the Rokko Garden Terrace where you will be
able to have amazing views of the city. Take some pictures and if you take the same cable car to the last
station, you will arrive to Arima Onsen which is one of the most famous famous hot springs in Japan. It has two
kinds of springs. One water colored yellow-brown from iron and salt, and the other is colorless and contains radium and
carbonate.
After your visit, you will head down to the city. Here, we will head to Nōfuku-ji, a Buddhist temple with a big
Buddha. If you decide not to visit Nōfuku-ji, head to the next stop or there is a museum called Hyōgo Prefectural
Museum of Art, if you are an art lover.
Before going to our last stop, we will pass by one of the oldest shrines in Japan, Ikuta Shrine. From here we
will go to Meriken Park. Here we will be able to visit Kobe Port Tower which is the most important
landmark in the city, Kobe Maritime Museum which includes Kawasaki exhibitions, and the Great Hanshin earthquake
memorial which is a few blocks away. You can buy a combined ticket for the Tower and the Maritime Museum.
If you still have time, the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum teaches how sake is made; otherwise, go out for dinner.
Kobe is famous for two things Kobe Beef and Gyoza. It is close to Osaka, so there are good spots to eat Okonomiyaki. Gyozas are Japanese-style dumplings. As a cultural tip Kobe Beef is ONLY located in Kobe. Some restaurants around the world sell you Kobe, but it is not the original. All Kobe is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu is Kobe. Wagyu means wa = japanese style and gyu = cow. The real Kobe starts from $200 a little portion.
Make Your Own
- Arima Onsen
- Kobe Port Tower
- Meriken Park
- Kobe Maritime Museum
- Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum
- Kobe Maritime Museum
- Ikuta Shrine
- Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art
- Nōfuku-ji
- Rokko Cable Cars
Vissel Kobe (Soccer)
Season January - May
August - December
Universal Studios Japan (28 km)
Always take a train!
Nagoya 202 kilometers
It has one of the most beautiful castles in Japan.
Osaka 33 kilometers
One of the best cities to eat. Osaka Castle and Universal Studios.
Kyoto 74 kilometers
Old capital. Kiyomizu Dera was nominated by the new wonders of the world. Japan's old capital.
Hiroshima 303 kilometers
Visit the Peace Monument at Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, home to the splendid Itsukishima Shrine.
Fukuoka 583 kilometers
Biggest city in the island of Kyushu.
Okayama 155 kilometers
It is known as one of the top three traditional gardens in Japan.
Kyoto
Old capital. Kiyomizu Dera was nominated by the new wonders of the world. Japan's old capital.
Nara
It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, explore its temples, shrines and famous deer park.
Osaka
One of the best cities to eat. Osaka Castle and Universal Studios.
Hiroshima - Miyajima
Visit the Peace Monument at Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, home to the splendid Itsukishima Shrine.
Himeji
City that has a beautiful castle, it is located one hour away.
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery 62 km
Famous world class japanese whisky.
Thanks to the efficient train system in Japan you can get pretty much anywhere and in short time. There is no way you will rent a car in Kobe. Use the metro; however I should advise you that in rush hours it gets very packed. If you are planning to visit other cities purchase de JR Rail Pass before leaving your home country; this pass gives you unlimited access to trains. Osaka is a very close city; you can arrive to Osaka in less than 40 min. Osaka is know as one of the best cities to eat. If you need cash do not take it out from any ATM because they will probably block your card; the best way is to go to the ATMs in the post offices. There is also another city close by Himeji; it has a beautiful castle and you can visit it in one day. For Kyoto you will need at least two days.
Most bars are close to Sannomiya Station.
Laguna the Bar, Curve Bar and The Bar J.W. Hart (rooftop) are good places to
have a drink.
Shopping in Japan could be anywhere there are buildings and buildings of shops. You can even buy clothes in the metro stations. Here are some areas where most of the stores are concentrated: Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlets,
Mitsui Outlet Park Marine Pia Kobe, Kobe Harborland umie, Kobe Motomachi, and Sannomiya district has a lot of
shops.
