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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Kobe Travel Guide

Image from JNTO
Kobe is one of my favourite places in Japan and it is considered to be one of Japan’s most attractive cities. Kobe is a cosmopolitan port city with an international vibe that attracts a lot of foreigners. Kobe make a great travel destination due to its size with most of the sights reachable on foot from the main train stations.


The highlights of Kobe include:

  • Ijinkan (異人館) - Kobe’s number one attraction is Ijinkan, which is a collection of Western-style houses dating from the 19th century. A lot of these houses date back to 1868 when Kobe was opened for foreign trade. 
  • Kobe Tower - The unofficial symbol of the city of Kobe offering great views of the city for (¥600). 
  • Shin-Kobe Cable Car - Located near Shin Kobe station, the ropeway takes you to the top of Mt Rokko, where the views over Kobe and the bay are amazing. 
  • Nunobiki Habu-koen - A 40 acre garden located on Mt Rokko. It is a herb garden and complex of gardens with restaurants and shops. The garden features over 200 varieties of herbs. Admission to the garden along with a round-trip ride on the ropeway is ¥1200. 
  • Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown) - A great place to visit in the evening with the illuminating lights. The area has lots of restaurants and street food. Famous for its pork buns (豚饅頭). 
  • Kobe Harbour Land – A fun area with lots of cool restaurants and entertainment. It features a mega mall shopping area. 
  • Kobe Beef – One of the world’s most famous beef that just melts in your mouth. There are lots of different dishes to be sampled in Kobe with Kobe beef. Some of my favourites include Kobe Beef Curry and Kobe Beef Steak. 

The great thing about Kobe is you can also make some side trips to Osaka and Himeji, which are close by.

Ijinkan from JNTO

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12 comments:

  1. linaMay 27, 2012 at 11:39 PM

    I hope to explore more of Kobe someday. :)

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    1. Japan-AustraliaMay 28, 2012 at 8:47 AM

      Thanks Lina, It is a great place to explore and I can highly recommend it. I would allow at least 2 full days to fully enjoy the place.

      John

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  2. Benjamin MartinMay 28, 2012 at 11:19 PM

    Sounds like a lot to see. I've never been but really want to check out Himeji and Kobe. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Japan-AustraliaMay 29, 2012 at 7:38 AM

      Thanks Benjamin, It is definitely worth a visit and is probably my favourite city in Japan with Yokohama.

      John

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  3. Norbert WoehnlMay 29, 2012 at 7:27 PM

    Good summary, John!

    I also love Kobe, and two interesting spots in the city that I'd like to add to your list as my recommendations are
    - Ikuta Jinja, one of Japan's oldest Shinto Shrines
    - Akashi Kaikyo, connecting Kobe with Awaji Island

    Photos of those, and of some of your recommendations, are available in my Kobe photo gallery.

    Cheers -
    Norbert

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    1. Japan-AustraliaMay 30, 2012 at 8:41 AM

      Thank you Norbert, It is a fantastic spot in Japan. Thank you also for your recommendations and photos :)

      John

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  4. AussieOnTheIzuJune 5, 2012 at 8:16 AM

    I've been meaning to get down to Kobe and have a look around. This is a very helpful guide! Thanks!

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    1. Japan-AustraliaJune 5, 2012 at 10:20 AM

      Thanks Sarah, It is a cool place and I highly recommend a visit. Set around 2 days to fully explore and enjoy the place. Kobe also makes a great trip along with Osaka and Himeji.

      John

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  5. zoomingjapanJune 12, 2012 at 1:27 AM

    Kobe is great and I've been there several times!
    Since I moved to Kansai this year, I get to go regularly!
    I also recommend the cool Starbucks in the Kitano area (not too far from Ijinkan.

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    1. Japan-AustraliaJune 12, 2012 at 12:57 PM

      Thanks ZoomingJapan, I love Kobe, too and try and visit as often as possible. Must be great living in the Kansai area as you can visit places like Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto. I'll have to remember that Starbucks. Thanks for the tip.

      John

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  6. morocco toursAugust 29, 2012 at 9:50 PM

    Thanks for a great blog

    ReplyDelete