Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [309]
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KŌBE
078 / pop 1.53 million
Perched on a hillside overlooking the sea, Kōbe is one of Japan’s most attractive cities. It’s also one of the country’s most cosmopolitan, having served as a maritime gateway to Kansai from the earliest days of trade with China. To this day, there are significant populations of other Asian nationalities in Kōbe, as well as plenty of Westerners, many of whom work in nearby Osaka.
One of Kōbe’s best features is its relatively small size – most of the sights can be reached on foot from the main train stations. Of course, it must be noted that none of these sights are must-sees: Kōbe is likely to appeal more to Japan residents than to travellers. However, it does have some good restaurants, cafes and bars and is a good place for a night out in Kansai if you just can’t face the mayhem of Osaka.
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ORIENTATION
Kōbe’s two main entry points are Sannomiya and Shin-Kōbe Stations. Shin-Kōbe Station, in the northeast of town, is where the shinkansen stops. A subway (¥200, two minutes) runs from here to the downtown Sannomiya Station, which has frequent rail connections with Osaka and Kyoto. It’s possible to walk between the two stations in around 20 minutes. Sannomiya Station marks the city centre, although a spate of development in Kōbe Harbor Land is starting to swing the city’s centre of gravity to the southwest. Before starting your exploration of Kōbe, pick up a copy of the Kōbe City Map at one of the two information offices.
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INFORMATION
The city’s main tourist information office (322-0220; 9am-7pm) is on the ground floor on the south side of JR Sannomiya Station’s west gate (follow the signs for Santica, a shopping mall). There’s a smaller information counter on the 2nd floor of Shin-Kōbe Station, right outside the main shinkansen gate. Both information centres carry the free Kōbe City Map.
Citibank (392-4122; 9am-3pm Mon-Fri, ATM 24hr; Hankyū Kōbe line, Hanshin Main line or JR Kōbe line to Sannomiya) Behind Kōbe City Hall; ATM accepts international cards.
HIS Motomachi Branch (335-2505; 10.30am-7pm, 11am-6pm Sat, Sun & holidays, closed Thu; Hanshin Main line or JR Kōbe line to Motomachi) Travel agency on the 2nd floor near the corner, diagonally across from Motomachi Station.
rw books (332-9200; 11am-7pm; JR Kōbe line to Motomachi) Small English-language bookshop on 2nd floor in shopping street.
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SIGHTS
Kitano
Twenty minutes’ walk north of Sannomiya is the pleasant hillside neighbourhood of Kitano, where local tourists come to enjoy the feeling of foreign travel without leaving Japanese soil. A European-American atmosphere is created by the winding streets and ijinkan (literally ‘foreigners’ houses’) that housed some of Kōbe’s early Western residents. Admission to some is free, to others ¥300 to ¥700, and most are open from 9am to 5pm daily. Although these brick and weatherboard dwellings may not hold the same fascination for Western travellers that they hold for local tourists, the area itself is pleasant to stroll around and is dotted with good cafes and restaurants.
Shin-Kōbe Cable Car & Nunobiki Hābu-kōen
The Shin-Kōbe cable car (Shin-Kōbe Ropeway; one way/return ¥550/1000; 9.30am-5.30pm, later in Jun-Aug; Seishin-Yamate subway line to Shin-Kōbe) leaves from behind the Crowne Plaza Kōbe hotel near Shin-Kōbe Station and ascends to a mountain ridge 400m above the city. The views from the top over Kōbe and the bay are particularly pretty after sunset. There’s a complex of gardens, restaurants and shops below the top station known as the Nunobiki Hābu-kōen (Nunobiki Herb Garden; admission ¥200; 10am-5pm, until later Jun-Aug; Shin-Kōbe cable car to Nunobiki Hābu-kōen). Note that