Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [310]
Kōbe City Museum
This museum (Kōbe Shiritsu Hakubutsukan; 391-0035; 24 Kyō-machi, Chūō-ku; admission ¥200 plus varying exhibition fees; 10am-5pm, closed Mon; JR Kōbe line to Sannomiya) has a collection of so-called namban (literally ‘southern barbarian’) art and occasional special exhibits. Namban art is a school of painting that developed under the influence of early Jesuit missionaries in Japan, many of whom taught Western painting techniques to Japanese students. The entrance is on the east side of the building. Last entry by 4.30pm.
Nankinmachi (Chinatown)
Nankinmachi, Kōbe’s Chinatown, is a gaudy, bustling, unabashedly touristy collection of Chinese restaurants and stores that should be familiar to anyone who’s visited Chinatowns elsewhere in the world. The restaurants here tend to be overpriced and may disappoint sophisticated palates, but the place is fun for a stroll, particularly in the evening when the lights of the area illuminate the gaudily painted facades of the shops. If you fancy a bite while touring the area, we recommend a plate of gyōza (dumplings) and we list two good choices (Click here).
Kōbe Harbor Land & Meriken Park
Five minutes’ walk southeast of Kōbe Station, Kōbe Harbor Land is awash with megamall shopping and dining developments. This may not appeal to foreign travellers the way it does to the local youth, but it’s still a nice place for a stroll in the afternoon.
A five-minute walk to the east of Harbor Land you’ll find Meriken Park, on a spit of reclaimed land jutting out into the bay. The main attraction here is the Kōbe Maritime Museum (Kōbe Kaiyō Hakubutsukan; 327-8983; 2-2 Hatoba-chō, Chūō-ku; admission ¥500; 10am-5pm, closed Mon; JR Kōbe line to Motomachi). The museum has a small collection of ship models and displays, with some English explanations. Last entry by 4.30pm.
Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum
The Nada-ku area of Kōbe is one of Japan’s major sake-brewing centres and the dominant brewer here is the famous Hakutsuru company. The Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum (822-8907; 4-5-5 Sumiyoshi Minami-machi, Higashinada-ku; admission free; 9.30am-4.30pm, closed Mon, new year & O-Bon; Hanshin Main line to Sumiyoshi) provides a fascinating look into traditional sake-making methods. There is not much in the way of English explanations, but the free English pamphlet should get you started. Free sake tasting is possible after you tour the facilities (ask at the counter).
Take the Hanshin line eight stops east from Sannomiya (¥180, six minutes, express trains do not stop) and get off at Hanshin Sumiyoshi Station. Exit the station, walk south to the elevated highway and cross the pedestrian overpass; take a right at the bottom of the steps; take your first left, then a right and look for it on the right (there is no English sign). You have to sign in at the gate. Use the blue-and-white crane logo atop the modern wing of the factory as your guide.
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FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Luminarie, Kōbe’s biggest yearly event, is held every evening from around 4 to 15 December to celebrate the city’s miraculous recovery from a 1995 earthquake that killed over 6000 people (check with the Kōbe tourist information office as the exact dates change slightly every year). The streets southwest of Kōbe City Hall are decorated with countless illuminated metal archways, which when viewed from within look like the interior of some otherworldly cathedral.
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SLEEPING
B Kōbe (333-4880; fax 333-4876; www.ishinhotels.com/theb-kobe/en/index.html; s/d/tw from ¥8400/16,800/18,900; ;Seishin-Yamate subway line to Sannomiya) The centrally located B Kōbe is a good utilitarian choice if you’ve got business in Kōbe or just want a clean place to lay your head in the evening. The windows are tiny and there’s not much light, but if you’re only there at night this shouldn’t matter too much. LAN cable internet in rooms.
Hotel Tor Road (391-6691; fax 391-6570; www.hoteltorroad.co.jp,