Kobe (map) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture, about 30 km (19 mi) west of Osaka. Together with Kyoto and Osaka, it makes up the three-city agglomeration of Keihanshin (京阪神), Japan’s largest after greater Tokyo.

A port in what would become Kōbe was established as a concession to western powers in 1868, during the time when Japan was opening to the world. Nagasaki and Yokohama had already begun serving foreign ships nine years earlier.

Today, a synagogue, Japan’s first *mosque, Japan’s first Sikh temple, a Chinatown, and European architecture mark Kōbe as a place where foreigners and foreign culture first arrived in Japan.

⇒ Also сheck оut мore info: Maps & Guidebooks

The landmark of the port area is the red steel Port Tower (map). A ferris wheel sits in nearby Harborland (神戸ハーバーランド), a notable tourist promenade.

Kobe is most famous for its *Kobe beef (Hyōgo Prefecture) and Arima Onsen (map). Arima Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture is said to be the oldest onsen (hot springs) town in Japan, with a history that dates back more than 1,000 years. You can enjoy a day trip there, but you can fully experience the charms of Arima if you stay one or two nights.

Chinatown (南京町, Nankin-machi, map). The original settlement of Chinese merchants. Today, it is rather touristy though it offers some “Japanised” versions of Chinese food such as pork buns (豚饅頭 buta-manjū). Its architecture is still rather pleasant though.

Tetsujin 28 statue / Gigantor (Kobe project, map). A 18-meter-tall statue of a manga robot that was built to help rebuild the Nagata ward of Kobe both financially and morally after the great earthquake.

Kōbe is a well-known center of sake production and many sake breweries are in the Nada (灘) area and have tours or museums open to the public. You can pick up a map of the sake breweries at the tourist information office (map) in Sannomiya.

Kobe has several ropeways that travel up Mount Rokko. One that is near a major station is the Shin-Kobe Ropeway (map), a 5-minute walk from Shin-Kobe station (map). The ropeway, reputed to have one of Kobe’s best scenic views, runs up to the Nunobiki Herb Park.

The automated Port Liner links Sannomiya (kobestation.com) to the reclaimed port district south of the city, and continues over the Kobe Sky Bridge to Kobe Airport.

⇒ Also сheck оut мore info: Transportation in Japan (japan.travel) • Transportation (japan-guide.com)

BUS: Japan Bus Online is a comprehensive website that allows you to search for and book bus tickets across Japan. Willer Express is a major bus company in Japan that offers long-distance bus services. + Highway Bus / JR Bus / kate.co.jp.

TRAIN: The nearest station on Japan’s high-speed shinkansen network is at Shin-Kobe station (map). From Tokyo station, Shin-Kobe is 2 hours, 50 minutes away via Nozomi. The Hankyu (阪急), Hanshin (阪神) and JR lines cross Kōbe in a west-east direction, and provide the cheapest and fastest way to travel across town. Each of these three lines have their own station located around the busy central Sannomiya shopping district (map) and each provide access to different points of interest.

Japan Railways (JR): The official website of Japan Railways provides information about train routes, schedules, fares, and services offered by JR. + Central JR • West JR • East JR

AIRPORT: Most international flights arrive at either Narita Airport near Tokyo or Kansai Airport near Osaka; a smaller number use Chubu International Airport near Nagoya.

WATERWAYS: Direct Ferries • Ferry Sunflower • Willer Ferry

Kobe Japan Travel Guide – Things to do and eat in Kobe City including Kobe beef. We explore the entire Kobe Japan area visit kobe beef restaurants, chinatown nankinmachi, kyukyoryuchi, rokkosan, meriken park and even arima onsen.

These are my Kobe travel tips and also kobe street tour video. There are quite a few kobe tourist spots so I wanted to break it all down and I’ve also included a kobe map for viewers to follow along. This Kobe travel guide should be your ultimate reference for the Kobe area. Japan Kobe city is a wonderful place to visit and almost feels like a less crowded Yokohama to me.

Definitely worth visiting if you are looking to enjoy the Kobe attractions and I even show you where to eat Kobe beef. Don’t forget to eat Kobe Beef ramen at Yazawa. This is also a perfect guide for the 2020 Olympics and Japan Rugby World Cup 2019 in Kobe.

⇒ video source: name.com / youtube.com /

Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC) MOFA Visa Information. + JAPAN eVISA – for online visa application to visit Japan.

HyperDia is a service which offers the route of the railway and the aviation within Japan. Rental car and hotels etc around the station.

A website focused on budget travel in Tokyo, providing tips on affordable accommodation, dining, transportation, and free/cheap activities.