U23 Kobe Guide: Introduction
U23 Kobe Guide Index
- Kobe Guide Introduction
- Kobe Sightseeing Guide
- Kobe Gourmet Guide
- Kobe Shopping Guide
- Kobe-Event Guide
- Kobe-Hotel Guide
History of Kobe
201Described by Ikuta Shrine 201, Nagata Shrine Foundation
1868 Hyogo Opened
1963 Kobe Port Tower Completed
1971 First Time Kobe Festival Held
1982 Marine City Port Island Birth, Portopia ’81 Held
1992 Kobe Harborland Birth
1995 1.17 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
1995 Vissel Kobe Founded
2001 Kobe Wing Stadium Established
2002 FIFA Japan-Korea World Cup
2006 Kobe Airport (Marin Air) Opened
2017 Lukas Podolski joined Vissel Kobe
2018 Andres Iniesta joined Vissel Kobe
Model Course
A fusion of City & Sea & Mountain, Local & Global, Past & Future. What a cool place, Kobe is.
This is model course for travelers in Kobe.
Starting from Shin-Kobe Station, ride on the ropeway. Enjoy the view of blue sky and the harbor and the city.
Next Ijinkan tour, feel international city Kobe with walking down Kitanozaka.
Enjoy gourmet and shopping in Sannomiya and Motomachi. Walk eat in Nankinmachi.
You will be spoil for choice dessert everyday. Kobe is famous for sweet and cake…they say the best in Japan, even in the World.
Then go to Meriken Park and Harborland. There are icon of harbor city Kobe, Port Tower and the Maritime Museum. Enjoy the sunset and light up while feeling the beach air.
You can continue dinner in Harbourland or back to Motomachi or Kitano. You have already noticed Kobe is full of great restaurants.
Don’t finish Kobe yet. Beautiful view and delicious food is just prologue.
If you reach out a foot to the north there are Arima Onsen, one of most famous hot spring in Japan.
If go west, you can meet retro area Shinkaichi and Nagata, Suma Beach, Maiko, followed by the Pearl Bridge (Akashi Bridge) and the seafront.
If go east, Nada brewery and Koshien.
In the south, Port Island, Rokko Island and you can depart Kobe Bay Cruise to see the ocean.
Finally, climb up Mount Rokko to see $ 10 Million night view such as jewelry box.
It’s takes 20 min from JR Osaka to JR Kobe-Sannomiya by train. It is only 12 min from Shin-Osaka to Shin-Kobe by ballet train.
In Kobe or Osaka based, you can day trip to Himeji, Awaji Island, Setouchi, Kyoto. It will not un out of the place you want to go even you stay one month. There is a lot of delicious restaurants and cafe, you want to come again and again.
Kobe 1 Day Trip
The best of the day in Kobe produced by Ken. When you visit Kobe, you must enjoy food. Let’s eat 1 day 1 day 5 meals like Spanish. If you can make time, stay a week and walk around slowly and explore one more step further.
7:30 Port Island, Kobe Airport, Port Liner
When you arrive at Kobe Airport, take Port Liner. This is world’s first auto monorail.
8:00 Desayuno (breakfast) at Hagiwara Coffee/Nishimura Coofee
The first breakfast start at Hagiwara coffee which called the world’s most delicious coffee or Nishimura coffee with traditional cups and antique atmosphere.
9:00 Kitano Ijinkan
In the morning, walk around Kitano Ijinkan. Pick some you favorite one. It’s not so big area still you need full day if you visit all of them.
10:30 Almuerzo (morning snack) at Fruendlieb
Second Breakfast is at Freundlieb. Take a break with delicious Germany bread. There are many nice bakery shop in Kobe.
11:00 Nunobiki Herb Garden
Clime up Nunobiki Herb Garden by ropeway. The beautiful harbor city view is waiting you. It is also nice in sunset and night view.
13:00 Comida (Lunch) at Moriya/Kawamura…etc
Have lunch a bit late avoid rush hour. It’s time to eat the world’s most luxurious steak Kobe Beef. It is once in life time experience. There are mecca for Kobe Beef restaurant. For example Mouriya or Kawamura. The lunch is less expensive than dinner. If it is still over budget, try Oi meat eat-in shop at Sogo or world’s best cost performance grill restaurants Yoshoku no Asahi, Ito Grill or Ofu-ryori Mon.
15:00 Dessert at Monpuryu, Rapunyu, Tooth-Tooth…etc
Dessert will be spoil for choice. Morozov, Koenigs Krone, Yuhaimu are born in Kobe but you can eat another city in Japan. Monpuryu, Rapunyu, Tooth-Tooth are only in Kobe. They are usually long queue, choose how match you can wait. Review the world most delicious suites ranking.
16:00 Sannomiya, Motomachi, Kyu-kyoruchi
Go walking and shopping to empty the stomach at Sannnomiya, Motomachi and Kyu-kyoryuchi are. There are many clothing company is born in Kobe. You can buy bread at Pigo no Mise or Roggen Meyer.
17:00 Merienda (snack) at Nankinmachi
Nakinmachi is most clean china town in the world. You will find long queue at Ryosyoki butaman shop. It’s tiny and juicy pork buns we love. There are another long queue is at Moriya Kobe croquette shop. There are more option for snack. Est Royal’s Cream puffs or Kannonya’s cheese cake.
18:00 Meriken Park, Port Tower, Harbor Land
Walk in the Meriken Park to empty your stomach. To crime to Port tower or take Ferris Wheel at Harborland for sunset.
20:00 Cena (Dinner) at Kobe Bay Cruising/Ca Sento/Tako no tsubo
If you want make a special night, try Kobe Bay Cruising to Perl Bridge. It is one of the laaget restaurant cruise ship. One more option is having dinner Michelin 3 stars French restaurant Ca Sento. Need reservation in advance.
For dinner I recommend to eat Akashiaki at Tako no tsubo or Kitchyo. It’s Akashi style Takoyaki with soup.
22:00 Nightlife at Ragunazabahe
I recommend to chill out for nightlife in Kobe. For casual course, hang out in Tor Road. For luxury course go Kitano. If your budget allows, Ragunazabahe is coolest shot bar in Japan designed by Tadao Ando. He is one of most famous architect.
23:00 Night View at Venus Bridge/Observation deck at Rokko Mountain
Don’t miss $10 million of the night view. Venus bridge or Rokko Observation deck at Rokko Mountain is best place.
*Last train Sannomiya to Osaka is 00:02.
Overtime
Here is luxury hotel in Japan, Oriental Hotel, Okura Hotel and Rasuito. Or stay at Arima Onsen which is one of most famous hot spring in Japan.
Next Day
Visit the place you miss yesterday or you want to go again.
There are more place you should explore, Shinkaichi, Nagata, Suma, Maiko, Nada… to be continued Deep Kobe Adventure. Every weekend they usually have a match for Vissel Kobe at Wing Stadium which had World Cup 2002 Korea-Japan. Awaji Island, Setouchi, Himeji, Osaka, Kyoto…etc the journey never end.
Kobe Area Guide
Sannomiya, Motomachi area
Gourmet City Kobe. Area of Kobe central. Dining and shopping.
Kitano, Shin-Kobe area
Prestigious City Kobe. Poplar area in Kobe Kitano is used to old houses for foreigners lived. There are prestigious of high long-established restaurants, bars, cafes and boutiques. There are nature if climb up ropeway to Mount Rokko from Shin-Kobe. Shin-Kobe is the station of the bullet train. Only 12 min from Shin-Osaka.
Meriken Harbor area
Port City Kobe’s highlight. Bay area is classic date and sightseeing spot in Kobe. There is a landmark of Kobe, Port Tower.
Port Island Rokko Island area
Modern Marine City Kobe. Port Island is an artificial Island where areKobe Airport, convention Facilities and els. Port Liner is first Auto Liner in the world. Rokko Island is sister island. There are modern condos and stores.
Mount Rokko, Mount Maya area
Amazing night view Kobe. Mount Rokko is symbol of Kobe. There are nature. Good for driving car and hiking. You cannot miss $10 million night view once in a life time.
Arima area
Relax in Kobe. One of most famous spa town in Japan. The people visit hot spring all over the world. Taiko Hideyoshi Toyotomi loved here.
Nada, Higahi Nada area
Sake Brewery Kobe.
Local hiso Kobe people live here. Modern designed residential area. Kobe Madam purveyor of cafes and bakeries. Storehouse of sake is known to the whole country in Japan.
Shinkaichi, Nagata area
Retro City Kobe. Shinkaichi was used to downtown in Kobe. Cultural epicenter. Nagata is birth place for Konamon (Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, Takoyaki). There are also huge robot statue.
Suma, Tarumi, Maiko area
Beach City Kobe. Kansai’s premier beach resort area.There are hidden well-established store. Seaside continues to outlet mall, Maiko beach and Pearl Bridge (Akashi Bridge). The night view is so beautiful. Awaji Island is over the bridge.
Seishin area
West of Kobe, the area close to Akashi. There are winery and snack factory.
Hokushin area
Kobe the north, the area close to Mita. There are some very poplar dessert shop and beer brewry.
Access to Kobe
Directions to Kobe
By plane from the sky
Kobe Airport
About 70 minutes from Tokyo Haneda International Airport by plane
JR / Hankyu / Hanshin / about 20 minutes until the municipal subway Sannomiya in Port Liner
Kansai International Airport
About 75 minutes from Tokyo Haneda International Airport by plane
About 30 minutes to Kobe Airport in the Bay Shuttle
About 60 minutes by limousine bus to Sannomiya
About 90 minutes to Sannomiya by JR Kansai Airport Rapid over JR new rapid
Itami Airport
About 65 minutes from Tokyo Haneda International Airport by plane
About 45 minutes by limousine bus to Sannomiya
About 40 minutes to Sannomiya in Osaka Monorail Hankyu train
By bullet train from land
Shinkansen Shin-Kobe Station
From Tokyo about 200 minutes
2 minutes to Sannomiya in Subway
By train from land
JR Sannomiya Station
From Umeda Osaka about 20 minutes
Hankyu Sannomiya Station
From Umeda Osaka about 30 minutes
Hanshin Sannomiya Station
From Umeda Osaka about 30 minutes
By bus from land
From Tokyo about 9 hours
High-speed bus stop is a large number to Sannomiya
Drive from the land
From Tokyo about 6 hours
From Osaka area Hanshin Expressway No. 3 Kobe line (down) Ikuta about 7km from the exit
Direction from the Hanshin Expressway No. 3 Kobe line Himeji (up) about 7km from Kyobashi exit
By ferry from the sea
Kobe Ferry Terminal, medium Kobe port jetty Passenger Terminal, the Port of Kobe Kobe (Rokko Island), Kobe Airport maritime access terminal … etc
About 3 hours from Shodoshima
About 5 hours from Kagawa, Takamatsu
About 12 hours from Miyazaki
From Okinawa Naha about 3 days
From Shanghai, China, about 2 days
U23 Kobe Guide Index
- Kobe Guide Introduction
- Kobe Sightseeing Guide
- Kobe Gourmet Guide
- Kobe Shopping Guide
- Kobe-Event Guide
- Kobe-Hotel Guide
U23 Guide produced by World Odyssey: 23 Laps Round The World