Kobe

THE CITY OF KOBE

Kobe is the sixth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture and a prominent port city in Japan with a population of about 1.5 million. The city is located in the Kansai region of Japan and is part of the Keihanshin  metropolitan area. Kobe is classified as one of Japan's seventeen designated cities.

The history of Kobe started in the 8th century with the creation of the harbour. At the end of the Heian Era in 1180 Kobe was the capital of Japan for about 5 months. Geranal Taira no Kiyomori sent his grandson Emperor Antoku to Fukuhara. The exact location remains unknown, but this was probably Hyogo-ku. Afterwards, the Emperor left for Kioto.

At the end of the national political isolation of Japan in 1868, the harbour of Kobe became one of the first harbours to be opened to trade with the West. In 1886 the international trade was resumed.  The modern city of Kobe was founded in 1889. The population grew quickly from 130.000 to 1 million in 1939. During that time a lot of houses were built by foreigners in the Kitano District. During World War II, the population sank to 300.000 inhabitants. On March 17th 1945 Kobe was heavily bombed by more than 300 airplanes. During these bombings more than 8000 people died. After the war, the economy resumed and the city started to thrive again. By 1956 it counted again a population of 1 million.

On January 17th 1995, at 4.46 am local time, both Kobe and the island of Awaij were hit by an earthquake with a force of 7.2 on the Richter scale. 6433 people died and 43.000 were wounded. 250.000 buildings were severely damaged, creating more than 300.000 homeless.

The harbour of Kobe was, until the earthquake, the largest harbour in Japan. Its place was taken by Yokohama harbour. After the reconstruction, Kobe has grown to be the third largest harbour of the country.

The city is the point of origin and namesake of Kobe beef as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, Arima Onsen.

THE PORT OF KOBE

The port of Kobe is an attractive destination as a gateway to the World Heritage Sites such as Kyoto, Nara and Himeji Castle and the scenic Seto Island Sea Cruises.

The Port of Kobe's advantage is its proximity (within walking distance) to downtown. In addition, there are various transportation modes, such as Port Liner (new unmanned traffic system), subway, railways, Shinkansen (bullet train), and expressways.

Kobe has two cruise terminals . The oldest one is Kobe Port Terminal on Shinko Pier No. 4, serving passenger ships, features the most sophisticated facilities in West Japan and passenger ships from all over the world utilize the Terminal's facilities.

In 2006 the Naka Pier Cruise Terminal was opened as a new international cruise terminal, which has a fine view of the waterfront area.  Also In 2006, 18 foreign cruise ships (including the Queen Elizabeth 2) arrived in the Port of Kobe, and 68 Japanese vessels visited the port. Since tourists come to the city of Kobe from all parts of the world, the Naka Pier Central Passenger Terminal, Kobe is created to be user-friendly. The terminal building has been constructed in a leeway which makes it free from barriers.

The Port has also opened a domestic airport and an access service to Kansai International Airport by high-speed boat. Thus the Port of Kobe keeps on growing into a convenient base for fry & cruise.

TRANSPORT IN KOBE

Kōbe shiei chikatetsu is the underground (or metro) network of the city of Kobe. Train function between 5.30 am and midnight. There are no night trains. The frequency varies between 3 and 7.5 minutes on the Seishin-Yamate line and between 6 and 10 minutes on the Kaigan Line

WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN KOBE

Kobe is an historic port of Japan. Nowadays, however, it is a city that is under the influence of nearby Osaka. The sights of Kobe are not really abundant, but the city has a certain western and cosmopolitan atmosphere.

The city has recovered largely from the 1995 earthquake. Some of the new attractions are really worthwhile.

Harborland & Meriken Park
A stroll through Harborland & Meriken Park is one of the highlights of a visit to Kobe. At the Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park a series of chunks of broken concrete and crooked lamp posts were preserved to commemorate the earthquake victims.Nearby are the Kobe Maritime Museum and the Port Tower. From the top of the tower a spectacular 360 degree view of Kobe and beyond can be enjoyed. The waterfront is littered with shops, restaurants, and even a Ferris wheel.

The Kobe Phoenix Plaza is the place where the quake and its aftermath are well documented for the interested visitor.

For more information about the port’s history a visit to the Kobe city Museum is a must.

The Aroma Ones is one of Japan’s oldest spa resorts and lies in the hills surrounding Kobe.

To the west of the city stands the impressive Kasha Kalikow Hash Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world.

Try the culinary specialty of the city:  Kobe Beef. It is the tenderest beef that you can find in the world.

Tor Road
Kobe is the main shopping street that runs through a large part of the city of Kobe. You’ll find Japanese designers here, as well as trendy cafés and restaurants.

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum
The Nada region, west of Kobe is very famous for its production of the typical Japanese rice wine known as Sake. The entire region is littered with sake breweries and many of them are happy to give you a taste of their creations.

Nunobiki Falls
The most impressive waterfalls in all of Japan are actually in the city of Kobe.  Not far from the train station at Chuo-ku you’ll find Nunobiki Falls, the results of the cascading waters flowing from Mt. Rokko.

Ikuta Jinja
Ikuta Jinja is one of a few historic religious sites in Kobe. The shrine was, according to legend, originally founded in the 3rd century which would make it one of the oldest religious sites in Japan, After the earthquake, a part of the site had to be restored.