Kobe – Your Ultimate Guide to The Scenic Port City

Kobe City has a couple of places where you can see plum blossoms. Most of them are close to a train station, so you can easily stop by one as you explore other parts of Kobe. If you like hot springs, the renowned hot spring town in Kobe, Arima Onsen, also has two places where you can appreciate the flowers.

So, refer to our article on the Guide to the Plum Blossom Spots in Kobe and start planning!

Moreover, Nunobiki Falls closed to the herb garden is considered one of the “Three Greatest Divine Waterfalls” in Japan. So it might be hard to believe that waterfall of this kind of renown is only a 15-minute hike from Shin-Kobe Station.

For more information, please refer to our article on Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden and Nunobiki Falls (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

The bakery was founded elsewhere but was destroyed by the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Fortunately, the third-generation owner couple could secure the Former Kobe Union Church as the bakery’s new location. It is a blessed story. The couple rebuilt their business at the church where they got married!

Apart from the German bread and Western confectioneries sold at the bakery on the ground floor, the newly opened bakery also has a cafe on the second floor. The cafe also serves sandwiches from the bakery’s freshly baked bread. If you choose to come on weekends or public holidays, expect a long waiting time before you can be seated.

• The bakery and cafe are open daily except Wednesdays from 10 am to 6 pm.
  • The last order is taken at 5:30 pm in the cafe.
  • If Wednesday is a public holiday, Freundlieb will close on Thursday instead.
• The bakery is a 6-minute walk from Shin-Kobe Station or a 10-minute walk from Sannomiya Station.

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There are many places in Kobe where you can observe a panoramic view of Kobe Port and surrounding mountains, such as Mt. Rokkō. But if you are short of time and can’t travel too far, head to the 24th floor of Kobe City Hall, close to Sannomiya Station.

Entering the observation lobby is free of charge, and you can also grab some food from the restaurants and/or cafes on the same floor!

Please note – not all elevators stop on the 24th floor. There are English directory signs, but if unsure, check with the staff.

You can refer to the official website HERE for photos of the elevator and the observation lobby.

• The lobby is open from 9 am to 10 pm on weekdays but will open late from 10 am on weekends and public holidays.
• It is a 10-minute walk from Sannomiya Station.

This shrine, with a history of more than 1,000 years, is actually where Kobe got its name from!

In 806, the imperial court assigned 44 families to take care of and protect the shrine. They are known as “Kanbe 44 Ko (神戸44戸). As time passed by, the “Kanbe” became “Konbe”, and then eventually to “Kobe” as we know it today.

Another special thing about the shrine is its fortune slip. Your fortune is only revealed when you float the slip in the shrine’s pond. Although we all know the trick behind it, some may find it more fun to pretend not to and entertain the tradition!

If you have time, head to the Ikuta no Mori (生田の森) at the back of the shrine to meet the giant camphor tree that is more than 500 years old. The locals believe something good will happen to you if you visit it. After all, the tree has got to have some luck to live that long!

Note that if you, like us, visited the shrine during the new year period, expect massive queues before you can pay your respect and offer your prayers (´▽｀*).

• Ikuta Shrine is open from 7 am to 5 pm.
  • In summer, Ikuta Shrine closes at 6 pm.
• The shrine office is open from 9 am to 5 pm.
• From Sannomiya Station or Kobe City Loop Bus’s Sannomiya Station – North Side (地下鉄三宮駅前（北行）) stop, it is around a 10-minute walk.

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• KITANO MEISTER GARDEN is open from 10 am to 6 pm except from the end of December to the beginning of January.
• It is just next to the Kobe City Loop Bus’s Kitano Meister Garden (北野工房のまち) stop.
• From Sannomiya (三宮) or Motomachi Station (元町駅), it is around a 12-minute walk.

Speaking of sightseeing in Kobe, stopping by the Kitano Ijinkan-Gai (北野異人館街) is a must, even if you are from a Western country. The old houses open to the public have all been renovated into museums with different themes.

Some of these allow you to peek into the lifestyles of Victorian-era aristocrats, while others will enable you to pose for hilarious photos. It is a spot in Kobe for you to have fun!

If you visit Kobe via a cruise, the first area in the city you will encounter is the Meriken Park. It is basically the area around Kobe Port. The park hosts some shopping and restaurant districts and several attractions, including Kobe’s landmark: Kobe Port Tower. You will also find an earthquake memorial park that gives you some ideas of how powerful natural disasters can be.

For more information, refer to our article on Meriken Park!

One of the best ways to enjoy what a port has to offer is by taking a ship that cruises around the harbor. Especially at night when the buildings that line Kobe Port are all lit up, your time on the cruise ship is extra romantic and pleasant. Currently, there are three main companies that offer different cruising experiences. Choose the one that best suits your travel style, hop on, and enjoy!

Refer to our Guide to the Short Cruises from Kobe Port article for more information!

Since Kobe was open to trading with foreigners, people of many other ethnicities have started forming vibrant local communities. While the hilly area in the north exudes much Western culture, many Chinese have settled down next to the port.

So when you come to Kobe, if you are suddenly craving Chinese cuisine, then Nankin-machi is the perfect place to head to.

As one of Japan’s Three Biggest China Towns, Nankin-machi is filled with many Chinese restaurants (although most dishes aren’t vegetarian).

It is a 3-minute walk from Motomachi Station (元町駅) or a less than 15-minute walk from Sannomiya Station (三宮駅).

If you are seeking some Japanese themes in this city rife with foreign influences, come to Sōrakuen Garden, the only Japanese garden in Kobe city.

The boat-shaped house in the pond of the garden is a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan. It was part of the boat – Kawagozabune (川御座船) used by the Himeji feudal lord during the Edo period. The exterior is painted with black lacquer and decorated with gold leaf.

The garden is also famous for azaleas blooming from late April to early May and chrysanthemums from mid-October to mid-November in autumn. Various events are held during the year to admire the beautiful scenery of this garden.

For more information, please refer to the garden’s English pamphlet HERE.

• The garden is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily except Thursday.
  • If Thursday is a public holiday, it will close on the next business day.
  • The garden is also closed from the 29th of December to the 3rd of January.
  • The last admission is at 4:30 pm.
• Note that during the azalea and chrysanthemum seasons, the garden will open 7 days a week.
• The admission fee is
  • 300 yen for adults
  • 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students
• The garden is a 10-minute walk from Motomachi Station (元町駅).

Arima Onsen (有馬温泉) is one of the three most famous onsen towns in Japan. It is located just 30 minutes from Kobe. This town, known for the hot spring, which moisturizes your skin, is also filled with various leisure activities to keep you entertained!

To find out more about this hot spring town that you must visit, please refer to our article on Arima Onsen (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

Arima Onsen is conveniently located at the foot of Mt. Rokkō. With a short ropeway ride, the spectacular view of Kobe City, Osaka Bay, and even further will be in front of you!

Furthermore, there are many interesting attractions that give a different experience from what Arima Onsen offers. And, the night view from the observatories is said to be worth 10 million dollars!

The 142.6-hectare botanical garden and arboretum have more than 1,200 types of different plants planted in different zones according to their places of origin.

Flowers bloom from early spring to autumn, where the autumn foliage takes over the baton to continue enchanting visitors with its vivid colors.

• The admission fee is
  • 300 yen for adults
  • 150 yen for elementary and middle school students
• From Kobe Electric Railway’s (神戸電鉄) Kita-Suzurandai Station (北鈴蘭台駅), it is a 10-minute bus trip by their free shuttle bus. For the bus’s timetable, please refer to their access page HERE.

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Free shuttle buses depart from JR and Kobe Electric Railway’s (神戸電鉄) Mita Station (三田駅) and Kobe Electric Railway’s (神戸電鉄) Flower Town Station (フラワータウン駅).

Please refer to their Japanese website HERE for the shuttle bus’s timetable, as it is currently unavailable on their English website.

This is probably one of Japan’s biggest roadside stations. Apart from the typical local specialties sold in roadside stations in the rest of the country, it is more of a resort type of area where you can enjoy shopping, gourmet food, fruit-picking, and leisure rides. There is even a hotel next to it!

There are peaches, grapes, Asian pears, and apples in their fruit garden for you to pick from the tree from early summer to early November.

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• From Sannomiya Station, take Shinki Bus (三ノ宮駅) route 38 and get off at Fruit Park (フルーツパーク).
• If you are heading to/from Arima Onsen or Kobe Electric Railway’s (神戸電鉄) Okaba Station (岡場駅), route 69 is the service that you want to board.
• You can use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit.

Further away from Kobe city center, the Sumaura Sanjō Yūen Park is a scenic amusement park on the slopes of Mt. Tekkai (鉄拐山) and Mt. Hatsubushi (鉢伏山) overlooking Awaji Island (淡路島) and Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge (明石海峡大橋). Once a battlefield for the Battle of Yashima (屋島の戦い) back in 1185, this park is now a famous place to admire cherry blossoms.

For more information, refer to our Sumaura Sanjō Yūen Park article!

Completed in 1998, the bridge forms part of the scenery both during the daytime and after sunset. At night, the bridge will be illuminated with rainbow colors every hour. At 30 minutes of each hour, the color that describes the current season is emitted from the bridge for 5 minutes.

The reflection of the lighting on the sea’s surface is another element of the nighttime scenery in this part of Kobe.

And if you are looking for a few thrills, book one of the bridge-climbing tours!

For more information, please refer to their website HERE.

It is a 5-minute walk from JR Maiko Station (舞子駅) or a 7-minute walk from Sanyō Electric Railway’s (山陽電鉄) Maikokōen Station (舞子公園駅).

In December, Christmas lighting festivals are everywhere in Japan. But the Kobe Luminarie at Kōbe East Park (東遊園地), which has taken place in early December since 1995, wasn’t started for the festive season.

Rather, it was to pay respect to those who had passed away and give the citizens of Kobe the courage and hope to rebuild their homes damaged by the Great Hanshin Earthquake.

It is a 6-minute walk from Sannomiya Station.

Reading this article, you will realize the port city of Kobe is more than just the Kobe beef. The city is a great destination if you want to enjoy Japan’s nice hot springs, nature, harbor cruise, and a lot more. But the term Kobe beef might deter you from visiting the city if you are a vegan or a vegetarian because you are unsure if you can find a restaurant that caters for your dietary requirements.

Thus, we have collated a list of vegan-friendly restaurants in Kobe, so you won’t need to rely on the onigiris from the convenience store while you experience Kobe’s many charms!

For more information, refer to our Guide to Kobe’s Vegan-Friendly Restaurants!