6 days Japan Kansai region travel by train --- Day 2, Kobe

On our first full day in Kansai, we took the Hanshin Electric Train ( 阪神電車) to Kobe, using the train pass that we bought at the Kansai International Airport. We got on the train at Osaka-Namba station, which is a short walk from our hotel, and got off at Kobe-Sannomiya (神户三宮).

Osaka-Kobe train pass

  While we had intended to get a pass for the sightseeing City Loop bus, a lady at the tourist information at the Sannomiya station advised us that many of the attractions were within walking distances and if we planned to stop to see several of them, we might as well just walk from place to place. Obviously we looked younger than we were.

  As Kobe was one of the Japanese cities that opened for trade with the West in the mid-19th centuries, there are many historical western style houses in the city. Many of these are concentrated in the Kitano Ijinkan (Foreigners' residence) 北野異人館 district. The district is, okay, walkable from Sannomiya.

House in the Kitano Ijinkan 北野異人館 district

Street in Kitano Ijinkan 北野異人館

Home decor of a foreigner in 19th century Kobe

Kazamidori no Yakata (Weathercock House)

We continued with our walking tour of Kobe, first going back to the downtown area of Sannomiya.

Nice floral pattern of the Flower Clock

  We took a look in the Kobe City Museum, with exhibits that include two scale models of the Old Kobe Foreign Settlement.

Kobe old .....

.... and new.

Kobe street scene

The Kobe Nankin-marchi (Kobe Chinatown, or literally Nanking town) 南京町 was an interesting district to visit. Our visit coincided with the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, and there was quite a festive atmosphere with the streets being decorated with red lanterns and flags.

Decorated for the Spring Festival / Chinese New Year

Kobe Harborland is 15 to 20 minutes' walk from Nankin-marchi. With plenty of restaurants to choose from, the Mosaic is a good place to go for dinner.

Kobe Tower, the most prominent structure at Kobe Harborland

The Mosaic at Kobe Harborland

Kobe Tower lit up

Kobe Tower and the Kobe Maritime Museum

 We caught the train back to Osaka from Motomachi station instead of Sannomiya, as Motomachi is a little bit closer to Kobe Harborland. A very packed full day of visit to a very nice city.


Overview: 6 days in Kansai, Japan