Japan City Guides: Kobe
Kobe
History
The important harbour city of Kobe is located in the prefecture of Hyôgo. Kobe is in the beginning a small fishing port of bay of Osaka which slowly started to develop thanks to its trade with China as of VIIIéme century and from XIIéme century with the construction of the cheap accomodation of No Kiyomori (1118-1181) in 1157 Will conceal.
Kobe will know a true growth only with the advent of the Meiji era while opening, at the same time as entire Japan, with the International trade. The symbol of this opening is the foundation of the naval college of Kobe in 1867. This exit of the shade and its dynamism were worth to him intense bombardments at the time of the second world war. Rebuilt, it again will be seriously damaged the morning of January 17, 1995 with 5h46 by a seism magnitude 7 on the scale of Richter. The seism of Hanshin-Awaji thus killed in Kobe 4.571 people. Since town planning took again its rights and there remains no mark of the last traumatisms.
Geography
Kobe is located on banks of the western center of the inland sea of the island of Honshu in bay of Osaka and occupies 550,72km2. The southern part of the city gives on the inland sea (many grounds were gained on this one) while the northern part is turned towards the Rokko mountains. Its geographical position enables him to enjoy a pleasant moderate climate. The average annual temperature is of approximately 17,1 C°.
To note the creation of two immense artificial islands: Island port completed in 1980 with 14.900 inhabitants in February 2004 of a surface of 443 hectares and Rokko Island completed in 1992 with 16.700 inhabitants in February 2004 of a surface of 595 hectares. Economy 70% of the local economy are turned towards the tertiary sector. Profiting from important synergy from its position and the presence of Osaka, Kobe profits from a solid and traditional shipbuilding industry, aeronautical and metallurgical but also in the development of the harbour services and the international trade.
Kobe is obviously more known tourists for succulence (attention at the price!) of its ox and the quality of saké sound. Almost at the beginning of its history Osaka will know a dynamic activity. The city is re-elected for its production of rice, its electric and automobile industries. The wearing of Kobe is the second larger port in tonnage (79 million tons of treaties in 2002.) Hostels, Guesthouses, Ryokans in Kobe
- chic, elegant cosmopolitan port city 33km west of Osaka, opened to foreign trade in 1868.
- stretched between forested hills and its blue-gray harbor.
- Kitano - original foreign enclave with preserved buildings, many now expensive Hostels and hip shops.
- first soccer match held in Kobe in 1871.
- first golf course in Japan laid out in 1903.
- suffered from a major earthquake in 1995 - extensive damage with 5500 dead.
Kobe is one of Japan's most pleasant cities for both resident and visitor alike, with a distinct laid-back cosmopolitan feel. Now completely rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1995, Kobe's dramatic location, sandwiched on a narrow strip of land between mountains and sea, allied to its great food and lively nightlife make the city an ideal place to fit in if you are visiting nearby Kyoto or Osaka.
Kobe's status as one of Japan's foremost international ports and trading centers along with Yokohama , dates back to the town's opening to foreign traders in 1868. Westerners built their wood and brick houses ( ijinkan) in Kitano , up the hill from Sannomiya , now Kobe's main station for JR and Hankyu trains. The area is pleasant to stroll with its many trendy cafes and boutiques and Kitano is also home to Kobe's more recent mosque and Jain ryokan.
japan hotel information
Chinatown, backpacker Japan, train, bus, Nanking Machi (south of Motomachi Station), Phoenix Plaza (10am-7pm, free) next to hotel ist information centre south of Sannomiya Station on Flower Road, for information about the Great Hanshin Earthquake; Kobe Fashion city information / tips on Rokko Island (Mon-Sat 11am-6pm, 500 yen); Shin-Kobe Ropeway cable ryokan from the Kitano area for great views of Kobe and the Inland Sea (9.30am-5.30pm Sat-9pm, Sun-8pm. 1000 yen), Arima Onsen , 35 minutes from Shin-Kobe Station to Arima-onsen by bus or take the Kobe Dentetsu Line from Tanigami Subway Station.
Kobe Suspended Bridge
Tourist information centres on Flower Road near Sannomiya Station (tel 078-322-0222) and inside Shin-Kobe Station.
Kobe Misaki 'Wing' Stadium more stadium info
The 42,000 capacity ground has a built-in public swimming pool and is reached by the newly-built Kaigan subway line to Misaki-koen.
Kobe's Chinatown is west of Sannomiya, just south of Motomachi Station but suffers slightly in comparison with Yokohama's more vibrant and authentic Chinatown.
Port Island and Rokko Island are man made islands in the bay, south of the old foreign settlement area, which is now Kobe's commercial center containing Kobe City Hall , Daimaru Department Store and Kobe City city information / tips , which houses a fine collection of nanban (lit. "southern HostelHostelian") art, namely wood block prints detailing Japan's early Western visitors. The Kobe Fashion city information / tips is worth a visit on Rokko Island, which is otherwise taken over by multinational offices and high-rise apartments.
See also Kansai Time Out magazine (English language).
Wantage Books: second-hand English-language bookshop.
Compare cheap hotel prices
Kobe
Kobe's main nightlife areas are Sannomiya, Kitano and Motomachi. The city is blessed with some of Japan's finest international Guesthouses due to the cosmopolitan mix of people in the area, Transport
Kobe is HOW TOible by road, train and plane. On the spot the city has an important network of buses and subway which will enable you to move easily.
By plane: The airport nearest is located at 8Km. It is about the airport of Kobe (UKB): http://www.kairport.co.jp/ This airport ensures only of the interior connections since/towards: Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Niigata, Okinawa, Sapporo, Sendai and Tokyo Haneda. Inaugurated in February 2006, it covers a surface 272 hectares gained on the sea. The city remains also HOW TOible by daily connections to the international airports from Osaka and Kansai. the anglophone site of the airport of Kansai (KIX): http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/english/index.htm.
By train: Very practical if you come from another Japanese city (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka, Okayama, Hiroshima.) Shinkansen (high-speed train) stops at the station of Shin-Kobe regularly located in the western north of the city. Express trains regularly stop at the central station of Sannomiya. A way Tokyo/Kobe takes approximately 3h15. A way Osaka/Kobe 15 minutes.
By Boat: many a CHEAP TICKETSin source mainly of the islands Kyushu and Shikoku (Oita, Matsuyama.) serve Naka Pier of Kobe. The subway: Kobe has a subway which, although powerful and easy to use, is not very wide and does not serve all the districts of the city because of few lines. To note the existence of the "Portliner", train without driver, which connects in 27 minutes the station of Sannomiya to the Island Port and the "Rokkoliner" which connects Rokko Island to the most important stations of the agglomeration.
Bus: An important network of Bus furrows the city making it possible to reach the zones not served by the shoed network. To note for the tourists, the town of Kobe installed a multilingual bus connecting all the great tourist centers of the city. To locate itself Contrary to Kyoto and Tokyo, Kobe has the undeniable advantage to have many streets named and posted in Roman letter. Above, European house of Kobe (ichikan).
Meriken Park and Harbor Land are more recent land-fill developments in the bay, whose brick warehouses seek to recreate the late nineteenth century international port city. Kobe Maritime city information / tips in Meriken Park has an exciting modernist exterior and a collection of model ships and audiovisual displays. There are fine high-rise views of the city and its striking location from both Kobe City Hall and Port Tower.
Tourism
It is a modern city moreover d'1 500.000 inhabitants with the contemporary architecture lack can be a little audacity from a plastic point of view. Kobe is not visited for its historical inheritance but is appreciated for its broadmindedness and its moderate climate. Clickjapan presents the essential one of Kobe here to you:
The North or the district of Kita-Chô. It is in this district located at the north of the city not far from the station Shin Kobe that all the Western influence is found: European colonial house (ichikan), catholic church. A bit of exoticism. for the Japanese. Some of these old residences of foreign traders are worth visiting today. The Rokko mount, in the north of the Shin-Kobe station, for the amateurs of slopes and unspoilable views. A cable car will lead you almost to the top. Nunomik No taki: they are four cascades located on the Futatabi mount at the north of the Shin-Kobe station.
The center. The downtown area is HOW TOible from the stations Motomachi and Sonnomiya. Around the first of these station are concentrated antique dealers while the second serves the great shopping centres (store sogo) and of many commercial streets. Kobe Shiritsu Hakabuskan is the city information / tips of the town of Kobe located not far from the station of Sonnomiya.
The Chinese south or district. The Chinese population of Kobe is evaluated in 2004 with more than 12.000 hearts. This district, whose entry is marked by large doors, is small "a chinatown" of some streets which shelters many Chinese restaurants. The Chinese district is located at 6 minutes of walk in the south of the Motomachi station.
More in the south you will find: Extreme south or the harbour zone. A modern district which is not uninteresting to visit. You will discover the tower of the port, modern Kaiyô-Hakabuskan (city information / tips of the navy), the Meriken Park, the wearing of Kobe and well on the famous artificial islands: HOW TOible Port Island leaves the train "portliner" and Rokko HOW TOible by the monoHOTEL RESERVATION / BOOKING ONLINE"Rokkoliner". You will be able to take the CHEAP TICKETSto visit charming the small sand island fine Awaji-shima.
HOTEL RESERVATION / BOOKING ONLINE
JR Shinkansen bullet train stops at Shin-Kobe Station. About 1km south of Shin-Kobe Station, Sannomiya Station is the main HOTEL RESERVATION / BOOKING ONLINEhub for intercity Hankyu, Hanshin and JR trains to Osakaand Kyoto.
CHEAP TICKETS
There is a direct jet-foil boat to Kansai International Airport (KIX) from the Kobe City TRAVELTerminal (KCAT) on Port Island, with buses to Sannomiya. There are also ferries to Beppu in Kyushu and also to Shikoku and Awaji Island. Ferries arrive and depart from Naka Pier, next to Port Tower, about 10 minutes south of Motomachi Station.
TRAVEL
Kobe Airport, named "Marine TRAVEL", opened February 2006 on a reclaimed island just south of Port Island.
The new airport has flights to and from seven cities: Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Naha (Okinawa), Niigata, Sapporo , Sendai and Tokyo(Haneda).
The flights are operated by JAL, ANA and Skymark. Flights run between 7am and 9pm.
The airport can be reached by PortLiner automated train from Sannomiya (320 yen; 16 minutes), bus, ryokan or speed boat (30 minutes) from Kansai International Airport (service to open later in 2006). ryokan parking fees are presently free for 1 day and 1,000 yen per day thereafter. |
