My One Day in Kobe City, Japan.
7:09:00 PM
I have always wanted to visit Kobe when I was in Osaka, wondering how does the exclusive Kobe Beef taste like, strolling around China Town for some good food, and finally I made it to Kobe but sadly, I was alone during my first time in this lovely city, and more importantly, I never get to try Kobe Beef at all.. Oh god, what a shame huh.
I continue my journey from Himeji to Kobe after spending one night over there, travelling between these two cities were easy with only less than 40 minutes train ride. I hold a JR Pass, hence I never needed to pay for this trip. However, if by single ticket on JR Special Rapid Train, it should costs around Y970.
Kobe is more or less always a pass by city for tourists who plan for a day trip to Himeji, and they make a stop in Kobe on their way back, but spending a night should ease your itinerary if you ever wanted to go Mount Rokko.
In this small little city, the main attractions are connected to each other which makes it easier to travel just by foot. So firstly, I stopped by in Chinatown to grab some food, and follow by foot step to Meriken Park, Kobe Port Tower and Kobe Harbourland.
1) Chinatown
Nankinmachi is a compact chinatown in central Kobe and a center of the Chinese community in the Kansai Region. The area was developed by Chinese merchants who settled near Kobe Port after the port was opened to foreign trade in 1868. As the chinatown developed, it became known as Nankinmachi after Nanjing, the former Chinese capital.
Nankinmachi is a popular tourist attraction and shopping and dining district. Two main streets run through the district, meeting each other at a small plaza in the center. They are packed with shops, restaurants and food stands that sell popular items such as steamed buns (manju), ramen, tapioca drinks and various other Chinese dishes, many of which have been Japanized to a certain degree.
Those dumplings are freaking too good too tasty and definitely worth the long queue!
2) Meriken Park
The park was devastated by the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, but has now become a popular spot for locals and tourists again. A small memorial in the park commemorates the many victims who were killed in the port during the earthquake. A short section of damaged waterfront has been left unrepaired as a reminder of the earthquake's tremendous destructive power.
3) Kobe Port Tower
This Kobe landmark provides panoramic views over the streets of Kobe and the night sky, famous as a symbol of Kobe, the Kobe Port Tower is a 108 m-high landmark tower located in Meriken Park. The world’s first building to feature a pipe structure, it was nicknamed the Steel Tower Beauty as a result of its unique structure and shape, reminiscent of an elongated Japanese drum, and was awarded a prize by the Architectural Institute of Japan in 1963. Admission fee is Y600.
4) Kobe Harbourland
Kobe Harborland is a shopping and entertainment district between JR Kobe Station and the waterfront of Kobe's port area. The district offers a large selection of shops, restaurants, cafes and other amusements, which, together with the romantic evening atmosphere, have made it a popular spot for couples and tourists alike. The most prominent shopping complex in Kobe Harborland is Umie which consists of three parts: Mosaic, South Mall and North Mall.
That's basically my short trip to Kobe, and if you really wanted to try out the exclusive Kobe Beef, you better get to prepare for the heart-attack price :) If you are not a fancy fan for beef, but just want to have a try for Kobe Beef, the Lotteria in Kobe does offer a Kobe Beef burger which costs slightly cheaper than a steak (obviously I know)!
0 comments