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JAPAN TRAVEL GUIDE

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LOVELY JAPAN GUIDE

Kobe City

@Kobe is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyogo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshu, approximately 30km west of Osaka. With a population of about 1.5 million, the city is part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto.

Attractions in Kobe

‘Sannomiya and Motomachi Area

ššSorakuen
Japanes style garden		 ššMinatogawa Shrine
Dedicated to famous warrior		 šNankin Machi
Chinese town with 100 shops
šIkuta Shrine
1300 years history		 City Hall Observation Deck
Panorama view from 24 floor		 Harberland
Shopping area beside bay
Hyogo House
Old Region government hall		 Mt.Suwa night view
Night view spot with love legend		 Kobe Luminarie(Dec 6-17)
winter festival of light

Side Trip from Kobe

‘ Day trip

šArima Onsen
The oldest spa area in Japan(30min) 		šTakeda Castle
Japanese Machu Picchu (2hr) 		Rokko Garden Terrace
Moutaion view (1hr from Kobe,osaka)
  • Other

Access to Kobe


City  Time  Way  St to St  budget
(yen)
Tokyo   2:50  Shinkansen Tokyo.st - Shinkobe.st  14,670
Kyoto  0:30
(0:50)		  Shinkansen
(JR Railway)		  Kyoto.st-Shinkobe.st
(kyoto.st-Sannomiya.st)		  3,540
(1,050)
Osaka  0:20  JR Railway  Osaka.st - Sannomiya.st  390
Nara  1:30  Kintetsu Railway  Kintetsu Nara.st - Hanshin Sannomiya.st  940
Himeji  0:15
( 0:40)		  Shinkansen
( JR Railway)		  Himeji.st-Shinkobe.st
(Himeji.st-Sannomiya.st)		 3,340
(950) 
Hiroshima  1:15  Shinkansen  Hiroshima.st - Shinkobe.st  9,940

Accomodation in Kobe

.

Type  Name  Room and Budget  Access  Booking
Guest House Kobe Sannomiya R2 Hostel Dormitory (2,800-yen/night)
Single (3,500yen/night)		  5 min walk from Sannomiya St Web or Tel
Guest House Kobe Tarumi Youth Hostel Dormitory (2,900yen/night)
Private(4,500 yen/night)		 17 min JR from Sannomiya St and 8 min walk Web or Tel
Hotel Web or Tel
Hotel Web or Tel

History

  • Ancient Times ~Edo Period
    @Kobe@is a port city with centuries of history. Its port came to be developed due to several factors: its position on the Seto Inland Sea, Kobe's location in the center of Japan, its deep waters, and its good climate .
    @During the Nara Period (710 -784 C.E.), the port ,known the as 'Owada no Tomari,' was already a major port of trade with China and other foreign countries . In addition, the beautiful coastline of Suma and Maiko, located in western Kobe, served as the backdrop for many waka and haiku poems, and other famous literary works as The Tale of Genji (approximaterly late 9th- early 10th century)and the Taiheiki (14th century).
    @For a short time , the capital of Japana was moved from Kyoto to Kobe's Fukuhara. At the same time , Kobe became a center of military activity. Many famous battles between the Heike and Genji clans occurred here, including the Battle of Ichi no Tani in1184.
    @In later years, Kobe's port played an important role as a sea traffic center for the Seto Inland Sea and the Japan Sea. It was also a rest station along the Saigoku Highway, a major highway from Kyoto to western Japan. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the great general and unifier of Japan, loved Arima Onsen in the north of Kobe , and oftern came to visit.
    @Kobe also flourished in the Edo period (1603-1867). Using its ideal natural environment, it beame a sake-making center ; Nada no Ki Ippon Sake became famous throughout the coutry. Even today, Kobe is proud to be the number one sake producing area in the coutry .
  • Meiji Period~ (1868-1912)
    @After a long period of national isolation, Japan opened its doors to the world following the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry and Townsend Harris. The opening of the port of Kobe on January 1, 1868 allowed Kobe to develop into an international port city and during the Meiji period , Kobe established itself as one of Japan 's major ports.
    @After the opening of the port, many Americans and Europeans came to Kobe, establishing a Foreigners' Settlement. Through them, Westren food, clothes , and entertainment found their way into Japan, making Kobe one of the first cities in Japan to be introduced to foreign culture. Kobe is also known as the birth place of jazz and the cinema in Japan. Other products developed in Kobe during this time including clothes , furniture, confectionaries , and beef are still to this day Kobe 's signature goods.
    @
  • Hanshin Earthquake ~ Present
    @On January 17, 1995 at 5:45 a.m., an earthquke with a magnitude of 7.2 hit the Kobe area, taking thousands of lives in only a few seconds. Through the cooperation of Kobe's citizens , businesses, and administration, the city recovered quickly. Many monuments have been erected and commemoration acitivities commenced to prevent the memories of the earthquake frome fading, and to pass on the lessons learned during the disaster to future generations.
    @The city's efforts are now currently focused on making Kobe a beautiful city , with charms to apeal to both the Japanese and non-Japanese visitor.