Have you been to Kobe? It's my first time visiting this city and to my surprise, it is actually very touristy, apart from the already famous Kobe beef.
Not too far from the train station upon your arrival, you'll be greeted by this huge board to show you some of the places of interest in Kobe. The ones with bigger pictures are the recommended places, should you spend a few days at Kobe.
During my recent trip, it was just a day trip down to Kobe from Osaka, to visit the harbour and famous Kitano. Kobe is about an hour plus by train towards the south of Osaka. And like Osaka, there are a few local delicacies and that includes okonomiyaki. It's similar to pancake but with a lot more ingredients in it - could be tako (octopus) or meat. You can order based on your preference.
If this is your first time to Kobe like me, following the road out of the train station, you'll reach the shopping street, Motomachi. It's a pretty long street which stretches over 2 blocks. At the end of it, you'll reach Kobe's Chinatown. It's a pretty interesting sight to see a Chinatown in Japan, where most of the sellers speak in Japanese. Sights of familiar Chinese food such as dumplings, xiao long bao, bubble tea and loads of Chinese grocery shops will greet you as you enter the area.
Like all touristy places, souvenir shops can be found easily in Chinatown. Kobe, as the sixth largest city in Japan, is clearly no different. Japan continues to amuse me with its many cute miniature figurines and amazing packaging for all its souvenirs, be it edible or not.
The harbour side is a popular postcard photo destination. Harbourland is a dining, entertainment and shopping district in Kobe. During the weekends, there are loads of activities along the harbour and you shouldn't be too surprise by the large crowd that gathers around the harbour area. If you're lucky, you could even catch a carnival running or a flea market in action!
If you do have more time to spend in Kobe, do visit Kitano as well. Kobe was probably one of the earliest places in Japan that was opened to the western world. As such, you'll see quite a concentration of western houses. In fact, if you look at the tourist map, it will clearly point out a few old residential areas and places where western influences are still evident in its architecture.
Kitano is one of those places. It is a city at the foot of Mount Rokko. You can hitch on the tourist bus which costs 200Y one way or 500Y for an unlimited day use, or walk your way from the harbour. This is the place where many westerners dwelled when the city was first opened to foreigners. Hence, you'll see a number of former mansions, known as Ijinkan, which are currently operating as museums. Usually, an admission fee is chargable to visitors, and it ranges around 300Y - 500Y. The nearest train station to Kitano is JR Sannomiya station, which is about 20 minutes walk away.
I wish I had more time in Kobe but it was quite fun knowing you. Til next time Kobe, I'll visit again!
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