A hidden gem of Kansai is the lovely port city of Kobe. Offering interesting history, colorful culture, architectural marvels, and delicious cuisine, there are numerous sightseeing options in Kobe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyone hungry for a taste of the rich historical culture that Japan has to offer will certainly enjoy a visit to Ikuta Shrine. A short walk from Kobe-Sannomiya Station, Ikuta Shrine is possibly one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. It was founded in the 3rd Century by Empress Jingu and is dedicated to the god Wakahirume. Ikuta Shrine was a pivotal location during the Genpei War. Its history is retold in traditional Japanese Noh Theater. The shrine puts on performances of the plays Ebira and Ikuta Atsumori during the annual fall festival, Akimatsuri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps you\u2019d rather take in the culture from a bird\u2019s eye view. If that\u2019s the case, a stop at Kobe Port Tower ought to be in your plans. Built in 1963, this hyperboloidal-shaped lattice marvel stands 108 meters over the port, allowing for stunning panoramic views of both the city and the sea. The Kobe Port Tower is located near the Kobe Maritime Museum<\/a> and is only a short walk to the Hanshin Earthquake Memorial Park<\/a>. At night, the tower is lit in a rainbow of colors \u2014 truly a feast for the eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another unique destination worth adding to your sightseeing activities is Kobe\u2019s renowned Chinatown. Called Nankinmachi, it was founded in 1868 at the beginning of the Meiji Restoration and was one of the first designated \u201cforeign\u201d neighborhoods in Japan following the end of the 200-year-old isolationist foreign policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nankinmachi is touted as the most colorful of the Chinatowns in Japan, boasting festive streets lined with interesting little shops, mahjong clubs, and delectably adventurous dining opportunities. If you can find the right street vendor, I recommend the deep fried scorpion on a stick<\/a> \u2014 it tastes just like shrimp. Even if arachnids aren\u2019t to your taste, the delicious varieties of steamed and fried dumplings, known as gyoza, are sure to satiate your appetite for the exotic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For all your shopping needs, there\u2019s Kobe Harborland. In addition to stores and restaurants, it has some extra options for entertainment, including the Anpanman Museum, the attractive Gaslight Street for taking a stroll, Manyo Club hot spring, and \u2014 a symbol of Kobe \u2014 the towering Ferris wheel. Pay Kobe Harborland a visit for all your souvenir needs as well as for everyday shopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re tired of the bright city lights and noisy, bustling crowds, or if you\u2019re a connoisseur of nature\u2019s flare for sublime aesthetics, take the train to Shin-Kobe Station and make your way to Nunobiki Park. The interior of the park creates the illusion of having left the city for the tranquility of a quiet mountain grove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite being located fairly close to downtown, visitors to Nunobiki Park report feeling like they are much farther away. But the tranquility of the park is just the beginning of this location\u2019s charm. Tucked away in the corner of the park is the breathtaking Nunobiki Falls. Considered to be among Japan\u2019s \u201cdivine\u201d waterfalls, Nunobiki Falls is frequently a muse for Japanese poetry and is mentioned in the Tales of Ise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another way to spend time in nature is to head to Kobe Animal Kingdom. The park aims to recreate the natural habitats of animals like capybaras, shoebills, Sumatran tigers, marmosets, and much more. With 70% of the park being indoors, it\u2019s a great option even for a rainy day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every day, the park has a number of events where you can see the animals in performances (such as the Wings \u2014 Free Flight Bird Performance) or learn more about them through talks. There are also interactive experiences, such as feeding waterfowl, penguins, or sheep, petting rabbits, taking photos with an owl, or riding a camel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Should you find yourself in the Kobe City area, know that your sightseeing opportunities are plentiful. Whether you\u2019re looking for historic sites, modern culture, natural scenery, or exotic cuisine, Kobe has all you could desire \u2014 and then some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tomomarusan<\/a>, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A hidden gem of Kansai is the lovely port city of Kobe. Offering interesting history, colorful culture, architectural marvels, and delicious cuisine, there are numerous sightseeing options in Kobe! Ikuta Shrine Anyone hungry for a taste of the rich historical culture that Japan has to offer will certainly enjoy a visit to Ikuta Shrine. A short […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":51870,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,165,104,82],"tags":[107,72,74],"class_list":["post-2022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japan","category-kobe","category-temples-shrines","category-travel","tag-family-fun","tag-hyogo-prefecture","tag-kobe-city"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2022"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51884,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2022\/revisions\/51884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Kobe\u2019s Chinatown, Nankinmachi<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kobe Harborland<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Nunobiki Park<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kobe Animal Kingdom<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n