Chinatown ［南京町］

Chinatown

Chinatown is the nickname given to a somewhat cozy area tucked between two of Kobe's avenues, Motomachi-dori and Sakaemachi-dori respectively. It is one of the Big Three Chinatowns in Japan, the other two being Yokohama Chinatown and Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown.
Chinatown with a long history of 140 years since the opening of the Kobe Port is an area that extends approximately 200 meters from east to west and approximately 110 meters from north to south where a hundred or so stores stand, including Chinese restaurants and those selling Chinese food products and general merchandise.
Filled with delicious smells of food, crowded with people, and bustling with an energetic mood, the entire town is decked with Chinese decorations mainly using the colors of red, blue, yellow, green, and gold including the exterior/interior of the stores and Chinese lantern style street lights.
On the streets in front of the stores, there also are many food stalls selling dim sum, sweets, and food products. Indeed, a unique way to enjoy Chinatown is taking out food such as steam pork buns and drinks with black tapioca and eating/drinking them while strolling around the area.
Chinatown is very crowded on holidays with local shoppers as well as tourists and becomes even more so during the Shunsetsusai (Lunar New Year Festival) in February where a grand celebration takes place with lion and dragon dances.