Kobe［神戸］

Kobe

Kobe is one of the three cities (Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe) representing the Kansai region.
Located in the southeastern part of Hyogo Prefecture facing the Seto Inland Sea, it has a history as a port city opened for trade with the world in 1868 right after the policy of seclusion came to a close.
There are many downtown areas in Kobe such as Sannomiya, Motomachi, Bay Area, Kitano, and Chinatown, each having its own unique characteristic.
The Bay Area facing the Kobe Bay is divided into the two areas of Meriken Park and Harborland and both are popular tourist spots where such landmarks as the Port Tower stand.
A multicultural atmosphere exists here in Kobe because it is a city that opened its port in the early days and enthusiastically embraced foreign cultures. Indeed, you can find many distinct settings including such places as Kitano famous for its Ijinkan area (historical district with former residences of early foreign settlers) and Chinatown which is considered as one of the Big Three Chinatowns in Japan. Cuisine from around the world can also be enjoyed in Kobe.
While so much history is found throughout the city, it is also one of the trendsetting cities in Kansai and is well known as a city of style.
With many tourist spots, dramatic nightscape, gourmet food taking root in historic food culture, and enjoyable shopping, so many features are indeed packed in this small city.