Hyogo Prefecture's Absolute Essentials

Hyogo Prefecture spans from the Seto Inland Sea to the Sea of Japan, centered around the cosmopolitan port city of Kobe. The region features the 108-meter Kobe Port Tower and the preserved Western-style residences of Kitano Ijinkan. Natural landmarks include the multi-tiered Nunobiki Falls and the ancient Arima Onsen, one of Japan's oldest hot spring towns. To the north, the 15th-century Takeda Castle ruins sit atop a mountain, often appearing above a sea of clouds. Local culinary highlights include authentic Kobe beef and the vibrant stalls of Nankin-machi Chinatown.

663highland / CC BY 2.5

A

Kobe Port Tower

This architecturally unique structure of an imposing height (108 meters) was built in 1963.

663highland / CC BY 2.5

B

Kobe Harborland

Hundreds of shops, restaurants, and dozens of attractions for families and children make this area a popular district among tourists.

Laitr Keiows / CC BY-SA 3.0

C

Kobe Chinatown

Nankin-machi is a neighborhood in Kobe, Japan located south of Motomachi station adjacent to the Daimaru Department Store and is a major…

663highland / CC BY 2.5

D

Shin-Kobe Ropeway

The Shin-Kōbe Ropeway is Japanese aerial lift line in Kōbe, Hyōgo, operated by Kōbe City Urban Development.

Laitr Keiows / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Nunobiki Falls

Nunobiki Falls is a set of waterfalls near downtown Kobe, Japan, with an important significance in Japanese literature and Japanese art.

663highland / CC BY 2.5

F

Kitano Ijinkan

Kitano-chō or Kitano Ijinkan is a historical district in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, which contains a number of foreign residences from…

Orlando G. Calvo / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Steakland Kobe

This elegant restaurant is known for serving only premium quality beef produced by careful breeding in Kobe.

Hebi~commonswiki / CC BY-SA 2.5

H

旧居留地十五番館

Built in 1880, this former American consulate is the only surviving structure from Kobe’s original foreign settlement period. Designated as an Important Cultural Property, the building was meticulously reconstructed following its collapse during the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake.

663highland / CC BY 2.5

I

Sorakuen Garden

The gardens of Sōraku-en are in Chūō-ku, Kobe, Japan. Formerly attached to the Taishō-era residence of Kodera Yasujirō, ownership passed to…

J

ArimaOnsen

Terminal station for the Rokko-Arima Ropeway, providing an aerial link between the summit of Mount Rokko and the historic Arima Onsen district.

663highland / CC BY 2.5

K

Kin no Yu

A public bathhouse in Arima Onsen famous for its "gold water" (kinsen), which is rich in iron and salt. The facility features indoor baths and a free outdoor foot spa near the entrance.