The Beautiful Port City Of Kobe

Kobe is not just about Kobe Beef. In fact, the port city of Kobe, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful cities in Japan. Because of its long history of foreign interaction, this city is considered as one of the more foreigner-friendly places in Japan and a lot of expats live here. There are a lot of must-see places in this city and allow me to list some of the best places to go in Kobe.

1) Mt. Rokko Tenrandai (六甲山展覧台)
The Tenrandai (or viewing deck) in Mt. Rokko is my favorite place in Kobe. Go here at night time and you will be amazed by the view of the whole Osaka Bay at night. The view is so beautiful that it is referred to as the 10-million dollar view and considered as one of the Three Great Night Views of Japan. From here, you can see the lights from Kobe, Osaka and even Kyoto glittering against the night sky. The temperature here is around 10 degrees colder than the rest of Kobe so bring a jacket if you are afraid of the cold like me :D

Osaka Bay from Mt. Rokko (taken on August 14, 2008)

Kobe from Mt. Rokko (taken on August 14, 2008)

Osaka Bay from Mt. Rokko Tenrandai (taken on August 14, 2008)

Access to the Base of the Rokko Cable Car:
a) Hanshin Mikage Station
b) JR Rokkomichi Station
c) Hankyu Rokko Station
** After taking option a, b or c, ride the Kobe City Bus # 16 going to the Rokko Cable Car Base Station

Access to Tenrandai:
From the Rokko Cable Car Base Station, ride the Rokko Cable Car upto Sanjo Station (1000yen roundtrip, 570 yen one-way) then walk to the Tenrandai

Note: The Rokko Cable Car is open from 7:10 am to 9:10 pm (9:55 on weekends and public holidays) with a 20-30 minute interval

2) Meriken Park (メリケンパーク)
This park was built in commemoration of the Great Hanshin Earthquake which destroyed Kobe in the 90s. It also houses the unofficial landmark of Kobe - the Kobe Tower. This place is a good place for relaxation. I recommend going here at night because the lights from Kobe Tower and the different establishments around it make the view more beautiful.

Kobe Tower (taken on August 13, 2008)

View From Meriken Park (taken on August 13, 2008)

Access:
a) 10-minute walk from JR Motomachi Station
b) 10-minutes walk from Hanshin Motomachi Station
c) 10-minute walk from Kobekousoku Hanakuma Station
d) 10-minute walk from JR Maiko Station

3) Ijinkan (異人館)
Barbarian Houses (yes you read it right) in English. This part of the Kitano Area of Kobe housed the different consulates and foreigners in Kobe. They might be long gone, but their influence on Kobe lasts until now. This place is one of the most famous tourist spots in Kobe and it makes you forget that you are in Japan. So for those who need a change of scenery, go to Ijinkan.

Weather Cock House in Ijinkan (taken on August 14, 2008)

Moegi House in Ijinkan (taken on August 14, 2008)

Kobe City Bus Loop in Ijinkan Area (taken on August 14, 2008)

Access:
a) 9-minute walk from Kobe City Bus Loop Kitano Ijinkan Stop
b) 15 minute walk from JR Sannomiya Station
c) 15-minute walk from Hanshin Sannomiya Station
d) 15-minute walk from Hankyu Sannomiya Station

4) Motomachi Area (元町)
This is where the shopping areas and the Chinatown can be found. So what you do here is shop till you drop then grab a bite in Chinatown. Yummy and cheap food :D

Kobe Chinatown (taken on August 13, 2008)

Kobe Chinatown (taken on August 14, 2008)

Kobe Motomachi Shopping Street (taken on August 13, 2008)

Access:
a) JR Motomachi Station
b) Hanshin Motomachi Station

5) Sannomiya Station Area (三宮駅)
Since Sannomiya Station is one of the busiest stations in Kobe, expect a lot of establishments around this area. You can also find tourist offices, shopping areas and restaurants here. If you want authentic Japan, you can try visiting the nearby Ikuta Shrine which is one of the most famous shrines around this area.

Unique Building Around the Sannomiya Area (taken on August 14, 2008)

Outside JR Sannomiya Station (taken on August 13, 2008)

Ikuta Shrine (taken on August 14, 2008)

Access:
a) JR Sannomiya Station
b) Hanshin Sannomiya Station
c) Hankyuu Sannomiya Station

So there you have it, I hope this post can be helpful in your future travels to Kobe. Feel free to ask any questions or give more insights about Kobe. :D

Read more...

My Take On Yokohama

Yokohama is a memorable place for me. It is a place of many firsts.
This was the first foreign city I lived in.
This was where I had my first Christmas and New Year away from home.
This was where I experienced my first snow.
This was where I wore my first kimono.

This was where I lived for 6 weeks in Yokohama - The Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship Kenshuu Center. A place full of memories and learnings.

AOTS Yokohama Kenshuu Center or YKC (taken Dec. 12, 2007)

My room in YKC (taken Dec. 11, 2007)

View from my room overlooking the seaside train line and the baseball field where a scene from the j-drama Yamada Tarou Monogatari was shot -- wish I was there to see it though :-(
(taken Dec. 12, 2007)

Yokohama is a clean and beautiful city, and not to mention very very safe (just like the rest of Japan). It is just around 30-40 minutes from Tokyo and it is very easy to explore since most of the interesting spots are relatively near each other. Let me list down some of the beautiful places in Yokohama.

1) Minato Mirai (みなとみらい)

For me, minato mirai or the port of the future is the main attraction in Yokohama. Almost all major attractions in Yokohama is located in this area including the landmark tower (which houses the highest viewing observatory in Japan), cosmo world and the beautiful skyline near the port.

Minato Mirai - from Landmark Tower (taken Jan 6, 2008)

Landmark Tower (taken Dec 23, 2007)

Mt Fuji from Landmark Tower (taken Jan 6, 2008)

Access: JR Keihin Tohoku Line Sakuragi-Cho Station, Minato Mirai Line Minato Mirai Station

2) Motomachi (元町)

One of the major shopping districts in Yokohama and it is also home to one of the biggest Chinatown in Japan. Since Chinatown is synonymous to good and cheap food, you'll never get hungry in this place. Trust me!

Access: JR Lines to Ishikawa-Cho, Minato Mirai Line Motomachi-Chuukagai Station

3) Yamashita Park (山下公園)

Perfect place to relax and take in the view of Minato Mirai. Though this place is a bustling harbor, try to look at the waters and you'll be surprised how clear it is! :D

Yamashita Park (taken Jan 6, 2008)

Access: JR Lines to Ishikawa-Cho or Kannai Station, Minato Mirai Line Motomachi-Chuukagai Station

4) Yokohama Station Area (横浜)

Several shopping malls and gadget stores can be found in this area. If you like to go shopping, then this place is for you.

Yokohama Station Area (taken December 14, 2007)

Access: JR Lines to Yokohama Station, Tokyu Toyoko Yokohama Station

5) Hakkeijima Sea Paradise (八景島シーパラダイス)

This place is near our dorm so if we wanted to unwind or just wanted to have a nice walk, we usually go here. It is actually an amusement park with a big aquarium inside. There is also a shopping mall and several restos inside. This place is memorable since I spent my first new year's eve outside the Philippines here. They hold fireworks display every year to usher in the new year. :D

Access: Yokohama Sea Side Line Hakkeijima Station

Read more...