 Kobe, located on the island of Honshu, is the capital of Hyogo Prefecture.
The City
- Kobe is one of Japan's major ports
- Administratively Kobe is divided into 9 wards.
- In the highly devastating 1995 Kobe earthquake more than 5,000 persons were killed and the economic loss has been estimated at about $US 200 billion.
- Kobe is a prominent educational center in Japan. There are several Public and Private Universities, and Institutes of Higher Education. Major Public Universities in Kobe are Kobe University, University of Hyogo, Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, and Kobe City College of Nursing.
Tourist Destinations
- Port Island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kobe. Explore sprawling complexes, parks, hotels, restaurants, and fashion centers on this beautiful island.
- Ikuta Jinja is a famous Shinto Shrine. Located near San-no-miya Station, it is one of the oldest shrines in Japan.
- If you are interested in visiting old-fashioned Western houses, then Kitano district is the best option as it is where many old houses constructed in Western Victorian and Gothic architecture are located.
- Kobe has several interesting museums such as the Kobe City Museum, Kobe Maritime Museum, Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial, and Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art.
Transportation
- Kobe has an extensive rail and road network, providing an efficient system of transportation. Major Railway Companies providing services in Kobe are Hankyu Railway, Sanyo Electric Railway, Kobe Electric Railway, Kobe Municipal Subway, and Kobe New Transit.
- Recently in February 2006 the new Kobe Airport was opened on an artificial island.
Shopping/Eating out
- There are numerous options in Kobe to enjoy a high class shopping extravaganza.
- Major shopping destinations in Kobe include Moto-machi, Naniwa-ya, Sakae-ya, San-no-miya Center Gai, Santica Town, Tasaki Shinju, Tor Road, and Harishin
- There are various good restaurants to enjoy different delicacies in Kobe. Some of the popular dining establishments in Kobe are Aragawa (Steak), Central (Cafes), Oishi (Steak), Raja (Indian), Teepee (Italian), Totenkaku (Chinese), and Wakkoku (Steak)
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