Location: Kobe
Top Things to do in Kobe
10 Free Things to do in Kobe That You Shouldn't Miss
Famous for its luscious beef and crisp, pure sake, the Japanese port of Kobe is a thriving metropolitan city with an international feel. The sake-brewing season runs from October through April, and that's the best time to take a tour of a kura (the Japanese word for brewery). Visit the Hakutsure Sake Brewery Museum year-round. Naturally, the nightlife here is prime perfection.
Restaurants in Kobe
1. Mt. Maya
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 424 reviews
Reviewed By Elisabethmh - Oslo, Norway
Mount Maya (Maya-San in Japaneese) is a mountain 700 meters above sea level and one of the most important mountains in the Rokko mountain range north of Kobe. The story goes that Mount Maya is named after Lady Maya - the mother of the Buddha. You can easily reach the top of the mountain by cabel car and the view is absolutely stunning! I can highly reccomend a trip to Mt. Maya while visiting Kobe. You won`t regret the spectacular view from the top.
2. Suma-dera
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By williamsM29HU - Kobe, Japan
To our delight, we visited while monks were chanting and it was busy with food vendors and a regular temple sale was going on. The fragrance of the incense combined with the cool October air, the chanting and the sound of the gongs, was quite lovely. It's worth visiting the museum of artifacts near the entrance as well as the graveyards surrounding the main temples. This is about a 15 minute walk from Suma station - watch where people are walking as it is easy to get on the wrong road (and they don't connect).
3. Kobe Luminarie
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 173 reviews
A festival of light, which has been held in December every year since 1995 as a memorial and requiem of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and to pray for recovery of the town. Geometric illuminations decorate the squares and streets, and during the festival a corridor of light called the Galleria runs through Nakamachi-dori street. In its heyday the festival attracted more than 5 million visitors but in recent years, due to energy-saving policies and a shortened festival period, it draws between 3 and 3.5 Million.
Reviewed By Paths2014 - Bangkok, Thailand
We were there on the opening night, December 6, 2019. There were thousand of visitors. It was worthwhile waiting for about an hour to listen to the chorus. The event last until December 15th. Try to be there once in your lifetime.
4. Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 276 reviews
At HAKUTSURU SAKE Brewing Co., Ltd., we have opened our old sake brewhouse in its original form to the public as the Sake Brewery Museum. Our hope in doing so is to give visitors a feel of the tradition of sake making that has been carried down through the ages and to broadly and deeply convey the "heart of Japan" to the sake making world.
Reviewed By SmurfFat - Singapore, Singapore
Very informative exhibits you may press the button and select English language. We enjoy the free museum and free sake sampling.
5. Kobe Harborland
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,938 reviews
Reviewed By Noepha
Taking a stroll along the harborland while enjoying the sea breeze with your friends is really wonderfull. You can also ride the ferris wheel or go to the port tower to have a view of Kobe city and the surrounding from above.(Note: if you are with children, there is Anpanman museum nearby which really suitable for children) If you are hungry or want to have a bite, there are many cafe and restaurant in Mosaic. All in all, you have to visit harborland when in Kobe. (You can reach harborland by JR Line from Kobe Sannomiya station and get off on Kobe station)
6. Meriken Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 603 reviews
Reviewed By sunshinegodlee
nice place to walk around. they have a Be Kobe sign good place to take pictures. Starbucks has its coffee shop there n its really nice to sit and over look the sea and sip your. coffee. Umei mall near by...
7. Kitano Ijinkan-gai
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 840 reviews
Reviewed By 852lenay - Singapore, null
Quaint, traditional colonial houses were great spots for photos. Boulevard that are well kept with floral and foliage that enhance the old world charm. Do check out Starbucks and it was really like stepping into someone’s bungalow complete with books, chandelier and picture frames that decorated the entire two-storey house! Enjoy! Be back ...
8. Nunobiki Falls (Nunobiki-No-Taki)
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 334 reviews
Reviewed By GoGo2SlowGo - Denton, United States
There are signs for Nunobiki Falls at the Shin Kobe Station. Nunobiki Falls is described as one of Japan’s three most significant waterfalls. It is only a 15-minute walk to get there. There is no admission fee and it is very easy to find. The entire journey is over 1,000 feet and most of it involved plenty of stone steps going straight up. We both needed to pause to catch our breath along the way. There are four waterfalls to choose from: Ontaki, Mendaki, Tsusumigadaki and Izumoki, depending on how far you want to hike. The lowest-level one is relatively easy to get to; whereas the hardest one lurks at the top of a steep flight of steps.
9. Ikuta Shrine
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 825 reviews
Reviewed By GoGo2SlowGo - Denton, United States
We had lunch a Mouriya Honten and enjoyed our Kobe beef for lunch. It was expensive but Kobe beef is known all over the world. The Ikuta Shrine was just a short walk from Mouriya Honten. We saw a pair of lions “guarding” the shrine.The torii entrance was very impressive and we wanted to walk around and learn some more about this shrine. The Ikuta Shrine is over 1800 years old and venerates the goddess Wakahirume-no-Mikoto. While Kobe has many European-styled buildings and ports, it also has many different historic shrines. This shrine wasn’t originally on our itinerary, but we read about it and since it was so close to our restaurant, we had to give it a shot. I quickly looked it up and found that it’s a spot for love! The spiritual place known for good marriage is located on the right side of the shrine grounds near the entrance. It has been said that if you "pray for love facing the cedar tree", your wish will come true. Admission is free. Enjoy!
