Kobe

This beautiful port city in West Japan is home to 1.5 million people and lies just 20 minutes or so from Osaka and an hour’s flight from Tokyo.

Synonymous with style, mountains and its seafront setting, Kobe is perhaps most famous for its namesake, Kobe beef, and offers a wealth of attractions for all visitors. Getting to Kobe is also a breeze, thanks to three major train lines, a dedicated airport and a high-speed ferry service that can reach Kobe Airport in just 30 minutes.

The name Kobe, literally ‘God’s Door’, was derived from the original name of ‘Kanbe’, the family protecting the god of Ikuta Shrine, in the heart of the present-day city. Kobe began to truly thrive as a city when the port opened up to the Western world back in 1868 and a foreign settlement was established up until 1899. Ever since the opening of its port in 1868, Kobe has blossomed into a thriving cosmopolitan city; incorporating western customs, cultures and industries.

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