October Break Series: Exploring Kobe

• Nunobiki Herb Gardens – The highlight of my trip to Kobe was no doubt the Nunobiki Herb Gardens. After taking a ropeway car up a mountain, visitors have the chance to stroll down through the garden and see a large variety of plants, from cooking herbs to trees and seasonal flowers. It was both really beautiful to see and delicious to smell, so it was a step up from many of the other botanical gardens I’ve visited in the past. These gardens alone made Kobe worth the trip for me.

• Kitano-cho Area - Not too far from the Herb Gardens was the Kitano area, a very hilly neighborhood (to the point of rivaling San Francisco at times) with narrow streets and quaint architecture. It was settled by foreign merchants and diplomats in the late 19^th century and so felt much older stylistically than the rest of the city and was interesting to explore. Make sure to stop at one of the takeout Kobe beef places on the way down for a quick bite before continuing on your adventure!

• Kobe Harborland - Kobe Harborland is an entertainment district located along the city’s waterfront. I liked it primarily because it offered a large number of picturesque viewpoints, but shopping and dining opportunities also abound. This area felt very relaxed and was the perfect break from the busyness of Tokyo. Though there are multiple shopping complexes in the neighborhood, my favorite was Mosaic, which was right on the water.

Honorable mentions include Ikuta Shrine and Nankin-machi, Kobe’s Chinatown area, where you can go if you’re in need of some great bubble tea or vintage thrifting. But if you’ve had your fill of Osaka and want another day trip in the area and Kobe doesn’t quite quite sound like your type of place, try Nara instead—it’s supposedly a really cool nature spot where you can get up close and personal with deer. Happy traveling!