Kobe Chinatown is one of the three biggest Chinatowns in Japan, along with Yokohama Chinatown and Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown. There are many attractive spots around Kobe Chinatown, such as Kobe Harborland, Kawasaki World, and Kobe Brick Warehouse, so you can enjoy shopping and dining while strolling around.
The exotic atmosphere of the town is also a popular tourist destination, and some people may be planning to visit the leisure spots in the surrounding area as well.
In this article, we will introduce 4 popular leisure spots around Kobe Chinatown. We will also provide an easy-to-understand explanation of the characteristics and appeal of each leisure spot.
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Kobe Harborland
Kobe Harborland is a leisure spot that the whole family can enjoy. It is located right next to JR Kobe Station and Kobe Municipal Subway Kaigan Line Harborland Station, so you can easily get there on foot.
Kobe Harborland's Features and How to Enjoy It
Kobe Harborland is a complex that brings together amusement spaces, shopping areas, movie theaters, etc. There are many ways to enjoy yourself here, such as taking a stroll while feeling the sea breeze or playing with the family, so be sure to visit.
Three highlights of Kobe Harborland
We will introduce the highlights of Kobe Harborland.
Kobe Anpanman Children's Museum & Mall
This is a place where you can enjoy the world of Anpanman to your heart's content. The first floor is a free shopping mall where you can buy limited edition Anpanman goods that can only be found here. The second floor is a museum floor that requires an admission fee. You can watch the stage and play by moving your body.
Kobe Harborland Onsen Manyo Club
This is a popular hot spring where you can soothe your tired body. It is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can drop in anytime and soothe your travel fatigue. In addition to the spacious large bath and the footbath garden where you can see the night view of Kobe, there is also a nano-mist sauna and a space to enjoy meals.
Mosaic Ferris Wheel
The Mosaic Ferris Wheel is a Ferris wheel that offers a panoramic view of Mount Rokko and the cityscape of Kobe. You can enjoy a 10-minute aerial stroll while taking in the beautiful scenery. It is also recommended to ride after sunset and enjoy the night view.
(Reference: "Kobe Harborland" / https://harborland.co.jp/)
Kawasaki World
Kawasaki World is a facility where you can see, touch, and experience technology. It is located within the Kobe Maritime Museum, about a 10-minute walk from Minato Motomachi Station on the city subway Kaigan Line. Come experience the technology of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which is active around the world.
Kawasaki World: Features and How to Enjoy It
Kawasaki World is made up of a history corner, a land zone, a sky zone, and a sea zone, where you can learn about the evolution of technology and touch real vehicles. You can experience a variety of vehicles that Kawasaki Heavy Industries is proud of, so it will be fun for both children and adults.
Kawasaki World's Three Highlights
Below are some of the main highlights of Kawasaki World.
Motorcycle Gallery
The Motorcycle Gallery is a corner where Kawasaki Heavy Industries' popular bikes are on display. Not only can you see the race bikes, but there is also an experience corner where you can actually ride them.
Land Zone
In the land zone, the front carriage of a 0-series Shinkansen is on display. You can enter the driver's seat and passenger compartment to view the train, and you can even operate an HO gauge-sized model.
Empty Zone
In the Sky Zone, a real large helicopter is on display. You can even enter the cabin. The flight simulator, which lets you experience taking off and landing at Kobe Airport, is also popular.
(Reference: Kawasaki World / https://www.khi.co.jp/kawasakiworld/)
Kobe Brick Warehouse
The Kobe Brick Warehouse is also a popular leisure spot. It is located on the seafront, and you can stroll around the building and its surroundings, exuding an exotic atmosphere. It is accessible on foot from JR Kobe Station and Harborland Station on the Kobe Municipal Subway Kaigan Line.
Kobe Brick Warehouse: Features and How to Enjoy It
The Kobe Brick Warehouse was built in the late 1890s and served as a place to manage cargo arriving at Kobe Port. It has since been renovated into a new space and is now a popular leisure spot. In addition to the shop area that makes use of the high ceilings unique to a warehouse, we also recommend taking a stroll around the surrounding area.
Three highlights of the Kobe Brick Warehouse
The main attractions of Kobe Brick Warehouse are as follows:
Kobe Brick Warehouse Square
Kobe Brick Warehouse Square hosts a variety of seasonal events. Fun events such as flea markets where you can find great bargains and food truck sales are held regularly, so if the timing is right, be sure to take part.
Harbor Walk
Harbor Walk is a promenade that stretches from the Kobe Brick Warehouse to the former Kobe Port signal station. You can take a leisurely stroll along the wooden walkway while looking out at the sea. There are benches, so it's a great place to take a break. It's also a good idea to visit at night and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere when it's lit up.
Shop Area
The inside of the Kobe Brick Warehouse is a shopping area. In addition to restaurants, there are also designer furniture and stationery shops lined up, allowing you to enjoy shopping in a unique brick atmosphere.
(Reference: "Kobe Brick Warehouse" / https://kobe-renga.jp/)
Kobe's Chinatown, Nankinmachi
Kobe's Chinatown, Nankinmachi, is one of the three largest Chinatowns in Japan, along with those in Yokohama and Nagasaki. It is a 5-minute walk from Motomachi Station on the JR Kobe Line and Hanshin Electric Railway, and a 7-minute walk from Kencho-mae Station on the Yamanote Subway Line. It is a popular area in Kobe, so if you are sightseeing in the surrounding area, be sure to visit it.
Features and ways to enjoy Nankinmachi
Nankinmachi is lined with a variety of facilities, including not only Chinese restaurants, but also general stores selling Chinese and Taiwanese accessories and clothing, hobby and craft shops, hotels and guesthouses.
You can stroll through the exotic townscape, enjoy a meal, and even buy souvenirs. There are many different types of shops lined up in a wide area measuring 270 meters east to west and 110 meters north to south, so just walking around will give you new inspiration.
Introducing 6 recommended shops in Nankinmachi
We have picked out 6 recommended stores in Nankinmachi and will introduce them to you. They are all popular stores, so please be sure to check them out.
Records of Lao Xiang
Lao Xiang Ji is a pork bun shop that has been loved since 1915. There are often long lines on weekends and holidays, and it is not uncommon to wait between 30 minutes and an hour. The pork bun was created by modifying the flavor of the Chinese "Tianjin Baozi" to suit Japanese tastes.
The main feature of Lao Xiang Kee's pork buns is the "skin" that wraps the pork. The skin, which has been passed down through four generations of owners, cannot be imitated by other stores. Enjoy the harmony of the pork and the secret skin.
Kobe Nankinmachi YUNYUN
YUNYUN is a shop that serves baked Xiaolongbao and fried rice noodles. The special baked Xiaolongbao are carefully hand-wrapped in the store and then baked in a hot iron pan. The combination of the fragrant skin and the gravy soup that oozes out from the inside is the secret to their popularity.
Fujian Yaki Rice Vermicelli and Dry Dandan Noodles are also popular. Dry Dandan Noodles won second place in the 2015 KARA-1 Grand Prix. Please enjoy the chewy rice noodles. You can also purchase dried dry Dandan noodles, 100% rice vermicelli, and fresh pineapple cakes as souvenirs.
Houei
At Houei, you can enjoy a variety of dishes such as the braised pork burger, pork buns, and meat shumai. The extremely popular braised pork burger is a hearty dish of braised pork that has been simmered until tender, sandwiched between a specially made pao.
In addition to standard menu items such as pork buns, meat buns, and xiaolongbao, there are also many cute items such as sesame dumplings and cute Piyoman, which you can enjoy with your family and friends. There is a main store on the west side of Nankinmachi Square, and a second store in front of "Dokigo" on the south side of Nankinmachi Square.
Golden Peking Duck Specialty Restaurant Kaho
Kaho is a restaurant where you can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine such as Peking duck and braised shark fin. They offer a wide variety of menu items such as meat dishes, seafood dishes, and soup dishes, so everyone from children to adults can enjoy their meals together.
They also have a wide selection of course meals, making them perfect for large gatherings. Drinks include beer, highballs, sours, and a wide selection of Chinese alcohol. You can also enjoy authentic Peking duck with a glass of Baijiu or Shaoxing wine.
Kobe MILK
Kobe MILK is a specialty store for fresh almond pudding that was started with the desire to create a new type of sweet that can only be found in Nankinmachi. A major feature of the store is its focus on using local ingredients, such as milk from the foot of Mount Rokko.
The appeal of raw almond pudding is that it combines slightly firm almond tofu with soft pudding. In order to deliver the deliciousness of freshly made food, it is not frozen or thawed. Please enjoy the unique, creamy texture.
(Reference: "Nankinmachi" / https://www.nankinmachi.or.jp/)
summary
The area around Kobe's Chinatown and Nankinmachi has many leisure spots, including facilities for families to play in and places to enjoy a meal, so be sure to check it out.
If you want to get some exercise, we recommend the Obstacle park "Greenia." There are various areas, such as Obstacle and water Obstacle, that parents and children or friends can enjoy together. There are also restaurants and barbecue areas, so please come and visit us.
(Reference: "Greenia" / https://www.rokkosan.com/greenia/)
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