The 108-meter-high steel tower dominates the port city as a striking dominant feature.

Construction of the Kobe tower was completed in 1963. The observation deck is located at an altitude of 98 meters and is open to tourists from 9 am to 8 pm. From the top of the red steel structure there is a picturesque view of the surrounding area. The massive structure looks especially bright at night in the light of numerous lanterns and spotlights.

In its mesh structure, the tower is similar to the famous towers of engineer V.G. Shukhov; its hyperboloid structure gives it special strength and stability. It was this quality that allowed the Kobe port tower to withstand the devastating earthquake of 1995.

Coordinates: 34.68375800,135.18608100

Kobe Airport

Kobe Airport is the third largest airport in Kansai, which is located on an artificial island and serves domestic flights only.

The construction of this airport was fraught with many problems. Despite the earthquake that occurred in Kobe in 1995, its construction began 2 years later, and its grand opening took place in 2006.

The airport has one runway, although the original design planned for 6 runways.

Initially, the airport was used by ANA and JAL, but today 2/3 of all flights are operated by Skymark Airlines, and JAL does not use the airport at all. The airport welcomes more than two million passengers every year. From here you can easily get to Tokyo, Sapporo, Okinawa Kagoshima and other cities in the country.

Coordinates: 34.63277800,135.22388900

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Kobe Earthquake Memorial

The Kobe Earthquake Memorial, which occurred at 05:46 a.m. on January 17, 1995, includes a museum and a so-called “Park.”

The museum is a glass building that is earthquake-resistant. The museum is designed to show residents and tourists a documentary chronicle of the tragic events. The goal of the museum is to teach children how to behave in such situations. In this regard, the museum has many interactive games that clearly show children and their parents what to do.

The “park” is a part of the embankment that was not specifically restored after the earthquake in order to leave a memory of the terrible consequences. There are also stands and panels that illustrate the loss and damage caused by a natural disaster. Documentary photographs of the city's restoration are also shown.

Coordinates: 34.68471100,135.19736100

Oya Zoo, with an area of ​​more than 80,000 square meters, is one of the three largest zoos in Japan. Opened in 1928 and located in the Kansai region.

The zoo has more than 850 animals represented by 150 species, including such rare animals as the giant panda, koala, golden snub-nosed monkey, Amur tiger and snow leopard and others.

Some of the zoo's most popular residents are pandas Coco and Tantan and elephant Suwako, born in 1943, the oldest elephant in Japan.

The zoo also has a popular science pavilion, where you can learn a lot of interesting things about the ecology and life of animals, and an entertainment area with rides and playgrounds for the whole family.

Coordinates: 34.71230200,135.21491300

Harborland

In the port part of the city of Kobe, on the embankment itself, there is a large shopping and entertainment district called Harborland. There are a huge number of restaurants with different cuisines, open summer cafes, shops and entertainment. Traditionally, a meeting in Harborland is considered an ideal place for young people to date.

Here are the two largest shopping and entertainment complexes on the island - Mosaic and Canal Gaden. It has the largest selection of electronics and family outlets. Here, next to the Mosaic store, there is a large amusement park and even a Ferris wheel. After an active holiday in entertainment centers, couples stroll along the embankment, admiring the city at night.

Coordinates: 34.68264600,135.18567000

The most popular attractions of Kobe (Honshu Island) with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Kobe (Honshu Island) on our website.

The sixth largest city in Japan, Kobe is perhaps the country's largest port city, with a population of up to one and a half million people. During its centuries-old history, Kobe was an important center of international trade and a place of settlement by Europeans. Unfortunately, due to a powerful earthquake in 1995, only a few ancient buildings survived. Since that fateful day, the city has been rebuilt and today Kobe is on the list of the most convenient settlements in Japan. Thanks to its rich history, excellent climatic conditions and picturesque landscapes, Kobe, like Kobe, has gained popularity as a tourist destination.

Kobe Climate

The weather in Kobe is characterized by increased rainfall throughout the year, as well as four main seasons. The most favorable period for visiting the city is considered to be spring or autumn, until the end of November. With the onset of March, spring is steadily progressing in Kobe - a fairly sunny time when rain is minimal. Between April and May, temperatures vary between +18C and +25C. At this time, Kobe is a favorite destination for travel. Summer here is rainy. This is different. It starts with very heavy showers, supported by the wind. In autumn, the weather in Kobe is warm (+21..+27C), it lasts until mid-November (+15C). Thanks to warm currents, you can swim in Kobe from the beginning of May (+19C). In July and August, the water temperature reaches +24C.

Getting to Kobe

  • By plane.

One of the most comfortable ways to get to Kobe is by air. It has its own airport, but only accepts domestic flights. Japan Airline and All Nippon Airways fly from the capital, Sapporo, Okinawa and Kagoshima. If you arrive at Kobe Airport, you can travel to the center by high-speed train to Sannomiya Station. The cost of such a trip will be $3.1. The nearest airport accepting international flights is located near Osaka. You can get to Kobe by bus going to Sannomiya Station ($12). Travel time is about an hour. Or take the Kaijo Access high-speed ferry, the fare is $14.

  • By train.

High-speed trains run from the Japanese capital to Shin Kobe Station. Nozomi trains travel for just under 3 hours, the fare is $144, Hikari - 3 hours and 20 minutes, the fare is $140. Kobe also receives trains from Osaka. Travel time on the Tokkyu train will be approximately half an hour, the price will be $3. Kaisoku Kyuko trains depart from Naiba Station, the price is $3.9, and the travel time is 45 minutes. From Kyoto - 50 min., $10.

  • By bus.

When traveling from the capital, you can save on travel costs with the JR Bus Group carrier. Daytime trains depart only from Osaka; from there you can easily get to Kobe. Travel time will be 8.5 hours. There are also night flights from the capital, they go to Sannomiya (from $49).

Accommodation in Kobe

Kobe provides its guests with a truly wide choice of accommodation options, from budget hostels to luxury hotels.

The La Suite Kobe Harborland 5* hotel, located on the waterfront, is considered the most expensive and comfortable hotel in Kobe. The cost of living is about $344, and at your service there is a French restaurant, massage, spacious rooms with a magnificent view of the ocean. Relatively inexpensive, but no less comfortable accommodation is offered by 3-star hotels. Elegant rooms are presented at The b Kobe 3* hotel. The cost of living is about $89 for a double room, and the Piena Kobe 4* hotel is ideal for a romantic getaway. For $83, a double room with luxurious European furniture, a buffet and French cuisine is at your disposal.

Kobe also features truly Japanese hotels, the so-called ryokans. Here you will have to sleep not on a bed, but on a futon (mattress) spread on a mat. The dishes here are predominantly Japanese, and sometimes food is brought directly to your room. Such exotica will be expensive - from $152 to $538.

What to see in Kobe

Among the most important tourist sites, the 108m high hyperboloid mesh tower deserves special interest. It offers a stunning panoramic view of the port as well as the city. Perhaps the highest temple in Kobe is Suma, whose height is 120 steps. The real temple consists of several levels, each level is a tomb. Among the most ancient historical monuments of Kobe, one can highlight the tomb of the Minotaur. You can get acquainted with the history of the region at the Art Museum. The oldest collections of paintings, as well as works of modern painters, are presented here. Kobe is home to one of the world's most famous landmarks - the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the largest suspension bridge on the planet.

In addition to visiting local attractions, it is worth visiting Sorakuen Park, where you can stroll along shady alleys and admire the magnificent fountains. Shopping lovers should definitely go to the street. Yamato. There are many retail outlets here, as well as traditional Japanese restaurants. If you come on vacation with your children, then it is worth visiting the Oji Zoo. In addition to animals, there are many exciting attractions for young visitors.

The most vibrant part of Kobe is Chinatown. It has many Chinese restaurants, shops, Nanjing Park, and animal statues symbolizing the signs of the Chinese calendar. In the Kitano-yo area you can see interesting buildings made of stone and wood, sometimes in the Gothic Victorian style, which are called ijinkan.

Prices in shops and restaurants

If you decide to visit Kobe, you are probably aware that Japan is a country with a high standard of living, and accordingly, prices here are higher than in many countries. As for food, prices in Kobe are quite reasonable. For example, bread costs $1.5, rice (ready) - $0.9, 5 kg package - $15, milk - $1.4, apples - $4, sugar - $1.5, spaghetti - $1.4. As for meat products, it is of high quality and the price is high: $4-7 per 300g. A whole piece of meat costs about $15. Among drinks, green tea is popular; a 2l package costs $0.9-3. Water - $0.9. Alcoholic drinks in the store: beer 0.5l - $3.4, draft beer - $4-6.

If you don't plan to cook yourself when you arrive in Kobe, you can go to local catering establishments. Perhaps the cheapest place to eat is local fast food outlets, the cost of meals is about $5-6. Here you can order a set lunch for $9-20. There are also cafes in the city that specialize in one dish. The price of the dish is $4. The cost of gyudon (rice with meat) is from $2.9, tyundon (rice with seafood) is $3.9. A trip to a regular restaurant will cost you from $7-10.

ALL PHOTOS

"I was shocked. I have a grandson of the same age, and I can imagine how the parents of a dead child must feel," Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama said in an interview with TBS.

So far, the investigation has not clearly identified a specific reason for the murder of the child, but psychiatrists say that, obviously, the crime is of a sexual nature - the teenage victim was found stripped naked.

At the same time, a 12-year-old detainee is suspected of a series of sexual assaults on young children. Some newspapers criticized local police for not investigating the cases properly. It is believed that the most recent incident could have been prevented if police had conducted a thorough investigation, reports Reuters.

There is an active debate in the country about how such a brutal crime could have happened. Murders committed by teenagers, compared to crimes committed by young people over 20, are quite rare in Japan.

Recently there was another report of a crime committed by teenagers in the south of Japan, on the island of Okinawa. Three boys and a girl, aged between 13 and 16, are suspected of beating a 13-year-old boy to death in June this year.

Six years ago, Japan was reeling from shock when a schoolboy killed two children and left the severed head of one of the victims near the gates of a school in Kobe.

The media report that the teenager who killed Shun Tanemoto, according to people who knew him, was distinguished by exemplary, quiet behavior, dressed neatly, did well in school - it is obvious that he does not fit the stereotype of the image of a criminal.

However, some of the boy's friends note that he kept to himself and was easily excitable. He had almost no contact with his peers, and his only friends were children much younger than him.

The mutilated, naked body of Shun Tanemoto was found next to a multi-storey car park last week. The examination established that the child was thrown from the roof of a 23-meter building, and before that abducted from the territory of the shopping center where his parents were shopping.

Police were able to identify a teenager wearing a school uniform - a white shirt and black trousers - from security camera footage. The film clearly showed how the teenager was leading the baby by the hand. The footprints on the garage roof also matched those of shoes typically worn by schoolchildren.

In connection with this crime, Nagasaki police are also investigating a strange incident in which a mutilated puppy with broken paws was found in the same area in mid-June, reports Mainichi Daily News.

Apparently, the dog was thrown from a height onto the roof of a warehouse located next to the parking lot. The puppy was found and rescued by police on June 16. Police believe an unknown attacker threw the puppy from the footpath, which is located four meters above the roof of the warehouse.

During interrogation, after reporting the crime, the teenager stated that he wanted to apologize to Xiong’s mother and father. "I'm very sorry," the child's killer added. At the same time, the 30-year-old father of the murdered baby, Tsuyoshi Tanemoto, has already said that the teenager will have to atone for this monstrous murder throughout his life.

Here's another curiosity.

The Japanese city of Kobe is first and foremost a giant port. The port was created a long time ago and was well known to Europeans, because only here they could go ashore when all other ports in Japan were closed to foreign traders. The port gradually grew and grew rich in military supplies, until American bombs fell on it during the Second World War. Kobe found the strength to restore its former greatness and even more: the former port became crowded, and artificial islands were built for it.

The artificial island in Kobe, Japan was built between 1966 and 1981. The Kobe Port Island was officially opened with an exhibition called Port Pier ’81. The island now houses an airport, a helicopter station, numerous hotels, a large conference center, the UCC Coffee Museum, an IKEA store and several parks.

Let's find out its construction history:

At the end of the 19th century. Kobe became the first city in Japan in which Europeans could settle on preferential terms.

Kobe is located in the southwest of the island of Honshu, on the northern shore of Osaka Bay in the Inland Sea of ​​Japan. The city is located in a zone of humid subtropical climate, but the overall favorable picture is spoiled by September typhoons (sometimes very destructive) and periodic earthquakes.

The history of Kobe began about 12 thousand years ago, when the first inhabitants appeared here. The area was very convenient for fishing, so a fishing village appeared here. In the 8th century in the area of ​​the future Kobe there was already a port called Owada no Tomari. Even then, Kobe became an important seaport of Southwestern Japan, where ships from China, Korea, and Indochina arrived. Later, in the 13th century, he was given a new name - Hyogo.

In 1639, Japan closed its ports to trade with foreigners. Only Dutch traders had the privilege of commercial transactions with Japan, and the future Kobe became the only port where the Dutch could go ashore. It was not until 1868 that the port was fully opened to international trade. As a result, Hyogo became the first city in the country where Europeans began to settle. At that time, many specialists came to Japan - doctors, engineers, military personnel, and most of them settled in Kobe, where the authorities allocated them land for development.

Photo 3.

At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. Western-style houses were built in Hyogo. About thirty of them have survived to this day, mainly in the so-called European quarters of Yamamoto Street. These houses are now among the main attractions of the city, along with Chinatown - Chinatown.

In 1889, the city received its modern name Kobe. It is translated as “temple” or “abode of the deity.” Many religious buildings have indeed been preserved in the city since ancient times, including the three main shrines - the Shinto shrines of Ikuta, Nagata and Minatogawa.

During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. and during the Sino-Japanese Wars of 1894-1895. and 1937-1945 The port of Kobe served as a naval base.

Photo 4.

All the wars in which Japan participated, up to the Second World War (1939-1945), served as incentives for the growth of Kobe's economy. During the First World War (1914-1918), shipbuilding actively developed in the city. The port of Kobe's cargo turnover increased many times over, and it itself was significantly expanded after the earthquake of 1923, which destroyed the largest Japanese port of Yokohama.

During World War II, fighting shifted to Japan for the first time in a long time. On April 18, 1942, during the famous “Doolittle Raid,” American bombers bombed Japan for the first time in history, and the strike also fell on Kobe. On March 16-17, 1945, Kobe was bombed by 473 US bombers, killing 8,841 residents, and almost a fifth of Kobe's buildings were destroyed. Subsequently, the Americans admitted that they bombed Kobe not because it was a strategic port, but because the houses in the city were mostly wooden and flammable, and there were simply no means to extinguish the colossal fire in the city.

Photo 5.

The city of Kobe has an oblong shape: it stretches from west to east, covered by mountains from the north, and open to the Inland Sea of ​​Japan from the south. To the south of the main territory of Kobe there are two artificial islands - Port Island and Rocco Island. The latter was particularly badly damaged during the 1995 earthquake.

Photo 6.

To increase the area of ​​the city of Kobe, two artificial islands were created in the sea - Port Island and Rocco Island.

Also in 1945, another bombing of Kobe was carried out, as a result of which half of the city was damaged. The consequences of the air raids were so catastrophic that the port of Kobe resumed operations only in 1959.

After restoration, the port expanded at such a pace that it no longer had enough space. In 1966, work began on the implementation of the grandiose project of the artificial island of Port Island with an area of ​​436 hectares. 80 million m3 of sand was brought for the construction of the island. The official “discovery” of the island, connected to Kobe by a two-tier bridge, took place in 1981. Initially, the island was intended not only for a port, but also for the construction of other structures. Now it houses the International Exhibition Center, the International Conference Center, and the Fashion City. In 1973-1992. East of Port Island, a second artificial island was built - Rocco Island, with an area of ​​580 hectares, on which 30 thousand people settled.

Currently, Kobe, together with the neighboring cities of Osaka and Kyoto, forms the Keihanshin Industrial Zone within the Kansai region. Due to its geographical location, Kobe is called the Gateway to Western Japan. High-speed railways connect Kobe with the cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya.

Photo 7.

The basis of Kobe's economy is its seaport, the fourth largest in Japan and thirty-eighth in the world. The port's cargo turnover is about 150 million tons/year (1/3 of the country's foreign trade turnover). Kobe's growth is due to the development of coastal waters. Thus, in 1981, the artificial island of Port Island was opened, on which a new port was built. The city's industry is represented by shipbuilding (a third of the tonnage of all ships built in Japan), metallurgy, military, chemical, food and textile industries, as well as enterprises developing IT technologies. The head offices of the largest companies in the world are located in Kobe: Kawasaki, Mitsubishi, Procter & Gamble, Nestle, Eli Lilly, Boehringer-lngelheim. Moreover, 78% of all Kobe workers are employed in the service sector.

Almost all of Kobe's old buildings were destroyed during World War II, and today the city is built up with European-style multi-story buildings. In a city sandwiched between the mountains and the coast, the streets have a precise direction: the main ones stretch from east to west, and the alleys from north to south.

Photo 8.

The 108 m high Kobe Port Tower became the symbol of the city. The tower of a grid structure was built in 1963 and is similar to the hyperboloid towers of the Russian engineer V. G. Shukhov (1853-1939). The structure turned out to be so strong that it did not collapse during the 7.0-magnitude Kobe earthquake in 1995, which became one of the most powerful in the history of Japan. Then about 100 thousand houses were destroyed, more than 6 thousand people died.

The residents of Kobe themselves consider one of the main advantages of their city to be that it is located next to Ari-ma Onsen - the Kinsen (“Golden Spring”) and Ginsen (“Silver Spring”) hot springs behind Mount Rokko, known since the 7th century. Arima Onsen is home to numerous annual festivals during which geisha, known in Kobe as geigi, can be seen.

For the Japanese, Kobe is the epitome of the Japanese way of life, a complex mixture of tradition and cosmopolitanism, reflected in the popular Japanese saying: “If you can’t visit Paris, go to Kobe.”

Photo 9.

FUN FACTS

■ Every year, the port of Kobe is visited by 11 thousand foreign ships and 83 thousand ships from Japanese ports. At the same time, the port can accommodate 250 large ships. 26 regular lines connect Kobe with 120 countries and 500 ports.

■ The Kinsen hot spring near Kyoto is called “golden” for its yellow-brown water containing iron and salts. Gin-sen is called “silver” because its water is colorless and contains radium and carbonate. There is so much iron in Kinsaeng water that if you leave a towel on, after a while it will turn completely red.

■ All over the world, the city of Kobe is known for its breweries and sake factories, as well as a special type of meat - marbled beef, which is produced here using special technologies.

■ In 1903, the British built Japan's first golf course on Mount Rocco.

■ While Yokohama is a port that mainly specializes in imports, Kobe ships goods for export.

■ The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge crosses the Akashi Strait and connects the city of Kobe with the city of Awaji on the island of the same name. The bridge, with a total length of 3911 m, was opened in 1998 and is the longest suspension bridge in the world.

■ Kitano-cho (Kitano Ijinkan) is a historical district famous for its well-preserved buildings in the European and Chinese styles of the Meiji period. Ijinkan is the name given to the houses of foreign settlers. There are 90 preserved ijin-kan in Kobe, and each building has unique features.

■ Suma is the tallest temple in Kobe. There are 120 very high steps leading to its top. In ancient times, only priests were allowed to climb to the top of the temple to be closer to the god, and the high steps forced them to bow to their deity with every step up.

■ In Chinatown there is a park with statues of twelve animals, symbolizing the signs of the Chinese calendar.

■ Oya Zoo's most popular animals are the pandas Koko and Tantan, and the elephant Su-wako, born in 1943, is the oldest elephant in Japan.

■ The earthquake-resistant Kobe Mosque is the first mosque in Japan where the Muslim population does not exceed 1%.

Photo 10.

Photo 11.

ATTRACTIONS

■ Cultural: Museum of Chinese and Japanese Art, Kobe City Museum, Meriken Memorial Park (in memory of the 1995 earthquake), Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum.
■ Architectural: White Heron Castle (Shirasagi-jo, 1620), Port Island man-made island, floral
clocks, old European quarters of Yamamoto Street, International Exhibition Center, Minatoza-wa Tomb, Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, Kitano-cho district (Kitano Ijinkan, 19th century mansions), Kobe Port Tower (1963).
■ Religious: Minatogawa Shinto Shrine, Ikuta Shinto Shrine, Shofukuji Buddhist Shrine, Suma Shrine.
■ Natural: Rokko-Santi mountain range (Mount Rokko-Zan, 931 m), Setonakai National Park (Inland Sea of ​​Japan), hot springs (Arima, Takedao, Arima Onsen), Sorakuen park garden (1941), Koko Park -en, Marine National Park (Rocco Island), Nunobiki Habu-en Herbal Garden (Mount Rocco).
■ Others: Akashi seaside resort, Chinatown (Nanki Chinatown), Oyi Zoo.

Photo 12.

Photo 13.

Photo 14.

Bombing by American aircraft of the Japanese port of Kobe.
On June 5, 1945, 473 American bombers raided the port of the Japanese city of Kobe.
As a result of the bombing, more than 11 square kilometers of urban areas were destroyed.

Photo 15.

Photo 16.

Photo 1.

sources

Kobe (Japanese: 神戸市 Kobe-shi) is a city designated by decree of the Japanese government, located on the island of Honshu, the administrative center of Hyogo Prefecture. Since the 8th century, Kobe has been one of the main ports of Japan and a center of international trade. The port's cargo turnover is about 150 million tons (1/3 of the country's foreign trade turnover). Kobe is a large industrial center: metallurgy, mechanical engineering (1/3 of the tonnage of ships built in Japan), military, chemical, and textile industries are concentrated here. Historically, Kobe was part of Izumi Province and was an important transport and trade point on the way to the Japanese capital of Kyoto. This settlement traditionally housed many wholesalers' and moneylenders' offices, as well as producers of Japanese rice wine - sake. In addition, Kobe was a significant religious center and was famous for the “three shrines”, the Shinto shrines of Ikuta, Nagata and Minatogawa. Since the mid-19th century, the city has become one of the main centers of modernization of the country, industry and the production of artificial pearls. Kobe suffered terrible damage during the 1995 earthquake, but quickly recovered its potential. The area of ​​the city is 552.26 km², the population is 1,538,267 people (August 1, 2014), the population density is 2,785.40 people/km².

City symbolsEdit

The Kobe emblem is a stylized image of 2 fans that symbolize the ports of Hyogo and Kobe. Both fans are crossed in the shape of the Japanese katakana character カ ("ka"), which begins the old spelling of the word "Kobe" (カウベ). The emblem was approved in May 1907. The flag of Kobe is a green cloth, the sides of which are in a ratio of 2 to 3. In the center of the cloth is the white emblem of the city.

HistoryEdit

Stone tools and artifacts that were found in the west of Kobe indicate that human settlements have been located in this area since the Jomon period (from 12,000 to 300 (900) BC). The natural conditions of this area contributed to the development of fishing and the creation of a port, which became the economic center of the city. This area was first mentioned in one of the oldest monuments of Japanese literature of the Nara period - Nihon Shoki, in connection with the construction of the Ikuta Shrine here in 201 AD. e. During the Nara (710-794) and Heian (794-1185) periods, the local port was known as Owada-no-tomari (Owada anchorage) and was one of the ports from which Japanese embassies to China were sent. For a brief period in 1180, Kobe served as the capital of Japan when Taira no Kiyomori moved Emperor Antoku to the city of Fukuhara (present-day Hyogo urban area of ​​Kobe). Five months later the Emperor returned to Kyoto. In 1184, the Taira clan's stronghold and Ikuta Shrine became the site of the Battle of Ichi no Tani during the Minamoto-Taira War. During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the port expanded significantly and became an important center for Japan's trade with other countries. In the 13th century. Kobe was known as Port Hyogo and, together with the northern part of Osaka, was part of Settsu Province. During the Edo period, eastern...