To get to Kobe flying into Kansi is the easiest route from the West. The Airport is very user friendly and easy to navigate.Never seems busy within the terminal although immigration can take a while. Customs are always polite but be prepeared to be searched if flying in from Schipol :). Buses are available to take you into Kobe or Osaka and the bus station attendants all speak english.As with most things in Japan helpfulness extends to baggage handlers to load your suitcase onto the buses.
Kobe was flatten in the ninties by an Earthquake. Today building still goes on in the recovery process. Kobe looks new because of this . There are few buildings that are old. For the westerner Kobe offers a good insight into Japan but is not as westernised as say Tokyo.There is a youth movement there that is in some ways like Osaka but more refined.Osaka is a short distance by train and worth a vist. Like most cities in Japan there is many a fine watering hole. The most used by westerners (and Japanese as well) is probably Ryans which is situated on the 7th floor of an highrise in the centre of Sanomiya (Stand outside HagenDass,face towards the road and cross the road to your left.On the otherside of the turn right and walk 75 yards till you find an opening to the building.This is hidden behind a staircase. Bitter on tap (Ruddles) :)
Another excellent bar is the Troop Cafe on the road out to Shin-Kobe. Cheap Tequilla Sunrise and excellent music.Each time I have visited it has been different.
Kobe has too many good shopping places. Heading down to Mottamachi is a good place to go for second hand electronic and computer gaming items.Also many book shops and music stores are sitauted here.
Two other excellent places to to visit are Rokko Island and Harbour Land. Rokko island is reached by a train system that goes over many of the islands on the coast of Kobe. Kobe Fashion Museum is situated here and hosts many differnt exhibits. Two I have visited are a Manga retrospective and a History of Computer Gaming.
Kobe is an amazing city to visit.It does help if you can speak Japanese but a lto of sgins etc are in English and you will always find someone willing to help.
Flights into Kansai go from Heathrow nearly every other day.Most are indirect and the fares are not cheap.Expect to pay between £400-£550 for an economy class seat.
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Thank you, I will be going to Japan soon and this was very helpful. Cheers :)
M.Frieel 09.10.2001 04:17
Nice first op keep it up and welcome to Ciao :) M
tange 08.10.2001 19:49
A good and interesting first op...welcome to ciao! Don't forget to read and rate other people's opinions to get your name known about the site...then you will get more reads.
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Advantages: For a newly rebuilt city it is remarkably pretty Disadvantages: There isn't a great deal of history left and the reconstruction was only recently finished
ickkate 10.10.2004 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Kobe
Oct 8th, 2001
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