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Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Kōbe's main attractions are the Ijinkan (foreign houses). These are 19th-century residences of Kobe's foreign traders, clustered in the Kitano area.
Kitano-chō (北野町) or Kitano Ijinkan (北野異人館) is a historical district in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, which contains a number of foreign residences from the late Meiji and early Taishō eras of Japanese history. While the term ijinkan (異人館) can refer to any foreign residence of this period in Japan, it usually refers to those of Kitano given the number and high concentration of those that remain. Ijinkan districts exist in other locales, but due to war and natural disasters, these districts are not as well preserved.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
One of the most-often photographed houses among the Ijinkan.
相楽園
A nice Japanese-style garden in the middle of the city. Very good value and a great attraction to see after going through the Ijinkan area.
竹中大工道具館
A very nice exploration of hand carpentry tools, from the stone axes of Jomon age to the Western influenced tools of yesterday. Hands-on exhibits and English language descriptions make this a pleasant place to spend the afternoon.
Offers nice bay and mountain views of Kobe.
布引の滝, Nunobiki no taki
Four waterfalls that empty into the Ikuta River. The largest is 43m high.