Sōraku-en Garden

The original settlement of Chinese merchants. Today, it is rather touristy though it offers some "Japanized" versions of Chinese food such as pork buns (豚饅頭 buta-manjū, more often buta-man). Its architecture is still rather pleasant though.

A museum about the many Chinese merchants and tradespeople who settled in Kobe following the opening of the Port of Kobe to foreigners in 1868.

Kōbe's main attractions are the Ijinkan (foreign houses). These are 19th-century residences of Kobe's foreign traders, clustered in the Kitano area.

This is where foreign consulates and trading companies built their offices. Several 19th-century buildings have been converted into restaurants and shops. Notable buildings include Chartered Square, once the Chartered Bank branch and the 15th Building (十五番館), once the American consulate. The area is also packed full of high-fashion boutiques such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Fendi.

Built in 1962, it is the world's first sightseeing tower with a pipe structure. The unofficial symbol of the city. 108 m tall. 5 levels of observatories.

One of the most-often photographed houses among the Ijinkan.