Kobe City is located in the eastern part of Hyogo Prefecture near Osaka and two old capitals, Kyoto and Nara.  It is the capital city of Hyogo Prefecture and a prominent port city in Japan.
  Originally known by the name "Owada-no-tomari" (大輪田泊; Owada Anchorage), earliest written records regarding the region come from the Nihon Shoki (『日本書紀』; the Chronicles of Japan), which describes the founding of the Ikuta-jinjya Shrine (生田神社) by Empress Jingu (神功皇后, AD 170-269) in AD 201.  For most of its history the area was never a single political entity, even during the Tokugawa Period, when the port was controlled directly by the Tokugawa Shogunate.  In the closing days of the Edo Period in the middle of the nineteenth century, the government decided to use this port for international trades.  Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889.  Its name comes from "kanbe" (神戸), an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta-jinjya Shrine.  Kobe became one of Japan's designated cities (政令指定都市; a city whose population is more than 500,000 and is designated by government ordinance) in 1956.
  At 5:46:52 a.m. on January 17, 1995, however, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (阪神淡路大震災) attacked this prosperous area with a tremor of the 7th degree (maximum) on the seismic scale: 6,434 dead, 3 missing and 43,792 injuries in total.  4,571 died mostly of house collapses and the subsequent fires to be suffocated to death in Kobe City alone.  It was November 2004 when the city regained the population just before the earthquake.  Now it has a population of 1,529,116 (April 1, 2008) and an area of 552.80 sq. km (213.44 sq miles).

IMAGE	IMAGE NO.	DATA
San-no-miya Stations		San-no-miya Stations (三宮駅)
	kob2008-001	(Tuesday 18 March) JR San-no-miya Stations (JR三宮駅)
	kob2008-002	(Tuesday 18 March) Hanshin San-no-miya Stations (阪神三宮駅) is located next to JR San-no-miya Stations (JR三宮駅).
Kitano-cho		Kitano-cho (北野町), Chuo Ward, Kobe City (神戸市中央区北野町).  In the last days of the Tokugawa SHogunate, Kobe became an important international port as well as Yokohama near Edo [Tokyo].  Then, Hill of Kitano was full of western-styled houses for European and American inhabitants.  Even now many western houses remains with exotic flavors.
	kob2008-003	(Tuesday 18 March) Illustrative map of "Ijin-kan" (異人館; residences for foreigners), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-004	(Tuesday 18 March) "Reisekisei? Fudo-myo-o Rei-jo" (霊石生不動明王霊場), Kitano-cho.  It enshrines Acalanatha or the God of Fire.
	kob2008-005	(Tuesday 18 March) "Reisekisei? Fudo-myo-o Rei-jo" (霊石生不動明王霊場), Kitano-cho.  It enshrines Acalanatha or the God of Fire.
	kob2008-008	(Tuesday 18 March) Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho.  It enshrines Michizane Sugawara (菅原道真, 845-903).  Reportedly it was founded as a guardian shrine in June in the 4th year of Jisho (治承4年) or AD 1180 when Kiyomori Taira (平 清盛, 1118-1181) moved the capital in Kobe (then called "Fukuwara" [福原]) form Kyoto.
	kob2008-009	(Tuesday 18 March) Stone Steps to Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-010	(Tuesday 18 March) "Mai-den" (舞殿; Hall for Sacred Dances), Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-011	(Tuesday 18 March) Stone steps to "Hai-den" (拝殿; Worshippers' Hall), Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-012	(Tuesday 18 March) "Hai-den" (拝殿; Worshippers' Hall), Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-014	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe City, viewed from Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-015	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe City, viewed from Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-016	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe City, viewed from Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-017	(Tuesday 18 March) "Eikoku-kan" (英国館; England House), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-018	(Tuesday 18 March) Korean tourists in Kitano-cho Plaza (北野町広場)
	kob2008-019	(Tuesday 18 March) "Furansu-kan" (仏蘭西館; France House) or Yokan-nagaya (洋館長屋), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-020	(Tuesday 18 March) "Ben no Ie" (ベンの家; Ben's House), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-021	(Tuesday 18 March) "Ben no Ie" (ベンの家; Ben's House), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-022	(Tuesday 18 March) Gallery Halcyon (ギャラリー・ハルシオン), 2-9-3 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-023	(Tuesday 18 March) An antique bus, Kitano-cho
	kob2008-024	(Tuesday 18 March) Parastin House (パラスティン邸; a cofee house), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-025	(Tuesday 18 March) Parastin House (パラスティン邸; a cofee house), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-026	(Tuesday 18 March) Parastin House (パラスティン邸; a cofee house), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-027	(Tuesday 18 March) Victorian House Reintei (神戸北野異人館レイン邸), Kitano-cho.
	kob2008-028	(Tuesday 18 March) Victorian House Reintei (神戸北野異人館レイン邸), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-029	(Tuesday 18 March) "Kazamidori-no-Yakata" (風見鶏の館; Weather Cock House), 3-13-3 Kitano-cho.  This house was made in the 42nd year of Meiji (明治42年) or AD 1909 by a German architect George de Lalande for a German businessman Gottfried Thomas.  The ineterior is designed in art nouveau.   This house was used as the main setting for the NHK television serial drama Kazamidori (『風見鶏』) or Weather Cock House (October 1977-March 1978), which made the house well-known across the country.  The house was designated as a national important cutural asset in January 1978.  Now it is also a symbol of Kitano-Ijinkan-gai area (北野異人館街).
	kob2008-032	(Tuesday 18 March) Moegi House (萌黄の館), also known as the Kobayashi House (小林家住宅), 3-10-11 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-037	(Tuesday 18 March) Moegi House (萌黄の館), also known as the Kobayashi House (小林家住宅), 3-10-11 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-038	(Tuesday 18 March) A private house near Kitano-cho Plaza
	kob2008-039	(Tuesday 18 March) Kitano-cho Plaza
	kob2008-040	(Tuesday 18 March) "Hunter Geihin-kan" (ハンター迎賓館; Hunter Guesthouse), 2-13-1 Kitano-cho.  Now it is used as a wedding place.
	kob2008-041	(Tuesday 18 March) "Hunter Geihin-kan" (ハンター迎賓館; Hunter Guesthouse), 2-13-1 Kitano-cho.  Now it is used as a wedding place.
	kob2008-042	(Tuesday 18 March) "Kaori-no-Ie Oranda-kan" (香りの家オランダ館; Holland Aroma House), 2-15-10 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-045	(Tuesday 18 March) Wien Austrian House (ウイーン・オーストリアの家), 2-15-18 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-046	(Tuesday 18 March) Denmark House (デンマーク館), 2-15-12 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-047	(Tuesday 18 March) Wien Austrian House (ウイーン・オーストリアの家), 2-15-18 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-049	(Tuesday 18 March) "Oranda-zaka" (オランダ坂; Dutch Slope), Kitano-cho
	kob2008-050	(Tuesday 18 March) Photos of the Original Holland House (本家オランダ館), 2-16-17 Kitano-cho.  It was a Dutch trandesman Charlie Erion's: His elder sister Mobel Erion lived her until October 24, 1982.
	kob2008-051	(Tuesday 18 March) Original Holland House (本家オランダ館), 2-16-17 Kitano-cho.  It was a Dutch trandesman Charlie Erion's: His elder sister Mobel Erion lived her until October 24, 1982.
	kob2008-052	(Tuesday 18 March) A demolished western-styled house in the side of the Dutch Slope, Kitano-cho
	kob2008-053	(Tuesday 18 March) Platon Decorative Arts Museum (プラトン装飾美術館) or Italy House (イタリア館), 1-6-15 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-054	(Tuesday 18 March) Platon Decorative Arts Museum (プラトン装飾美術館) or Italy House (イタリア館), 1-6-15 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-056	(Tuesday 18 March) Former Chinese Consulate (旧中国領事館), 2-18-2 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-057	(Tuesday 18 March) Kitano Foreigners Association (北野外国人倶楽部), 2-18-2 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-058	(Tuesday 18 March) Kitano Foreigners Association (北野外国人倶楽部), 2-18-2 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-059	(Tuesday 18 March) Uroko-no-Ie (うろこの家) or Uroko Museum (うろこ美術館), 2-20-2 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-060	(Tuesday 18 March) Uroko-no-Ie (うろこの家; lit. "Scale House") or Uroko Museum (うろこ美術館), 2-20-2 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-061	(Tuesday 18 March) Uroko-no-Ie (うろこの家; lit. "Scale House") or Uroko Museum (うろこ美術館), 2-20-2 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-062	(Tuesday 18 March) Uroko-no-Ie (うろこの家; lit. "Scale House") or Uroko Museum (うろこ美術館), 2-20-2 Kitano-cho
	kob2008-066	(Tuesday 18 March) Kitanozaka Avenue (北野坂)
Moto-machi Stations		Moto-machi Stations (元町駅)
	kob2008-068	(Tuesday 18 March) Hanshin Moto-machi Station (阪神元町駅) next to JR Moto-machi Station
	kob2008-069	(Tuesday 18 March) JR Moto-machi Station (JR元町駅) next to Hanshin Moto-machi Station
Nankin-machi China Town		Nankin-machi China Town (南京町中華街) was founded around 1868 when Kobe Port was open to the world.  Nankin-machi, which is not a formal place name but the nickname of the China Town between Moto-machi-dori (元町通) and Sakae-machi-dori (栄町通).  It is one of the Three China Towns of Japan as well as Yokohama Chuka-gai (横浜中華街; Yokohama China Town) and Nagasaki-Shinchi Chika-gai (長崎新地中華街; Nagasaki-Shinchi China Town).  However, this town is limited in a small block (c. 200 m in east and west; 110 m in south and north) with about 100 shops.  However, more than 10,000 "Kakyo" (華僑; Oversea Chinese) people lived in Kobe City while only 6,000 live in Yokohama City.  It is probably because the Chinese people has been built better relationships with local Japanese here than Yokohama, so they do not always have to live together in a narrow place.  Before World War II, chinatowns in Yokohama and Nagasaki were also named "Nanking-machi" with some contempt and disdain, so they needed to rename it.  In the case of Kobe, they still continue to call Nankin-machi because of their continuous good friendship.
	kob2008-070	(Tuesday 18 March) "Choan-mon" (長安門; Changan Gate), the east gate to Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-071	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-072	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-073	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-074	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-075	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-077	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-078	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-079	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-080	(Tuesday 18 March) Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-081	(Tuesday 18 March) "Shanghai-hanten" (上海飯店; Restrant Shanghai), Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-082	(Tuesday 18 March) My dinner with a bottle of samshu (老酒), "Shanghai-hanten" (上海飯店; Restrant Shanghai), Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-084	(Tuesday 18 March) Shi'an-mon" (西安門; Xi'an Gate), the west gate to Nankin-machi China Town
	kob2008-085	(Tuesday 18 March) Shi'an-mon" (西安門; Xi'an Gate), the west gate to Nankin-machi China Town
Meriken Park & Kobe Port		Meriken [=American] Park and Port of Kobe
	kob2008-086	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe Port Tower (神戸ポートタワー) is located at 5-5 Hatoba-cho, Chuo Ward, Kobe City (神戸市中央区波止場町5-5).  It was made in 1963.  The height is 108 m (354 feet).
	kob2008-087	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe Port Tower, Meriken Park and Port of Kobe
	kob2008-088	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe Port Tower, Meriken Park and Port of Kobe
	kob2008-091	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe Port Tower, Meriken Park and Port of Kobe featuring the Spanish replica (1990) of the Santa Maria which was of course used for the Christopher Columbus expedition.
	kob2008-092	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe Port Tower, Meriken Park and Port of Kobe featuring the Spanish replica (1990) of the Santa Maria which was of course used for the Christopher Columbus expedition.
	kob2008-095	(Tuesday 18 March) The Spanish replica (1990) of the Santa Maria which was of course used for the Christopher Columbus expedition.  Meriken Park.
	kob2008-096	(Tuesday 18 March) The Spanish replica (1990) of the Santa Maria which was of course used for the Christopher Columbus expedition.  Meriken Park.
	kob2008-099	(Tuesday 18 March) A monument of Meriken Park and Port of Kobe
	kob2008-101	(Tuesday 18 March) Meriken Park Oriental Hotel
	kob2008-102	(Tuesday 18 March) Port of Kobe
	kob2008-103	(Tuesday 18 March) Port of Kobe, viewed from Kobe Port Tower
	kob2008-107	(Tuesday 18 March) Meriken Park and Port of Kobe, viewed from Kobe Port Tower
	kob2008-108	(Tuesday 18 March) Meriken Park and Port of Kobe, viewed from Kobe Port Tower
	kob2008-109	(Tuesday 18 March) Kobe City, viewed from Kobe Port Tower
	kob2008-111	(Tuesday 18 March) Port of Kobe, viewed from Kobe Port Tower
	kob2008-116	(Tuesday 18 March) Port of Kobe, viewed from Kobe Port Tower
	kob2008-119	(Tuesday 18 March) Port of Kobe, viewed from Kobe Port Tower
	kob2008-120	(Tuesday 18 March) Port of Kobe, viewed from Kobe Port Tower

        

Copyright (c) 2008 Eishiro Ito.  All rights reserved.