Kobe
Encyclopedia
, pronounced koːbe, is the fifth-largest city in Japan
and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture
on the southern side of the main island of Honshū
, approximately 30 km (19 mi) west of Osaka
. With a population of about 1.5 million, the city is part of the metropolitan area along with Osaka
and Kyoto
.
The earliest written records regarding the region come from the Nihon Shoki
, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine
by Empress Jingū
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
. Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889. Its name comes from , an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta Shrine. Kobe became one of Japan's 17 designated cities in 1956.
Kobe was one of the cities to open for trade with the West
following the end of the policy of seclusion
and has since been known as a cosmopolitan port city. While the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake
diminished much of Kobe's prominence as a port city, it remains Japan's fourth busiest container port. Companies headquartered in Kobe include ASICS
, Kawasaki Heavy Industries
, and Kobe Steel
, as well as over 100 international corporations with Asia or Japan headquarters in the city such as Procter & Gamble
, Boehringer-Ingelheim
and Nestlé
. The city is the point of origin and namesake of Kobe beef
as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous hot spring
resorts, Arima Onsen
.
. The natural geography of the area, particularly of Wada Cape in Hyōgo-ku
, led to the development of a port, which would remain the economic center of the city. Some of the earliest written documents mentioning the region include the Nihon Shoki
, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine
by Empress Jingū
in AD 201.
During the Nara
and Heian period
s, the port was known by the name and was one of the ports from which imperial embassies to China
were dispatched. The city was briefly the capital of Japan
in 1180 when Taira no Kiyomori
moved his grandson Emperor Antoku
to Fukuhara in present-day Hyōgo-ku. The Emperor returned to Kyoto
after about five months. Shortly thereafter in 1184, the Taira fortress in Hyōgo-ku and the nearby Ikuta Shrine
became the sites of the Genpei War
battle of Ichi-no-Tani
between the Taira and Minamoto clan
s. The Minamoto prevailed, pushing the Taira further.
As the port grew during the Kamakura period
, it became an important hub for trade with China and other countries. In the 13th century, the city came to be known by the name . During this time, Hyōgo Port along with northern Osaka composed the province of Settsu
. Later, during the Edo period
, the eastern parts of present-day Kobe came under the jurisdiction of the Amagasaki Domain
and the western parts under that of the Akashi Domain
, while the center was controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate
. It was not until the abolition of the han system
in 1871 and the establishment of the current prefecture system
that the area became politically distinct.
Hyōgo Port was opened to foreign trade by the government of the Bakufu at the same time as Osaka
on January 1, 1868, just before the advent of the Boshin war
and the Meiji restoration
. The region has since been identified with the West and many foreign residences from the period remain in Kobe's Kitano area
.
, and the name "Kobe" derives from , an archaic name for those who supported the shrine.
During World War II
, Kobe was bombed with incendiary bombs by B-29
bombers on March 17, 1945, causing the death of 8,841 residents and destroying 21% of Kobe's urban area (see Bombing of Kobe in World War II
). It is this incident that inspired the well-known Studio Ghibli
film Grave of the Fireflies
and the book
by Akiyuki Nosaka
on which the film was based.
Following continuous pressure from citizens, on March 18, 1975, the Kobe City Council passed an ordinance banning vessels carrying nuclear weapon
s from Kobe Port. This effectively prevented any U.S.
warships from entering the port, policy being not to disclose whether any warship is carrying nuclear weapons. This nonproliferation policy has been termed the "Kobe Formula".
On January 17, 1995, an earthquake measuring at 7.2 on the Richter magnitude scale
occurred at 5:46 am JST
near the city. 6,434 people in the city were killed, 212,443 were made homeless, and large parts of the port facilities and other parts of the city were destroyed. The earthquake destroyed portions of the Hanshin Expressway
, an elevated freeway that dramatically toppled over. In Japan, the earthquake is known as the Great Hanshin Earthquake
(or the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake). To commemorate Kobe's recovery from the 1995 quake, the city holds an event every December called the Luminarie
, where the city center is decorated with illuminated metal archways.
Kobe Port was Japan's busiest port and one of Asia's top ports until the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Kobe has since dropped to the fourth in Japan and forty-fifth busiest container port worldwide (as of 2008).
, while the city of Akashi
lies to its west. Other adjacent cities include Takarazuka
and Nishinomiya
to the east and Sanda
and Miki
to the north.
The landmark of the port area
is the red steel Port Tower
. A giant Ferris wheel
sits in nearby Harborland
, a notable tourist promenade
. Two artificial islands, Port Island
and Rokkō Island
, have been constructed to give the city room to expand.
Away from the seaside at the heart of Kobe lie the Motomachi and Sannomiya
districts as well as Kobe's Chinatown
, Nankinmachi
, all well-known retail areas. A multitude of train lines cross the city from east to west. The main transport hub is Sannomiya Station
, with the eponymous Kobe Station located to the west and the Shinkansen
Shin-Kobe Station
to the north.
Mount Rokkō
overlooks Kobe at an elevation of 931 meters. During the autumn season, it is famous for the rich change in colors of its forests.
(ku):
is approximately 2,768 persons per square kilometre, while there are about 90.2 males to every 100 females. About thirteen percent of the population are between the ages of 0 and 14, sixty-seven percent are between 15 and 64, and twenty percent are over the age of 65.
Approximately 44,000 registered foreign nationals live in Kobe. The four most common nationalities are Korea
n (22,237), Chinese
(12,516), Vietnam
ese (1,301), and American
(1,280).
. Kobe is the busiest container port in the region, surpassing even Osaka
, and the fourth busiest in Japan
.
As of 2004, the city's total real GDP
was ¥6.3 trillion, which amounts to thirty-four percent of the GDP for Hyōgo Prefecture
and approximately eight percent for the whole Kansai region. Per capita income
for the year was approximately ¥2.7 million. Broken down by sector
, about one percent of those employed work in the primary sector (agriculture, fishing and mining), twenty-one percent work in the secondary sector (manufacturing and industry), and seventy-eight percent work in the service sector.
The value of manufactured goods produced and exported from Kobe for 2004 was ¥2.5 trillion. The four largest sectors in terms of value of goods produced are small appliances, food products, transportation equipment, and communication equipment making up over fifty percent of Kobe's manufactured goods. In terms of numbers of employees, food products, small appliances, and transportation equipment make up the three largest sectors.
, a shoe manufacturer; Daiei
, a department store chain; Kawasaki Heavy Industries
, Kawasaki Shipbuilding Co.
, Mitsubishi Motors
, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
(ship manufacturer), Mitsubishi Electric
, Kobe Steel
, Sumitomo Rubber Industries
and TOA Corporation. Other companies include the confectionery
manufacturers Konigs-Krone
and Morozoff Ltd.
, Sun Television Japan and UCC Ueshima Coffee Co.
There are over 100 international corporations with East-Asia or Japan headquarters in Kobe. Of these, twenty-four are from China
, eighteen from the United States
, and nine from Switzerland
. Some prominent corporations include Eli Lilly and Company
, Nestlé
, Procter & Gamble
, Tempur-Pedic
, Boehringer-Ingelheim
, and Toys "R" Us.
Kobe is the site of a number of research institutes, such as the RIKEN
Kobe Institute Center for developmental biology
and medical imaging techniques, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology Kobe Advanced ICT Research Center, the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, and the Asian Disaster Reduction Center.
International organizations include the WHO Centre for Health Development
, an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organization
. The Consulate-General of Panama in Kobe
is located on the eighth floor of the Moriyama Building in Chūō-ku, Kobe
.
is the main commuter hub in Kobe, serving as the transfer point for the three major intercity rail lines (see external map). The JR Kobe Line
connects Kobe to Osaka
and Himeji
while both the Hankyu Kobe Line
and the Hanshin Main Line run from Kobe to Umeda Station
in Osaka. In addition, Kobe Municipal Subway
provides access to the Sanyō Shinkansen
at Shin-Kobe Station
. Sanyō Electric Railway
trains from Himeji reach Sannomiya via the Kobe Rapid Railway
.
Other rail lines in Kobe include Kobe Electric Railway
which runs north to Sanda
and Arima Onsen
. Hokushin Kyuko Railway connects Shin-Kobe Station to Tanigami Station
on the Kobe Electric Railway. Kobe New Transit
runs two lines, the Port Island Line from Sannomiya to Kobe Airport
and the Rokko Island Line
from JR Sumiyoshi Station
to Rokko Island
.
Over Mount Rokkō
, the city has two funicular
lines and three aerial lift
s as well, namely Maya Cablecar
, Rokkō Cable Line
, Rokkō Arima Ropeway
, Maya Ropeway
, and Shin-Kobe Ropeway
.
Kobe is a hub in a number of expressways
, including the Meishin Expressway
(Nagoya - Kobe) and the Hanshin Expressway
(Osaka - Kobe). Other expressways include the Sanyō Expressway
(Kobe - Yamaguchi
) and the Chūgoku Expressway
(Osaka - Yamaguchi).
The Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway runs from Kobe to Naruto
via Awaji Island
and includes the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world.
Osaka International Airport
in nearby Itami
and Kobe Airport
, built on a reclaimed island south of Port Island
, offer mainly domestic flights, while Kansai International Airport
in Osaka
is the main international hub in the area.
The city of Kobe directly administers 169 elementary and 81 middle schools, with enrollments of approximately 80,200 and 36,000 students, respectively. If the city's four private elementary schools and fourteen private middle schools are included, these figures jump to a total 82,000 elementary school students and 42,300 junior high students enrolled for the 2006 school year.
Kobe also directly controls seven of the city's twenty-eight full-time public high schools, while the remainder are administered by the Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, twenty-five high schools are run privately within the city. The total enrollment for high schools in 2006 was 43,400.
Kobe is home to eighteen public and private universities, including Kobe University
and Konan University
, and eight junior colleges. Students enrolled for 2006 reached 67,000 and 4,100, respectively.
Kobe is most famous for its Kobe beef
and Arima Onsen
(or "hot springs"). Notable buildings include the Ikuta Shrine
as well as the Kobe Port Tower
. It is well known for the night view of the city, from mountains such as Mount Rokkō
, and Mount Maya
as well as the coast
. Kobe is also known for having a somewhat exotic atmosphere by Japanese standards, which is mainly as a result of its history as a port city.
The city is also widely associated with cosmopolitanism and fashion, encapsulated in the Japanese phrase, "If you can't go to Paris, go to Kobe." The biannual fashion event Kobe Fashion Week, centered around the Kobe Collection
is held in Kobe. The jazz festival "Kobe Jazz Street" has been held every October at jazz clubs and hotels since 1981.
Kobe is the site of Japan's first golf course, Kobe Golf Club
, established by Arthur Hasketh Groom
in 1903, and Japan's first mosque
, Kobe Mosque
, built in 1935. The city also hosts the Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club
, founded in 1870 by Alexander Cameron Sim, a prominent foreign cemetery
, and a number of Western-style residences from the 19th century, in the Kitano area
. Museums include Kobe City Museum
and Kobe City Museum of Literature
.
Most of the 1957 romantic drama Sayonara
takes place in Kobe. The city is also the setting of the Studio Ghibli
film Grave of the Fireflies
.
In 1991, Kobe played as hosts for the ABC Championship 1991, which was the Men's Asian Basketball Championship. It served as a qualifier for the 1992 Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament.
Seattle, United States
(1957) Marseille
, France
(1961) Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
(1969) Riga
, Latvia
(1974) Brisbane
, Australia
(1985) Barcelona
, Spain
(1993) Incheon
, South Korea
(2010)
, Netherlands
(1967) Seattle, United States
(1967)
, China
(friendly city) (1973) Philadelphia, United States
(friendship and cooperation city) (1986) Daegu
, South Korea
(cooperation city) (2010)
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
on the southern side of the main island of Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, approximately 30 km (19 mi) west of Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. With a population of about 1.5 million, the city is part of the metropolitan area along with Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
.
The earliest written records regarding the region come from the Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine
Ikuta Shrine
' is a Shinto shrine in the Chūō Ward of Kobe, Japan, and is possibly among the oldest shrines in the country.According to Nihon Shoki, it was founded by the Empress Jingū at the beginning of the 3rd century AD to enshrine the kami Wakahirume, and was used as the base for a festival welcoming...
by Empress Jingū
Jingu of Japan
, also known as , was a legendary Japanese empress. The empress or consort to Emperor Chūai, she also served as Regent from the time of her husband's death in 209 until her son Emperor Ōjin acceded to the throne in 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
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
. Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889. Its name comes from , an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta Shrine. Kobe became one of Japan's 17 designated cities in 1956.
Kobe was one of the cities to open for trade with the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
following the end of the policy of seclusion
Sakoku
was the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death. The policy was enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate under Tokugawa Iemitsu through a number of edicts and policies from 1633–39 and remained in effect until...
and has since been known as a cosmopolitan port city. While the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake
Great Hanshin earthquake
The Great Hanshin earthquake, or Kobe earthquake, was an earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 05:46 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It measured 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale , and Mj7.3 on JMA magnitude scale. The tremors lasted for approximately 20...
diminished much of Kobe's prominence as a port city, it remains Japan's fourth busiest container port. Companies headquartered in Kobe include ASICS
ASICS
ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other...
, Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
, and Kobe Steel
Kobe Steel
, operating worldwide under the brand Kobelco, is a major Japanese steel manufacturer headquartered in Chuo-ku, Kobe. Kobe Steel also has a stake in Osaka Titanium Technologies.It was formed on September 1, 1905...
, as well as over 100 international corporations with Asia or Japan headquarters in the city such as Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
, Boehringer-Ingelheim
Boehringer-Ingelheim
C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Ko. KG is the parent company of Boehringer Ingelheim, which was founded in 1885 by Albert Boehringer in Ingelheim am Rhein. The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally...
and Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
. The city is the point of origin and namesake of Kobe beef
Kobe beef
refers to cuts of beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyū cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The meat is generally considered to be a delicacy, renowned for its flavour, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak,...
as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous hot spring
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
resorts, Arima Onsen
Arima Onsen
is an onsen, or hot springs in Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan. This Onsen is still a hidden treasure of modern Kobe, behind Mount Rokko. It attracts many Japanese who want tranquility with beautiful natural surroundings and yet easy access from the busy cities in Kansai metropolitan area including...
.
Origins to the Meiji Era
Tools found in western Kobe demonstrate that the area was populated at least from the Jōmon periodJomon period
The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
. The natural geography of the area, particularly of Wada Cape in Hyōgo-ku
Hyogo-ku, Kobe
is one of 9 wards of Kobe in Japan. It has an area of 1 km², and a population of 107,553 . It was voted hypest city in history by Bigbills.com-External links:*...
, led to the development of a port, which would remain the economic center of the city. Some of the earliest written documents mentioning the region include the Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine
Ikuta Shrine
' is a Shinto shrine in the Chūō Ward of Kobe, Japan, and is possibly among the oldest shrines in the country.According to Nihon Shoki, it was founded by the Empress Jingū at the beginning of the 3rd century AD to enshrine the kami Wakahirume, and was used as the base for a festival welcoming...
by Empress Jingū
Jingu of Japan
, also known as , was a legendary Japanese empress. The empress or consort to Emperor Chūai, she also served as Regent from the time of her husband's death in 209 until her son Emperor Ōjin acceded to the throne in 269...
in AD 201.
During the Nara
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
and Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
s, the port was known by the name and was one of the ports from which imperial embassies to China
Imperial embassies to China
The Japanese Missions to Imperial China were diplomatic embassies which were intermittently sent to the Chinese court. Any distinction amongst diplomatic envoys sent from the Imperial Japanese court or from any of the Japanese shogunates was lost or rendered moot when the ambassador was received in...
were dispatched. The city was briefly the capital of Japan
Capital of Japan
The capital of Japan, where the seat of the Government of Japan and home of the Emperor are located, is de facto. While this is generally not in dispute, the capital de jure is unclear. There is a dispute as to exactly when Tokyo became the capital. Some state that it occurred when Tokyo...
in 1180 when Taira no Kiyomori
Taira no Kiyomori
was a general of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan.After the death of his father Taira no Tadamori in 1153, Kiyomori assumed control of the Taira clan and ambitiously entered the political realm in which he...
moved his grandson Emperor Antoku
Emperor Antoku
Emperor Antoku was the 81st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1180 through 1185. During this time, the imperial family was involved in a bitter struggle between warring clans...
to Fukuhara in present-day Hyōgo-ku. The Emperor returned to Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
after about five months. Shortly thereafter in 1184, the Taira fortress in Hyōgo-ku and the nearby Ikuta Shrine
Ikuta Shrine
' is a Shinto shrine in the Chūō Ward of Kobe, Japan, and is possibly among the oldest shrines in the country.According to Nihon Shoki, it was founded by the Empress Jingū at the beginning of the 3rd century AD to enshrine the kami Wakahirume, and was used as the base for a festival welcoming...
became the sites of the Genpei War
Genpei War
The was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....
battle of Ichi-no-Tani
Battle of Ichi-no-Tani
' was a Taira fortress at Suma, to the west of present-day Kobe. It sat on a very narrow strip of shore, between mountains on the north, and the sea to the south. This made it quite defensible, but also made it difficult to maneuver troops inside the fortress. Minamoto no Yoshitsune split his force...
between the Taira and Minamoto clan
Minamoto clan
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period , although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of...
s. The Minamoto prevailed, pushing the Taira further.
As the port grew during the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
, it became an important hub for trade with China and other countries. In the 13th century, the city came to be known by the name . During this time, Hyōgo Port along with northern Osaka composed the province of Settsu
Settsu Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises the eastern part of Hyōgo Prefecture and the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. It was also referred to as or .Osaka and Osaka Castle were the main center of the province.-History:...
. Later, during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, the eastern parts of present-day Kobe came under the jurisdiction of the Amagasaki Domain
Amagasaki Domain
The was a feudal domain of Japan during the Edo period. It had its administrative headquarters at Amagasaki Castle. The domain extended over parts of Settsu Province that correspond to portions of the cities of Amagasaki, Nishinomiya, Ashiya, Kobe, Itami, and Takarazuka, in modern-day Hyōgo...
and the western parts under that of the Akashi Domain
Akashi Domain
The was a feudal domain of Japan. It occupied Akashi District and surroundings in Harima Province. Fudai and Shimpan daimyo were assigned, and frequently reassigned, to Akashi. The domain had its administrative headquarters at Akashi Castle.Akashi was established in 1617 when Ikeda Mitsumasa was...
, while the center was controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
. It was not until the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
in 1871 and the establishment of the current prefecture system
Prefectures of Japan
The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
that the area became politically distinct.
Hyōgo Port was opened to foreign trade by the government of the Bakufu at the same time as Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
on January 1, 1868, just before the advent of the Boshin war
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
and the Meiji restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
. The region has since been identified with the West and many foreign residences from the period remain in Kobe's Kitano area
Kitano-cho
or is a historical district in Kobe, Japan, which contains a number of foreign residences from the late Meiji and early Taishō eras of Japanese history. While the term can refer to any foreign residence of this period in Japan, it usually refers to those of Kitano given the number and high...
.
Modern era
Kobe, as it is known today, was founded on April 1, 1889, and was designated on September 1, 1956 by government ordinance. The history of the city is closely tied to that of the Ikuta ShrineIkuta Shrine
' is a Shinto shrine in the Chūō Ward of Kobe, Japan, and is possibly among the oldest shrines in the country.According to Nihon Shoki, it was founded by the Empress Jingū at the beginning of the 3rd century AD to enshrine the kami Wakahirume, and was used as the base for a festival welcoming...
, and the name "Kobe" derives from , an archaic name for those who supported the shrine.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kobe was bombed with incendiary bombs by B-29
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bombers on March 17, 1945, causing the death of 8,841 residents and destroying 21% of Kobe's urban area (see Bombing of Kobe in World War II
Bombing of Kobe in World War II
On March 17, 1945, 331 American B-29 bombers launched a firebombing attack against the city of Kobe, Japan. Of the city's residents, 8,841 were confirmed to have been killed in the resulting firestorms, which destroyed an area of three square miles and included 21% of Kobe's urban area. At the...
). It is this incident that inspired the well-known Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
film Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies
is a 1988 Japanese animated war tragedy film written and directed by Isao Takahata. This is the first film produced by Shinchosha, who hired Studio Ghibli to do the animation production work...
and the book
Grave of the Fireflies (book)
is a 1967 semi-autobiographical novel by Japanese novelist Akiyuki Nosaka. It is based on his experiences before, during, and after the firebombing of Kobe in 1945...
by Akiyuki Nosaka
Akiyuki Nosaka
is a Japanese novelist, singer, lyricist, and former member of the House of Councillors. As a broadcasting writer he uses the name Yukio Aki and his alias as a chanson singer is Claude Nosaka.- Biography :...
on which the film was based.
Following continuous pressure from citizens, on March 18, 1975, the Kobe City Council passed an ordinance banning vessels carrying nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s from Kobe Port. This effectively prevented any U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
warships from entering the port, policy being not to disclose whether any warship is carrying nuclear weapons. This nonproliferation policy has been termed the "Kobe Formula".
On January 17, 1995, an earthquake measuring at 7.2 on the Richter magnitude scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
occurred at 5:46 am JST
Japan Standard Time
Japan Standard Time or JST is the standard timezone of Japan, and is 9 hours ahead of UTC. For example, when it is midnight in UTC, it is 09:00 in Japan Standard Time. There is no daylight saving time, though its introduction has been debated several times. Japan Standard Time is the same as...
near the city. 6,434 people in the city were killed, 212,443 were made homeless, and large parts of the port facilities and other parts of the city were destroyed. The earthquake destroyed portions of the Hanshin Expressway
Hanshin Expressway
The is a network of expressways surrounding Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, Japan. Operated by , it opened in 1962.Portions of the Hanshin Expressway collapsed during the Kobe earthquake on January 17, 1995. These sections were rebuilt by 1996...
, an elevated freeway that dramatically toppled over. In Japan, the earthquake is known as the Great Hanshin Earthquake
Great Hanshin earthquake
The Great Hanshin earthquake, or Kobe earthquake, was an earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 05:46 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It measured 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale , and Mj7.3 on JMA magnitude scale. The tremors lasted for approximately 20...
(or the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake). To commemorate Kobe's recovery from the 1995 quake, the city holds an event every December called the Luminarie
Kobe Luminarie
is a light festival held in Kobe, Japan, every December since 1995 and commemorating the Great Hanshin earthquake of that year. The lights were donated by the Italian Government and the installation itself is produced by Valerio Festi and Hirokazu Imaoka....
, where the city center is decorated with illuminated metal archways.
Kobe Port was Japan's busiest port and one of Asia's top ports until the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Kobe has since dropped to the fourth in Japan and forty-fifth busiest container port worldwide (as of 2008).
Geography
Wedged in between the coast and the mountains, the city of Kobe is long and narrow. To the east is the city of AshiyaAshiya, Hyogo
is a city founded on November 10, 1940 located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Osaka and Kobe.-Demographics:As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 93,094 and the density of 5,030 persons per km². The total area is 18.47 km²...
, while the city of Akashi
Akashi, Hyogo
is a city located in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea west of Kobe.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 290,776, with 117,392 households, and a population density of 5,907.68 persons per km²...
lies to its west. Other adjacent cities include Takarazuka
Takarazuka, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.- Geography :Takarazuka is nestled between the Rokko Range to the west and Nagao Range to the north with the Muko River running through the center of the city....
and Nishinomiya
Nishinomiya, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Ōsaka and Kōbe. On April 1, 2005, the city of Nishinomiya celebrated its 80th anniversary. It is best known as the home of Kōshien Stadium, where the Hanshin Tigers baseball team plays home games and where Japan's annual high school baseball...
to the east and Sanda
Sanda, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 113,585 and the density of 540 persons per km². The total area is 210.22 km².The city was founded on July 1, 1958.-History:...
and Miki
Miki, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan.As of April 30, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 82,162, with a household number of 32,143 and a population density of 465.30 persons per km²...
to the north.
The landmark of the port area
Port of Kobe
The Port of Kobe is a Japanese maritime port in Kobe, Hyōgo in the greater Osaka area, backgrounded by the Hanshin Industrial Region.Located at a foothill of the range of Mount Rokkō, flat lands are limited and constructions of artificial islands have carried out, to make Port Island, Rokko...
is the red steel Port Tower
Kobe Port Tower
, a hyperboloid structure, is a 108 metre high lattice tower in the port city of Kobe, Japan. Kobe Port Tower has an observation deck at a height of 90.28 metres. The red steel Port Tower offers a spectacular sight of the bay area and the surrounding area....
. A giant Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
sits in nearby Harborland
Harborland
is a shopping district in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.This shopping district was made on the site of the former freight yard, Minatogawa Kamotsu Station of the Japanese National Railways. The yard was removed in 1982 and the shopping district opened in 1992.-Access:...
, a notable tourist promenade
Esplanade
An esplanade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The original meaning of esplanade was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide clear fields of fire for the fortress' guns...
. Two artificial islands, Port Island
Port Island
is an artificial island in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan. It was constructed between 1966 and 1981 at Port of Kobe, and officially opened with an exposition called "Port Pier '81." It now houses a heliport, numerous hotels, a large convention center, the UCC Coffee Museum, Japan's 3rd IKEA store, and...
and Rokkō Island
Rokko Island
is the second major artificial island in Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Japan located in the southeast region at Port of Kobe. The island was constructed from reclaimed land between 1973 and 1992. It has a 3.4 km by 2 km rectangular shape, and covers 5.80 km². The island was one of the hardest hit areas in...
, have been constructed to give the city room to expand.
Away from the seaside at the heart of Kobe lie the Motomachi and Sannomiya
Sannomiya
is a district of Chūō-ku, Kobe, Japan. Today, it is the biggest downtown area in the city.Before the 1920s, Sannomiya was just an edge of the city. The major downtowns were Motomachi and Shinkaichi, which are west of Sannomiya...
districts as well as Kobe's Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
, Nankinmachi
Kobe Chinatown
Kobe Chinatown is located in Kobe, Japan. One of only 3 designated Chinatowns in Japan, Nankinmachi is situated south of Motomachi station adjacent to the elegant Daimaru Department Store. This small, yet lively enclave is home to not only one of the few remaining Chinese communities in the...
, all well-known retail areas. A multitude of train lines cross the city from east to west. The main transport hub is Sannomiya Station
Sannomiya Station
is located in the heart of Kobe, Japan. This station is the main railway terminal of Kobe.- Lines :*Hanshin Electric Railway *Hankyu Railway *Kobe Municipal Subway...
, with the eponymous Kobe Station located to the west and the Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
Shin-Kobe Station
Shin-Kobe Station
is a train station located on the Sanyō Shinkansen line serving the city of Kobe, Japan and the surrounding area. It is located to the north of Kobe city centre, at the foot of Mount Rokkō. The Shinkansen trains mostly run inside tunnels under the mountains in this area...
to the north.
Mount Rokkō
Mount Rokko
is a name of a group of mountains in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. This mountain is one of Hyōgo 50 mountains, Kinki 100 mountains, and also one of the 300 famous mountains in Japan.- Outline :...
overlooks Kobe at an elevation of 931 meters. During the autumn season, it is famous for the rich change in colors of its forests.
Wards
Kobe has nine wardsWards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
(ku):
- 1. Nishi-kuNishi-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe City in Japan. It has an area of 137.86 km², and a population of 248,407 . Nishi in Japanese means west. Nishi-ku occupies the northwestern part of the city.-External links:...
: The westernmost area of Kobe, Nishi-ku overlooks the city of AkashiAkashi, Hyogois a city located in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea west of Kobe.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 290,776, with 117,392 households, and a population density of 5,907.68 persons per km²...
and is the site of Kobe Gakuin UniversityKobe Gakuin Universityis a private, co-educational university located on the western edge of the city of Kobe, in Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan. It was founded in 1966 and overlooks the city of Akashi, the Akashi Straits and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge - the longest suspension bridge in the world...
. This ward has the largest population with 247,000 residents. - 2. Kita-kuKita-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe City in Japan. It has an area of 241.84 km², and a population of 226,402 . Kita in Japanese means North. Kita-ku is the biggest ward which occupies the northeastern part of the city. Arima Onsen is located in Kita-ku....
: Kita-ku is the largest ward by area and contains the Rokko Mountain Range, including Mount RokkoMount Rokkois a name of a group of mountains in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. This mountain is one of Hyōgo 50 mountains, Kinki 100 mountains, and also one of the 300 famous mountains in Japan.- Outline :...
and Mount MayaMount Mayais a high mountain in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. This mountain is one of the major peaks of the Rokkō Mountains, and is the most popular peak for visitors on the West-Rokkō Mountains.- Outline :...
. The area is well known for its rugged landscape and hiking trails. The onsenOnsenAn is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
resort town of ArimaArima Onsenis an onsen, or hot springs in Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan. This Onsen is still a hidden treasure of modern Kobe, behind Mount Rokko. It attracts many Japanese who want tranquility with beautiful natural surroundings and yet easy access from the busy cities in Kansai metropolitan area including...
also lies within Kita-ku. - 3. Tarumi-kuTarumi-ku, Kobeis one of nine wards of Kobe City in Japan. It has an area of 26.89 km², and a population of 219,958 .Tarumi-ku is a western suburban area of Kobe, providing fine, quiet residential towns for commuters to downtown Kobe and even Osaka...
: Tarumi-ku is a mostly residential area. The longest suspension bridge in the world, the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, extends from Maiko in Tarumi-ku to Awaji IslandAwaji Islandis an island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, in the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea between the islands of Honshū and Shikoku. The island has an area of 592.17 km²...
to the south. A relatively new addition to Kobe, Tarumi-ku was not a part of the city until 1946. - 4. Suma-kuSuma-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe City in Japan. It has an area of 30.0 km², and a population of 168,400 .There is a white sandy beach in this ward, which attracts tourists to the Kansai region for sun bathing and popular events during the summer season. The same beach has appeared in the classic...
: Suma-ku is the site of Suma beach, attracting visitors during the summer months. - 5. Nagata-kuNagata-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe City in Japan. It has an area of 11.46 km², and a population of 102,387 . This region suffered the largest number of casualties in the Great Hanshin earthquake.-External links:*...
: Nagata-ku is the site of Nagata ShrineNagata Shrineis a Shinto shrine in Nagata Ward, Kobe, Japan. At Nagata, Kotoshironushi-no-Okami is enshrined.The shrine is associated with Amaterasu, who is said to have told Empress Jingū that a shrine was wanted at Nagata.-History:...
, one of the three "Great Shrines" in Kobe. - 6. Hyōgo-kuHyogo-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe in Japan. It has an area of 1 km², and a population of 107,553 . It was voted hypest city in history by Bigbills.com-External links:*...
: At various times known as Ōwada Anchorage or Hyōgo Port, this area is the historical heart of the city. ShinkaichiShinkaichiis a district of Kobe, Japan. It is one of the major downtown areas in the city.The name of Shinkaichi means 'newly opened area'. It was named so because the district was really newly developed area after moving the Minato-gawa River from this area to the west end of the city in the early 20th...
in Hyogo-ku was once the commercial center of Kobe, but was heavily damaged during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and since Hyogo-ku has lost much of its former prominence. - 7. Chūō-kuChuo-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe City in Japan. It has an area of 28.37 km², and a population of 119,768 .The Consulate-General of Panama in Kobe is located on the eighth floor of the Moriyama Building in Chūō-ku.-Related matters:*Port of Kobe*Port Island...
: literally means "center", and as such Chūō-ku is the commercial and entertainment center of Kobe. SannomiyaSannomiyais a district of Chūō-ku, Kobe, Japan. Today, it is the biggest downtown area in the city.Before the 1920s, Sannomiya was just an edge of the city. The major downtowns were Motomachi and Shinkaichi, which are west of Sannomiya...
along with Motomachi and HarborlandHarborlandis a shopping district in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.This shopping district was made on the site of the former freight yard, Minatogawa Kamotsu Station of the Japanese National Railways. The yard was removed in 1982 and the shopping district opened in 1992.-Access:...
make up the main entertainment areas in Kobe. Chūō-ku also includes Kobe City Hall and Hyōgo prefecturalHyogo Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
government offices. Port IslandPort Islandis an artificial island in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan. It was constructed between 1966 and 1981 at Port of Kobe, and officially opened with an exposition called "Port Pier '81." It now houses a heliport, numerous hotels, a large convention center, the UCC Coffee Museum, Japan's 3rd IKEA store, and...
as well as Kobe AirportKobe Airportis an airport on an artificial island just off the coast of Kobe, south of Sannomiya Station Japan. It primarily handles domestic flights, but can also accommodate international charter flights. In the first year of operation the airport handled 2,697,000 passengers with an average load factor of...
lie in the southern part of this ward. - 8. Nada-kuNada-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe in Japan. It has an area of 31.4 km², and a population of 129,095 .A leading national university in Japan, Kobe University, is located in this ward, as is the city's Oji Zoo....
: Nada-ku is the site of Kobe's Oji Zoo and Kobe UniversityKobe UniversityShindai is one of the leading universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:The university is ranked 10th in 2010 in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai...
. Nada is also well known for its sakeNada-Gogoare five groups of Sake breweries in the cities of Kobe and Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It is the largest sake producing region in Japan, with breweries in the area accounting for just over one quarter of the sake production in the entire country....
. Along with FushimiFushimi-ku, Kyotois one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down a mountain; Fushimi Castle, originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with its rebuilt towers and gold-lined...
in KyotoKyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, it accounts for 45% of Japan's sake production. - 9. Higashinada-kuHigashinada-ku, Kobeis one of 9 wards of Kobe in Japan. It has an area of 30.36 km², and a population of 207,146 . South of the Hanshin line, it is also home to some notable sake brewing areas, including Uozaki and Mikage.-Railways:...
: The easternmost area of Kobe, Higashinada-ku borders the city of AshiyaAshiya, Hyogois a city founded on November 10, 1940 located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Osaka and Kobe.-Demographics:As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 93,094 and the density of 5,030 persons per km². The total area is 18.47 km²...
. The man-made island of RokkoRokko Islandis the second major artificial island in Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Japan located in the southeast region at Port of Kobe. The island was constructed from reclaimed land between 1973 and 1992. It has a 3.4 km by 2 km rectangular shape, and covers 5.80 km². The island was one of the hardest hit areas in...
makes up the southern part of this ward.
Demographics
As of September 2007, Kobe has a population of 1,530,295 making up 658,876 households. This is an increase of 1,347 persons or approximately 0.1 percent over the previous year. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is approximately 2,768 persons per square kilometre, while there are about 90.2 males to every 100 females. About thirteen percent of the population are between the ages of 0 and 14, sixty-seven percent are between 15 and 64, and twenty percent are over the age of 65.
Approximately 44,000 registered foreign nationals live in Kobe. The four most common nationalities are Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n (22,237), Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(12,516), Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese (1,301), and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1,280).
Economy
Kobe port is both an important port and manufacturing center within the Hanshin Industrial RegionHanshin Industrial Region
The is one of the largest industrial regions in Japan. Its name comes from the kanji used to write the names of Osaka and Kobe , the two largest cities in the megalopolis.The GDP of this area is $341 billion, one of the world's most productive regions.-Numbers:*Osaka prefecture**Number of...
. Kobe is the busiest container port in the region, surpassing even Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and the fourth busiest in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
As of 2004, the city's total real GDP
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
was ¥6.3 trillion, which amounts to thirty-four percent of the GDP for Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
and approximately eight percent for the whole Kansai region. Per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the year was approximately ¥2.7 million. Broken down by sector
Three-sector hypothesis
The three-sector hypothesis is an economic hypothesis which divides economies into three sectors of activity: extraction of raw materials , manufacturing , and services...
, about one percent of those employed work in the primary sector (agriculture, fishing and mining), twenty-one percent work in the secondary sector (manufacturing and industry), and seventy-eight percent work in the service sector.
The value of manufactured goods produced and exported from Kobe for 2004 was ¥2.5 trillion. The four largest sectors in terms of value of goods produced are small appliances, food products, transportation equipment, and communication equipment making up over fifty percent of Kobe's manufactured goods. In terms of numbers of employees, food products, small appliances, and transportation equipment make up the three largest sectors.
Major companies and institutes
Japanese companies which have their headquarters in Kobe include ASICSASICS
ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other...
, a shoe manufacturer; Daiei
Daiei
, based in Kobe, is one of the largest supermarket chains in Japan. In 1957, Isao Nakauchi founded the chain in Osaka near Sembayashi Station on the Keihan train line. Daiei is now under a restructuring process supported by Marubeni Corporation and ÆON Co., Ltd., another Japanese supermarket chain....
, a department store chain; Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
, Kawasaki Shipbuilding Co.
Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation
-External links:*...
, Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
(ship manufacturer), Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Electric
is a multinational electronics and information technology company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group....
, Kobe Steel
Kobe Steel
, operating worldwide under the brand Kobelco, is a major Japanese steel manufacturer headquartered in Chuo-ku, Kobe. Kobe Steel also has a stake in Osaka Titanium Technologies.It was formed on September 1, 1905...
, Sumitomo Rubber Industries
Sumitomo Rubber Industries
is a tire and rubber company based in Japan. It is part of the Sumitomo Group.The company traces its origins to 1909, when the Sumitomo Group made an investment in Dunlop Japan, the newly formed Japanese subsidiary of the British company Dunlop Rubber...
and TOA Corporation. Other companies include the confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
manufacturers Konigs-Krone
Konigs-Krone
is a Western-style confectionery and cake company headquartered in Kobe, Japan. Founded in 1977, the company has since expanded and now owns restaurants at thirty-one locations in Japan, mostly in the Kansai region....
and Morozoff Ltd.
Morozoff Ltd.
is a confectionery and cake company headquartered in Kobe, Japan. Since its founding in 1931, Morozoff has grown and now has 767 restaurants and cafes across Japan....
, Sun Television Japan and UCC Ueshima Coffee Co.
UCC Ueshima Coffee Co.
is a manufacturer of coffee and tea products in Kobe, Hyōgo. "UCC" stands for "Ueshima Coffee Company".Note that the official English corporate name is fully capitalized: UCC UESHIMA COFFEE CO., LTD.It owns Kona coffee farm on the island of Hawaii....
There are over 100 international corporations with East-Asia or Japan headquarters in Kobe. Of these, twenty-four are from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, eighteen from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and nine from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Some prominent corporations include Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company. Eli Lilly's global headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...
, Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
, Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
, Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic International, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of mattresses and pillows made from viscoelastic memory foam. The company's headquarters is located in Lexington, Kentucky.- History :...
, Boehringer-Ingelheim
Boehringer-Ingelheim
C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Ko. KG is the parent company of Boehringer Ingelheim, which was founded in 1885 by Albert Boehringer in Ingelheim am Rhein. The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally...
, and Toys "R" Us.
Kobe is the site of a number of research institutes, such as the RIKEN
RIKEN
is a large natural sciences research institute in Japan. Founded in 1917, it now has approximately 3000 scientists on seven campuses across Japan, the main one in Wako, just outside Tokyo...
Kobe Institute Center for developmental biology
Developmental biology
Developmental biology is the study of the process by which organisms grow and develop. Modern developmental biology studies the genetic control of cell growth, differentiation and "morphogenesis", which is the process that gives rise to tissues, organs and anatomy.- Related fields of study...
and medical imaging techniques, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology Kobe Advanced ICT Research Center, the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, and the Asian Disaster Reduction Center.
International organizations include the WHO Centre for Health Development
WHO Centre for Health Development
The WHO Centre for Health Development is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organisation of the United Nations....
, an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
. The Consulate-General of Panama in Kobe
Diplomatic missions of Panama
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Panama, excluding honorary consulates. Panama's status as major flag state for maritime vessels and owner of the Panama Canal has led to Panama opening missions in cities with significant harbour traffic, such as Rotterdam, Tampa and Kobe.-Europe:** Vienna...
is located on the eighth floor of the Moriyama Building in Chūō-ku, Kobe
Chuo-ku, Kobe
is one of 9 wards of Kobe City in Japan. It has an area of 28.37 km², and a population of 119,768 .The Consulate-General of Panama in Kobe is located on the eighth floor of the Moriyama Building in Chūō-ku.-Related matters:*Port of Kobe*Port Island...
.
Transportation
Rail
Sannomiya StationSannomiya Station
is located in the heart of Kobe, Japan. This station is the main railway terminal of Kobe.- Lines :*Hanshin Electric Railway *Hankyu Railway *Kobe Municipal Subway...
is the main commuter hub in Kobe, serving as the transfer point for the three major intercity rail lines (see external map). The JR Kobe Line
JR Kobe Line
The is the nickname of portions of the Tōkaidō Main Line and the Sanyō Main Line, between Osaka Station in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture and Himeji Station in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture...
connects Kobe to Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and Himeji
Himeji, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 535,945, with 206,409 households. The total area is 534.43 km².- History :...
while both the Hankyu Kobe Line
Hankyu Kobe Line
The of Hankyu Railway is one of the three major commuter heavy rail line in the Keihanshin conurbation of Japan. It links the urban centres of Osaka and Kobe by connecting the major stations of Umeda in Osaka and Sannomiya in Kobe....
and the Hanshin Main Line run from Kobe to Umeda Station
Umeda Station
is a railway station located in Kita-ku in the northern commercial center of Osaka, Japan. It is the busiest station in Western Japan, serving 2,343,727 passengers daily in 2005.Umeda Station is served by the following railways:...
in Osaka. In addition, Kobe Municipal Subway
Kobe Municipal Subway
is the subway of Kobe. It has two lines.-Lines:- External links :****...
provides access to the Sanyō Shinkansen
Sanyō Shinkansen
The is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Ōsaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan...
at Shin-Kobe Station
Shin-Kobe Station
is a train station located on the Sanyō Shinkansen line serving the city of Kobe, Japan and the surrounding area. It is located to the north of Kobe city centre, at the foot of Mount Rokkō. The Shinkansen trains mostly run inside tunnels under the mountains in this area...
. Sanyō Electric Railway
Sanyo Electric Railway
Sanyo Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is a Japanese private railway in western Hyōgo Prefecture...
trains from Himeji reach Sannomiya via the Kobe Rapid Railway
Kobe Rapid Railway
Kōbe Rapid Transit Railway Company, Limited is a special railway company in central Kobe, Japan.- Lines :Kobe Rapid Railway has three lines.*Tozai Line *Namboku Line *Hokushin Line...
.
Other rail lines in Kobe include Kobe Electric Railway
Kobe Electric Railway
, often called Shintetsu , is a Japanese private railway company in Kobe and surrounding cities.-Lines:*Arima Line *Sanda Line *Kōen-Toshi Line *Ao Line...
which runs north to Sanda
Sanda, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 113,585 and the density of 540 persons per km². The total area is 210.22 km².The city was founded on July 1, 1958.-History:...
and Arima Onsen
Arima Onsen
is an onsen, or hot springs in Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan. This Onsen is still a hidden treasure of modern Kobe, behind Mount Rokko. It attracts many Japanese who want tranquility with beautiful natural surroundings and yet easy access from the busy cities in Kansai metropolitan area including...
. Hokushin Kyuko Railway connects Shin-Kobe Station to Tanigami Station
Tanigami Station
is a train station in northern Kobe, Japan, serving the Shintetsu Arima Line and the Hokushin Kyuko Electric Railway. The station consists of 5 tracks and 3 island platforms.-Layout:-Adjacent stations:Kobe Electric Railway...
on the Kobe Electric Railway. Kobe New Transit
Kobe New Transit
is the third-sector semipublic company that runs Port Island Line and Rokkō Island Line automated guideway transit systems in Kobe, Japan...
runs two lines, the Port Island Line from Sannomiya to Kobe Airport
Kobe Airport
is an airport on an artificial island just off the coast of Kobe, south of Sannomiya Station Japan. It primarily handles domestic flights, but can also accommodate international charter flights. In the first year of operation the airport handled 2,697,000 passengers with an average load factor of...
and the Rokko Island Line
Rokko Island Line
The , commonly known as is an automated guideway transit system in Kobe, Japan. Operated by Kobe New Transit, it connects the man-made Rokkō Island to Sumiyoshi Station on the JR Kobe Line.-Stations:*Sumiyoshi...
from JR Sumiyoshi Station
Sumiyoshi Station (JR West)
is a train station on the Tōkaidō Main Line of JR West, located in Higashi-Nada-ku, Kobe Japan and a transfer point to Rokko Liner, which connects mainland Kobe to the man-made Rokko Island.-Usage:...
to Rokko Island
Rokko Island
is the second major artificial island in Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Japan located in the southeast region at Port of Kobe. The island was constructed from reclaimed land between 1973 and 1992. It has a 3.4 km by 2 km rectangular shape, and covers 5.80 km². The island was one of the hardest hit areas in...
.
Over Mount Rokkō
Mount Rokko
is a name of a group of mountains in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. This mountain is one of Hyōgo 50 mountains, Kinki 100 mountains, and also one of the 300 famous mountains in Japan.- Outline :...
, the city has two funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
lines and three aerial lift
Aerial lift
An aerial lift is a means of transportation in which cabins, cars, gondolas or open chairs are hauled above the ground by means of one or more cables.Types of aerial lifts include:...
s as well, namely Maya Cablecar
Maya Cablecar
The Maya Cablecar, officially the is a Japanese funicular line in Kobe, Hyōgo, operated by the public company Kōbe City Urban Development. The line opened in 1925, originally as a route to Tōri Tenjō-ji temple on Mount Maya. Now the line is used to see the scenic view of Kobe...
, Rokkō Cable Line
Rokko Cable Line
The is a Japanese funicular line on Mount Rokkō in Kobe, Hyōgo. It is the only railway line operates, while it also operates bus lines. The line opened in 1932.-Basic data:*Distance: 1.7 km / 1.1 mi.*System: Single track with two cars*Gauge: *Stations: 2...
, Rokkō Arima Ropeway
Rokko Arima Ropeway
The is Japanese aerial lift line in Kōbe, Hyōgo, operated by Kōbe City Urban Development. Opened in 1970, the line links Mount Rokkō and Arima Onsen hot spring. The aerial lift was consisted of two lines, and...
, Maya Ropeway
Maya Ropeway
The is Japanese aerial lift line in Kōbe, Hyōgo, operated by Kōbe City Urban Development. Together with Maya Cablecar, the line has an official nickname...
, and Shin-Kobe Ropeway
Shin-Kobe Ropeway
The is Japanese aerial lift line in Kōbe, Hyōgo, operated by Kōbe City Urban Development. It has an official nickname . Opened in 1991, the line links Shin-Kōbe Station and Nunobiki Herb Garden...
.
Road and air
Expressways of Japan
The expressways of Japan make up a large network of freeway-standard toll roads.- History :Following World War II, Japan's economic revival led to a massive increase in personal automobile use...
, including the Meishin Expressway
Meishin Expressway
The is a toll expressway in Japan. It runs from a junction with the Tomei Expressway in Nagakute, Aichi west to Nishinomiya, Hyōgo . It is the main road link between Osaka and Nagoya, and, along with the Tōmei Expressway, forms the main road link between Osaka and Tokyo...
(Nagoya - Kobe) and the Hanshin Expressway
Hanshin Expressway
The is a network of expressways surrounding Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, Japan. Operated by , it opened in 1962.Portions of the Hanshin Expressway collapsed during the Kobe earthquake on January 17, 1995. These sections were rebuilt by 1996...
(Osaka - Kobe). Other expressways include the Sanyō Expressway
Sanyo Expressway
The is an expressway in Japan, running from Kobe through Hiroshima along the Inland Sea and terminating in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The entire length of the expressway was opened in 1997...
(Kobe - Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
) and the Chūgoku Expressway
Chugoku Expressway
The is an expressway in Japan from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai and Chūgoku regions in the western Honshū, Japan's largest island. Other major cities on the expressway are Tsuyama, Kobe and Hiroshima...
(Osaka - Yamaguchi).
The Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway runs from Kobe to Naruto
Naruto, Tokushima
is a city in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan.In the quinquennial census of 2010, the city had a population of 61,522 . With a total area of the population density is 454 persons per km².The city was founded on March 15, 1947....
via Awaji Island
Awaji Island
is an island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, in the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea between the islands of Honshū and Shikoku. The island has an area of 592.17 km²...
and includes the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world.
Osaka International Airport
Osaka International Airport
or Osaka-Itami International Airport is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is classified as a first class airport....
in nearby Itami
Itami, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city had an estimated population of 194,488 and a population density of 7,790 persons per km². The total area is 24.97 km².The center of Itami became a wealthy town by the middle of Sengoku period...
and Kobe Airport
Kobe Airport
is an airport on an artificial island just off the coast of Kobe, south of Sannomiya Station Japan. It primarily handles domestic flights, but can also accommodate international charter flights. In the first year of operation the airport handled 2,697,000 passengers with an average load factor of...
, built on a reclaimed island south of Port Island
Port Island
is an artificial island in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan. It was constructed between 1966 and 1981 at Port of Kobe, and officially opened with an exposition called "Port Pier '81." It now houses a heliport, numerous hotels, a large convention center, the UCC Coffee Museum, Japan's 3rd IKEA store, and...
, offer mainly domestic flights, while Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport
is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano , Sennan , and Tajiri , in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore. The airport serves as an...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
is the main international hub in the area.
Education
Kobe also directly controls seven of the city's twenty-eight full-time public high schools, while the remainder are administered by the Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, twenty-five high schools are run privately within the city. The total enrollment for high schools in 2006 was 43,400.
Kobe is home to eighteen public and private universities, including Kobe University
Kobe University
Shindai is one of the leading universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:The university is ranked 10th in 2010 in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai...
and Konan University
Konan University
is a university located on the slopes of Rokko Mountain in Higashinada-ku, the city of Kobe, Japan. A private university with approximately 10,000 students, the university offers a wide variety of programs to Japanese students, as well as an international exchange program through the Konan...
, and eight junior colleges. Students enrolled for 2006 reached 67,000 and 4,100, respectively.
Culture
Kobe beef
refers to cuts of beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyū cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The meat is generally considered to be a delicacy, renowned for its flavour, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak,...
and Arima Onsen
Arima Onsen
is an onsen, or hot springs in Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan. This Onsen is still a hidden treasure of modern Kobe, behind Mount Rokko. It attracts many Japanese who want tranquility with beautiful natural surroundings and yet easy access from the busy cities in Kansai metropolitan area including...
(or "hot springs"). Notable buildings include the Ikuta Shrine
Ikuta Shrine
' is a Shinto shrine in the Chūō Ward of Kobe, Japan, and is possibly among the oldest shrines in the country.According to Nihon Shoki, it was founded by the Empress Jingū at the beginning of the 3rd century AD to enshrine the kami Wakahirume, and was used as the base for a festival welcoming...
as well as the Kobe Port Tower
Kobe Port Tower
, a hyperboloid structure, is a 108 metre high lattice tower in the port city of Kobe, Japan. Kobe Port Tower has an observation deck at a height of 90.28 metres. The red steel Port Tower offers a spectacular sight of the bay area and the surrounding area....
. It is well known for the night view of the city, from mountains such as Mount Rokkō
Mount Rokko
is a name of a group of mountains in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. This mountain is one of Hyōgo 50 mountains, Kinki 100 mountains, and also one of the 300 famous mountains in Japan.- Outline :...
, and Mount Maya
Mount Maya
is a high mountain in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. This mountain is one of the major peaks of the Rokkō Mountains, and is the most popular peak for visitors on the West-Rokkō Mountains.- Outline :...
as well as the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
. Kobe is also known for having a somewhat exotic atmosphere by Japanese standards, which is mainly as a result of its history as a port city.
The city is also widely associated with cosmopolitanism and fashion, encapsulated in the Japanese phrase, "If you can't go to Paris, go to Kobe." The biannual fashion event Kobe Fashion Week, centered around the Kobe Collection
Kobe Collection
The is a fashion event that has been held in Kobe, Japan and other cities during spring and autumn every year since 2002; over 30 brands have participated...
is held in Kobe. The jazz festival "Kobe Jazz Street" has been held every October at jazz clubs and hotels since 1981.
Kobe is the site of Japan's first golf course, Kobe Golf Club
Kobe Golf Club
The is Japan's first golf course, built on Mount Rokko in 1903 by English expatriate Arthur Hasketh Groom. The club began as a nine-hole course on May 24, 1903, but quickly expanded to eighteen the following year...
, established by Arthur Hasketh Groom
Arthur Hasketh Groom
Arthur Hesketh Groom founded the Kobe Golf Club on May 24, 1903 which was Japan's first ever golf club. Groom came to Japan in 1868 and became a long-term resident of Kobe...
in 1903, and Japan's first mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, Kobe Mosque
Kobe Mosque
, also known as , was founded in October, 1935 in Kobe and is Japan's first mosque. Its construction was funded by donations collected by the Islamic Committee of Kobe from 1928 until its opening in 1935. The mosque was confiscated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1943. However, it continues to...
, built in 1935. The city also hosts the Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club
Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club
The Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club, founded September 23rd, 1870 by Alexander Cameron Sim recently celebrated its 140th Anniversary, and is Japan's oldest sports club. The Club moved to a newly manufactured building at the end of 1870 and held its first-ever regatta on December 24, 1870...
, founded in 1870 by Alexander Cameron Sim, a prominent foreign cemetery
Foreign cemeteries in Japan
The foreign cemeteries in Japan are chiefly located in Tokyo and at the former treaty ports of Nagasaki, Kobe, Yokohama, and Hakodate. They contain the mortal remains of long-term Japan residents, and are separate from any of the military cemeteries.-Tokyo:The Tokyo foreign cemetery is a section...
, and a number of Western-style residences from the 19th century, in the Kitano area
Kitano-cho
or is a historical district in Kobe, Japan, which contains a number of foreign residences from the late Meiji and early Taishō eras of Japanese history. While the term can refer to any foreign residence of this period in Japan, it usually refers to those of Kitano given the number and high...
. Museums include Kobe City Museum
Kobe City Museum
opened in Kobe, Japan in 1982, and combines two previous collections, the Municipal Archaeological Art Museum and Municipal Namban Art Museum. The museum is housed in a neoclassical building of 1935, the former Kobe branch of the Bank of Tokyo...
and Kobe City Museum of Literature
Kobe City Museum of Literature
is dedicated to the literary scene in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan in the Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa, and Heisei periods. The museum opened in 2006 in the former Branch Memorial Chapel of Kwansei Gakuin University, a Meiji period building largely funded by John Branch, a banker from Richmond,...
.
Most of the 1957 romantic drama Sayonara
Sayonara
Sayonara is a 1957 color American film starring Marlon Brando. It tells the story of an American Air Force flier who was an "ace" fighter pilot during the Korean War....
takes place in Kobe. The city is also the setting of the Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
film Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies
is a 1988 Japanese animated war tragedy film written and directed by Isao Takahata. This is the first film produced by Shinchosha, who hired Studio Ghibli to do the animation production work...
.
Sports
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orix Buffaloes Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo.... |
Baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond... |
Pacific League Pacific League The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series... |
Kobe Sports Park Baseball Stadium Osaka Dome Osaka Dome Osaka Dome is a baseball stadium located in Osaka, Japan. Beginning in 1997, the stadium was the home field of the Kintetsu Buffaloes. In 2005, the stadium became one of the homes of the Orix Buffaloes, a result of the merger between the Orix Blue Wave and Kintetsu Buffaloes. Prior to the Osaka... |
1938 |
| Vissel Kobe Vissel Kobe is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team is located in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. The home stadium is Kobe Wing Stadium, in Hyōgo-ku, though some home matches are played at Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in Suma-ku.-History:The club was... |
Football Football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball... |
J. League J. League The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese... |
Home's Stadium Kobe Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kobe Sports Park, Suma-ku, Kobe, Japan. It is currently used mostly for soccer matches. The stadium holds 45,000. It was built in 1985 for the 1985 Summer Universiade. It hosted the 2006 61st National Sports Festival of Japan main... |
1995 |
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | Football Football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball... |
L. League L. League The L. League is the top flight of women's association football in Japan. It is the women's equivalent of the J. League, but not professional. However, some individual players are professional.The league conssists of two divisions: division 1 has the nickname and division 2... |
Home's Stadium Kobe Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kobe Sports Park, Suma-ku, Kobe, Japan. It is currently used mostly for soccer matches. The stadium holds 45,000. It was built in 1985 for the 1985 Summer Universiade. It hosted the 2006 61st National Sports Festival of Japan main... |
2001 |
| Deução Kobe | Futsal Futsal Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"... |
F. League F. League The F. League is the top league for Futsal in Japan. The winning team obtains the participation right to the AFC Futsal Club Championship.- Overview:... |
World Hall | 1993 |
| Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers are a Japanese rugby union team owned by Kobe Steel, Ltd., and based in Kobe. They were the first ever Top League champions when the League started in the 2003-4 season... |
Rugby Rugby football Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:... |
Top League Top League The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams... |
Home's Stadium Kobe Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kobe Sports Park, Suma-ku, Kobe, Japan. It is currently used mostly for soccer matches. The stadium holds 45,000. It was built in 1985 for the 1985 Summer Universiade. It hosted the 2006 61st National Sports Festival of Japan main... |
1928 |
| Hisamitsu Springs Hisamitsu Springs Hisamitsu Springs is a women's volleyball team based in Kobe city, Hyogo and Tosu city, Saga, Japan. It plays in V.Premier League. The club was founded in 1948.... |
volleyball Volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive... |
V.Premier League V.League (Japan) The V.Premier League is the top-level volleyball league for both men and women in Japan. The league started in 1994.The competitions are organized by the Japan Volleyball Association.... |
1948 | |
| Dragon Gate Dragon Gate is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy technical grappling,... |
Professional wrestling Professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport... |
World Hall | 1997 |
In 1991, Kobe played as hosts for the ABC Championship 1991, which was the Men's Asian Basketball Championship. It served as a qualifier for the 1992 Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Kobe has seven sister cities and a number of other affiliations. They are:Seattle, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1957) Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(1961) Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(1969) Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
(1974) Brisbane
City of Brisbane
The City of Brisbane is the Local Government Area that has jurisdiction over the inner portion of the metropolitan area of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(1985) Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
(1993) Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
(2010)
Sister ports
Kobe's Sister ports are: RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
(1967) Seattle, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1967)
Partnerships
Other city affiliations: TianjinTianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(friendly city) (1973) Philadelphia, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(friendship and cooperation city) (1986) Daegu
Daegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
(cooperation city) (2010)
External links
Official Kobe homepage Kobe City Info- New York Public Library Digital Gallery - late 19th century photographs of Kobe Official YouTube channel