Kobe is sited in the Kansai region, near Osaka and Kyoto and its port is a blend of exotic charm and local wheeling and dealing. It is now on its feet again after the 1995 earthquake, and is appreciated for its quality of life, and its proximity to the finest castle in all Japan, Himeji.

The town of Kobe is located in the heart of one of the most prosperous regions of Japan. The dynamism of the city can be traced back to its long trading past and the presence of large numbers of foreign firms, which give it its air of lively cosmopolitanism. Despite its population of 1.5 million inhabitants, Kobe can easily be explored on foot. In the centre, the teaming Chinese quarter of Nankin-machi, with its culinary delicacies, stands in direct contrast to the quarter of Kitano, in the north, with its residential hillside akin to a small-scale San Francisco. As you go towards the port, just at the spot of the maritime museum and the delightful municipal museum, dedicated to cultural exchanges between Asia and the West, the 108m of the Port Tower rise up to symbolise the town’s dynamism. From the top, you have a complete panorama of the town and the surrounding area. Shopping is also a prime activity in the streets around the two main stations, Sannomiya and Motomachi. The major stores bustle with activity, next to early 20th century buildings built by the first Europeans. Kobe is also famous throughout Japan for its beef, a legendary meat that is the delight of gourmets worldwide. Its tender, marbled flesh is one of the most expensive dishes in the country. A visit to Kobe would not be complete without a visit to Himeji castle, some fifty kilometres to the west of the city. This feudal castle with its dungeon is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site and was a symbol of prestige for the ancient shogun.