KOBE: streets in kobe

John and I first started including Kobe in our Kansai trip last year, where we visited the busy Sannomiya and Hommachi areas, the "foreign" areas and the shops, as well as the UCC Coffee Museum and Nanjin machi. (Nanjingding, the "China Town" in Kobe.)

And this year we planned to visit the Kobe port and the areas near the waters. When we arrived at the Sannomiya staion via JR from Osaka, we were greeted by an old gentleman who spoke very good English and instructed us to go down a route to the port. The route down to the port was beautiful.


The "Flower Clock" was decorated to welcome the "Year of the Rat".


and shops and signs from different countries.


as well as traditional shops (this one is a nori/seaweed shop).


This historial shrine is located in the busy streets, among the tall buildings.





We passed the Nanjin machi (China Town) and had to grab some snacks!



Before we arrived by the port, we came across the first American Consulate in Kobe, built in 1868.

We then saw the water... it was beautiful!