Dave's opinion
2005 was the first time for me to come to Kobe, and to Japan. I researched a lot about the city , and about Japan the year before I came to Japan. I really love Kobe, because it isn’t to big as city’s like Osaka, and Tokyo, and it has a lot of nature. You have the mountains, the ocean, and a lot of parks in the area. What I for definitely recommend to people is Mt Rokko, the Garden terrace at night, you have one of the most beautiful view of the world, with looking over Kobe, Osaka, and the surroundings. I came here on my wedding day so for me it was even more special. In the centre of the city you have Sannomiya , here are the shopping places, where you definitely don’t get bored, and for some relaxing you can go to the Ikuta shrine, or the Japanese gardens Sorakuen. The citizen of Kobe are very friendly, and they always try to help you, also they leave you alone, and they don’t ask stupid questions like: do you have a fridge in your country?
A perfect day in Kobe would be for me; first go to Meriken park, in the south of the city, early in the morning, where you can wake up nice, go to Port tower, where you can have a look over the whole city. Then I would go to starbucks in Sannomiya to get some lovely ice coffee (very popular in Japan) then do some window shopping in Sannomiya, and Nankin-machi (china town). Visit the Ikuta shrine, and the Sorakuen garden. And at the end I go to Mt Rokko, garden terrace with my wife to get some nice dinner, enjoy the beautiful view, and have some great talks about life.
From all the city’s I have been in my life (short live I am just 20 but have lived in Sydney, Amsterdam, Perth , and visit many others.) Kobe is for sure one of my favourites , because of the people, the modern city, the great Japanese food and many other things. There is just one things that I don’t like that much, and that is that there isn’t always English information available everywhere. But even when a Japanese can’t speak English, they always try to help you out, and there is nothing wrong with learning some Japanese like Hello, and thanks yourself.
Dave