Sean's opinion
I first arrived in Kobe in 1999, a mere four years after it had been more or less destroyed in the earthquake. There were relatively few signs of the destruction were visible by the time I got there, which was pretty amazing given the extent of the damage.
Kobe is a wonderful city, but it isn't easy to describe why. It doesn't have the beautiful temples and shrines like nearby Kyoto and Nara, nor does it have a majestic castle like Himeji to the west. For nightlife and entertainment it can't top the outlandish facades and gaudy nightclubs of Osaka.
What Kobe does offer is a well balanced mix of everything. The mountains that lie just north of the city centre offer a beautiful natural backdrop that few cities of its size can boast. A mere 10 minute walk from the foot of the mountains you arrive at the massive shopping area that runs from Kobe station all the way to Sannomiya. From here you can choose to walk along the Shotengai (shopping arcades) bustling with thousands of shoppers on any given day with about any commodity imaginable available for sale. Or for those preferring a more slow paced experience you can just duck into the somewhat run down arcade that runs directly beneath the train tracks, its full of interesting shops which have quite a bit more character than the ones on the main drag.
I spent about five years living in Akashi and Himeji, immediately west of Kobe. I made a point of going into the city at least three or four times per month. Kobe is something of a centre for the international community in the Kansai area, with the Canadian academy on Rokko Island and the offices of the Kansai Time Out just north of Kobe station. This status mainly stems from its having been a major port city dating back to the 12th century when Taira no Kiyomori sought to expand his clans wealth by opening a port for trade with China in Hyogo. It gives Kobe a distinct feel from most other Japanese cities, it has Japan's second largest Chinatown and a wide variety of international shops, restaurants, pubs and of course, people. Whenever I felt like meeting up with my friends and going out for dinner, Kobe was always the place to go.
My last experience in Kobe was in December of 2004, exactly 5 years to the day after my first visit to the city. I finally broke down and took my wife to see the Luminarie, the cities famed light show it has held every December since the earthquake. It was a bit like visiting an overcrowded amusement park, we spent over two hours in line to spend five minutes looking at a bunch of lights that, while impressive, really weren't worth the wait. I wasn't dissapointed though, the line snaked from the start of the Motomachi Shotengai where the Maruzen book store used to be, past the Daimaru department store and a million and one other shops and restaurants I had come to know well over the previous half decade. It was a good way to say farewell, but I hope that someday I'll be able to walk those streets again.
Sean M.