Kobe Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kobe!

Perched on a hillside sloping down to the sea, Kobe is one of Japan's most attractive and cosmopolitan cities. Compact and designed for walking, it is easily visited as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. Immerse yourself in the city's distinct atmosphere and dining options!

Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a four-hour tour that's best for you!

Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Mt. Rokko, Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0000 Hyogo Prefecture

Mount Rokko (六甲山, Rokkōsan, 931 meters) is the highest peak in the Rokko mountain range, which provides the pleasant green backdrop to the city of Kobe. Panoramic views of the heavily urbanized Hanshin region (Kobe and Osaka) can be enjoyed from the mountain and are particularly spectacular around sunset.

Stop At: Shin-Kobe Trail, Sannomiya, Chuo-Ku, Kobe Hyogo Prefecture

Shin-Kobe Ropeway (新神戸ロープウェー) is one of three services that lifts tourists up the southern slopes of the Rokko mountain chain. The ropeway departs from next to Shin-Kobe Station, Kobe's shinkansen station. As it ascends, it passes by the Nunobiki Waterfall and the Nunobiki Herb Garden, giving a nice aerial view of both. The highlight of the ride lies in the observation deck located just beside the top station, which offers spectacular views of Kobe and is a popular night view spot.

Stop At: Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park, 2-2 Hatobacho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe 650-0042 Hyogo Prefecture

On January 17, 1995 at 5:46 am, the city of Kobe was hit by the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake, resulting in the death of more than 5000 people and the destruction of tens of thousands of homes.

The Earthquake Memorial Museum, part of the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution (人と防災未来センター, Hito to Bōsai Mirai Center), was opened in 2002 to commemorate the tragic event and to educate visitors about earthquakes and disaster prevention. The museum includes a large screen theater with realistic images of the earthquake's destructiveness, a documentary film about the recovery process, lots of information about the earthquake and various interactive games about disaster prevention.

Stop At: Kitano Ijinkan-gai, 1 to 4 Chome, Chuo-Ku, Kobe 650-0002 Hyogo Prefecture

Kitano-cho (北野町, Kitanochō) is a city district at the foot of the Rokko mountain range where many foreign merchants and diplomats settled after the Port of Kobe was opened to foreign trade in the second half of the 19th century. More than a dozen of the former mansions, known as Ijinkan, remain in the area and are open to the public as museums.

Most of the houses charge an admission fee between 550 to 750 yen, while combination tickets are available to see multiple houses. The entire district is pleasant to walk through and offers a variety of cafes, restaurants and boutiques, making it a favorite among young Japanese couples.

Stop At: Kobe Harborland, 1Chome Higashi Kawasakicho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe 650-0044 Hyogo Prefecture

Kobe Harborland (神戸ハーバーランド) is a shopping and entertainment district between JR Kobe Station and the waterfront of Kobe's port area. The district offers a large selection of shops, restaurants, cafes and other amusements, which, together with the romantic evening atmosphere, have made it a popular spot for couples and tourists alike. The most prominent shopping complex in Kobe Harborland is Umie which consists of three parts: Mosaic, South Mall and North Mall.

Mosaic stretches along the waterfront and offers a wide selection of restaurants. Many of the eateries overlook the harbor with views of Kobe Port Tower and the Kobe Maritime Museum across the water, which are especially nice in the evenings when they are illuminated. At the southern end of Mosaic stand a Ferris wheel and the Anpanman Museum, a museum dedicated to the popular manga and anime series about the bread-headed superhero. The South Mall and North Mall are enclosed shopping malls featuring a department store and more various smaller shops.

Stop At: Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum, 4-5-5 Sumiyoshi Minamimachi, Higashinada-Ku, Kobe 658-0041 Hyogo Prefecture

Kobe's Nada (灘) district is Japan's top sake producing region. It has long been famous for its sake due to the availability of high quality rice, suitable water and favorable weather conditions in the area. Its proximity to Kobe Port and Osaka has also facilitated physical distribution since olden times.

Many sake breweries operate in the Nada district, which stretches approximately three kilometers east to west. Some open stores and/or exhibition rooms to the public and allow guests to taste their sake. A couple of them also maintain a museum introducing the process of sake brewing.

Stop At: Sawanotsuru Museum, 1-chōme-3-29番1号 Ōishi Minamimachi, Nada Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 657-0852, Japan

Sawanotsuru Sake Museum was opened in 1978 with the aim of commemorating the sake-brewing heritage of the Nada district. It was destroyed by the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 and was subsequently rebuilt in 1999. Visitors can learn about traditional brewing methods and the ingredients involved. English pamphlets are available.

Stop At: Chinatown (Nankinmachi), Chuo-Ku, Kobe Hyogo Prefecture

Nankinmachi (南京町) is a compact Chinatown in central Kobe and a center of the Chinese community in the Kansai Region. The area was developed by Chinese merchants who settled near Kobe Port after the port was opened to foreign trade in 1868. As the Chinatown developed, it became known as Nankinmachi after Nanjing, the former Chinese capital.

Nankinmachi is a popular tourist attraction and shopping and dining district. Two main streets run through the district, meeting each other at a small plaza in the center. They are packed with shops, restaurants and food stands that sell popular items such as steamed buns (manju), ramen, tapioca drinks and various other Chinese dishes, many of which have been Japanized to a certain degree.

Stop At: Sakuramasamune Kinenkan Sakuraen, 4-3-18, Minamimacho Uozaki, Higashinada-Ku, Kobe Hyogo Prefecture

Sakuramasamune has a small exhibition space which showcases some tools and simple machines used in the past for sake production. There is also a video presentation showing clips of its traditional brewing process. Sake tasting is available at a shop selling its sake brews. There is limited English information at this location.

Stop At: Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Brewery, 4-4-6 Uozakiminamimachi, Higashinada-Ku, Kobe 658-0025 Hyogo Prefecture

Hamafukutsuru has won several awards for its high-grade "ginjo" sake. The exhibition space on the second level of the building explains to guests their sake brewing process through diagrams and written information (English available). Visitors are also able to peer through windows to look at brewing machines as they are being used.

Stop At: Kiku-Masamune Shuzo Kinenkan, 1-9-1 Uosakinishimachi, Higashinada-Ku, Kobe 658-0026 Hyogo Prefecture

Kikumasamune Sake Museum is housed in a nice wooden-plaster building. Wooden tools, containers and machinery are exhibited in a room accompanied by atmospheric lighting and traditional music. Well-written pamphlets are available in nine languages.

Stop At: Kobe Shu-shin-kan Breweries, 1-8-17 Mikagetsukamachi, Higashinada-Ku, Kobe 658-0044 Hyogo Prefecture

Shushinkan has a large shop selling sake and sake-related products, as well as a restaurant serving Japanese cuisine in combination with sake. Free guided tours of the sake warehouse are held once per day except in December. Sake tasting is available as well.

Stop At: Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Tarumi-ku, 655-0047 Hyogo Prefecture

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is, with a length of almost four kilometers, the world's longest suspension bridge. Opened in 1998, it spans the Akashi Strait (Akashi Kaikyo) between Kobe and Awaji Island and is part of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, one of three expressways which connect Honshu with Shikoku.

The Bridge Exhibition Center at the foot of the Kobe side of the bridge provides well-presented information about the planning and construction of the bridge and about other suspension bridges around the world, although the detailed explanations are available in Japanese only.



Informacion Adicional
"Service animals allowed"
"Near public transportation"
"Stroller accessible"
"Surfaces are wheelchair accessible"
"Transportation is wheelchair accessible"
"Wheelchair accessible"
"Most travelers can participate"
"This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot."
"This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund"
"This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate"
"Confirmation will be received at time of booking"



Duration: 4 Hours
Start location: Traveler pickup is offered
This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7.

Airports

• Kobe Airport, 1 Kobekuko, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0048, Japan

Ports

• Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park, 2 Hatobacho, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0042, Japan

Cancellations and refunds: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.

Included

• Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
• Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from 'What to expect' list
• Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Kobe

Not Included

• Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
• Private Vehicle
• You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
• Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Facilities