More than meats the eye

More than meats the eye

The port city of Kobe in Japan, well-known for its highly marbled beef, waits for tourists to explore its other interesting aspects

TRAVEL
More than meats the eye
The Kobe Port Tower can be seen on the left side of this photograph.

Japan is one of the most popular destinations for Thai tourists. More than 80,000 Thais visit Japan monthly, and the total number of Thai visitors per year is expected to reach 1.1 million this year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). To Thais, well-known Japanese destinations include Tokyo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Osaka and Hokkaido, while Kobe sounds familiar for its premium-quality beef from grains and beer-fed cattle rather than tourism. As a matter of fact, this port city, about 500km from Tokyo, is worth a visit for its cultural diversity, modern comfort and good food.

Even if you have only a half-day to spend in Kobe, you can experience local ways of life in different parts of the city, ranging from the former foreign settlement and Chinatown to the port area. Recommended spots are the Weathercock House, the Moegi House, Kobe Port Tower, the Kobe Harborland and Mosaic waterside complex.

Nestled in the hilly Kitano old foreign-settlement district, Weathercock House is a two-storey wooden house with ridge structure, brick outer walls and a spired and slate roof, as well as a heaped stone porch and a half-timbered structure on the second floor

It is regarded as a symbol of Kitano area. The house was constructed by skilled Japanese carpenters and workers in 1909 as the residence of German trader G. Thomas. It was designed by German architect G. de Lalande, who was famous in Japan in the early 20th century. It is different from other ijinkan (foreign houses) in the area, since it is the only house with red brick walls. The top of the roof is adorned with a weathercock.

Chinatown.

The house is influenced by traditional German architecture, with a hint of the Art Nouveau of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For example, every room's metallic door knobs, the guest room's chandelier, details on the entrance porch and the caricature in the den are in the Art Nouveau style. Interestingly, the fireplace, sideboard and wooden beams on the ceiling resemble those of a medieval castle.

The house's entrance hall, living room, dining room, study, master bedroom, child's room, guest room and breakfast room are decorated in different styles. The living room and dining room are adorned with old photos of the former house owners, families and friends and original antiques. The glass room boasts an exhibition on the history and old photos of the house and its former owners as well as Kobe city's foreign settlement.

The house was declared a National Important Cultural Property in 1978 and largely restored from 1983-85 to bring it back to its original form. It is now owned by Kobe city.

The Kitano former foreign-settlement area.

A few minutes' walk from the Weathercock House is the Moegi House, the former residence of US General Consul Hunter Sharp in 1903. This two-storey wooden house has a hipped roof and crosspiece tiles, two unique-shaped bay windows, an arabesque-patterned staircase and a finely decorated mantelpiece.

It was designed by British architect Alexander Nelson Hansell and called the White Mansion before it was painted green and renamed the Moegi House in 1987. It changed hands to Hideo Kobayashi, former president of Kobe Electric Railway, in 1944 and was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 1980. It is currently owned by Ichizu Koyayashi and four others.

From the house's balcony on the first floor, visitors can enjoy the stunning views of Kobe city and its surrounding areas. The atmosphere in this house is bright and warm with green, yellow and wooden tones.

On the way to or from both houses, visitors can see lovely boutiques and Kobe's famous chocolate and egg-tart shops lining the small sloping pathway.

Moegi House.

Another landmark of the city is the red-coloured Kobe Port Tower, the world's first sightseeing tower with a pipe structure. Built in 1963, the tower is 108m high and has five levels and two lifts. It can accommodate up to 600 people at a time. At over 60m from the ground, the observatory skywalk on the first floor is where visitors can stand and look through a glass-panel on the floor, while the observatory display on the second floor boasts a restaurant and souvenir shop.

The observatory café and sky lounge on the third floor has a rotating floor that completes a circuit in 20 minutes. From the 3rd to 5th floor, visitors can enjoy beautiful 360-degree views of the city, the port and the Rokko mountain range. Looking north, visitors can see the foot of Mt Rokko and the Kitano former foreign settlement. To the south, visitors can see Naka Pier for cruise ships, Kobe airport and shipyards. On fine days, the sight of Kansai Airport and Izumi mountain range is visible in the south. To the east, visitors can see Meriken Park, Kobe Port Terminal and the artificial islands of Port and Rokko. To the west, visitors can see Naka Pier below and the Kobe Harborland and Mosaic lifestyle complexes as well as an island in the far distance.

Within walking distance from the tower are the Kobe Harborland and Mosaic complexes, as well as the Meriken Park with the Earthquake Memorial Park and the "Be Kobe" photo-taking spot. The park is in memory of more than 5,000 people who died or were injured in the Jan 17, 1995, quake. At the Kobe Harborland and Mosaic complexes, visitors can shop until they drop, savour a variety of food and beverages, and stroll the beautiful waterside before going home.


Visit http://plus.feel-kobe.jp and http://hello-kobe.com for more information about tourism in Kobe.

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