21 places on the main route where we can experience Japanese history
(20) Kitano Ijinkan (Foreigners’ Houses) Area, Kobe, Hyogo
(C)T.Okamoto
Foreign culture flowed into Japan through the Port of Kobe in the 19th century when Japan complied with the demands of the West to reopen its borders. Today, Kobe is one of the world’s leading trade ports. It can be reached by walking from Sannomiya Station or Montomachi Station on the JR, Hankyu or Hanshin railway line. A China town (Nankin-machi) and a separate settlement for foreigners are located in the vicinity in addition to shopping areas around the stations. In the settlement, which adds to the exoticism of the port city, are several old Western buildings, including the Kobe City Museum, formerly a branch of the Bank of Tokyo, with Greek-style columns. The Harborland, located near JR Kobe Station, is a new shopping and gourmet zone.
