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Travel Guide

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  • Himeji Castle

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Top Things to do

• Himeji Castle

  4.5

  5323 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Himejishi Honmachi 68

  Also known as the White Heron Castle, this shining white castle is registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Structures such as the castle tower built in the early Edo period still stand today, and these are also registered as National treasures and national Important Cultural Properties. One of the most prominent theories is that the castle was originally erected as a fort by Akamatsu Sadanori in 1346. Ikeda Terumasa began renovating the castle when he became the lord of the castle after the Battle of Sekigahara, expanding it into the expansive compound seen today. The castle tower is located in the southeast corner of the foundation. The castle looks to be composed of five tiers from the outside and internally is comprised of six floors above ground and one subterranean level. The castle shining a blinding white in the light of the sun is truly a beautiful sight.

• Kobe Harborland

  4.0

  1937 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Chuou-ku Higashikawasakichou 1

  A variety of entertainment facilities stand side by side in Kobe Harborland, including stores, restaurants, amusement attractions, and hotels. A stroll through the area gazing out over the sea in daytime is pleasant, but the illuminated nightscape is also fun to enjoy. On weekends, a flea market and numerous other events are held here as well.

• Hanshin Koshien Stadium

  4.5

  679 Reviews

  Hyougo Pref. Nishinomiyashi Koushienchou 1-82

  This baseball stadium is in Koshien Town, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture and is the headquarters of the professional baseball team the “Hanshin Tigers.” It is also used as the site for the two major national high school baseball competitions, the “Japanese High School Baseball Championship” held in summer and the “Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament” held in spring. While it features single-layer type stands, it has the largest capacity of any baseball stadium in Japan. The “Koshien Museum,” which introduces the history of the stadium and the Tigers as well as high school baseball, is a popular attraction, as are the stadium tours. There's plenty of original food as well, and the jumbo grilled chicken skewers, Koshien curry, and Koshien fried soba are famous.

• Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlet

  4.0

  571 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Kita-ku Koududai 7-3

  Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlet is representative of an outlet mall in Kobe and is located inside the precinct of Kobe Research Park Kozudai in Kita Ward, Kobe. This outlet’s modern and open design is modeled on Pasadena, an exclusive residential area in the outskirts of Los Angeles city. The outlet mall boasts of being the second largest in Japan, and many shoppers visit the restaurants and the roughly 210 high class brand shops from Japan and around the world which are lined up within the mall. Also there are a lot of nature and sightseeing spots located in the outskirts such as Arima Hot Springs and Kobe Fruit & Flower Park, and you can enjoy it together with shopping.

• Kobe Animal Kingdom

  4.5

  604 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Chuou-ku Minatojimaminamimachi 7-1-9

  An all-weather theme park located on Port Island in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. Its predecessor was the Kobe Flower and Bird Garden, a facility which brought guests in contact with flowers and birds. The park contains numerous greenhouses and outdoor exhibition spaces where tropical flowers bloom in profusion. Numerous varieties of animals and birds are also allowed to roam the park freely, or can be view up close in special exhibits. Visitors can enjoy getting close to and even feeding rare birds, capybara, alpacas, and penguins. The impressive bird show and dog performances are a must-see. The park’s seasonal buffet can be enjoyed by all ages, from children to senior citizens, making it well-received with families.

• Samurai Residence of the Kaminoyama Domain

  4.5

  1110 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Himejishi Honmachi 68

  This is a Japanese garden in Himeji City. The gardens were opened in 1992 and make the best use of the ruins of the samurai residence at Himeji Castle Nishioyashiki-ato. The gardens are on grounds of approximately 3.3 hectare and command a view of the World Heritage Site, Himeji Castle—and the gardens contains a group of nine different types of garden such as “The garden of the Lord’s residence” which has a large pond that is home to 250 colourful carp and a waterfall. The gardens are also used as a location for historical dramas as the gardens have scenery reminiscent of the Edo period such as the Tsuiji wall (mud wall with a tiled roof) and the Yashiki-mon Gate. It is well known as a site famed for its autumn leaves, and also holds an illumination during the season.

• Kobe Oji Zoo

  4.0

  641 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Nada-ku Oujichou 3-1

  This is a zoo in Oji Park and is located about three minutes on foot from Oji-koen Station on the Hankyu Line. In addition to the zoo being in the park, there are also such facilities as Zoological Science Museum, an amusement park, restaurants, shops, and Kobe’s Ijinkan, Former Hunter’s residence, so you can spend a full day enjoying it all. One of the highlights is looking at the animals being fed or trained such as being able to see the panda in accordance with the time schedule. Also, during petting time you can have a cute rabbit or a guinea pig on your lap, and you can take a picture with them.

• Ikuta Shrine

  4.0

  825 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Chuou-ku Shimoyamatedori 1-2-1

  This is a shrine located in Kobe City. The shrine has a history of more than 1,800 years dating back to the time of Empress Jingu, and its founding is also noted in the “Nihon Shoki” (second oldest book of classical Japanese history). It is famous as a shrine which brings love to a happy conclusion, and is also famous for marriage and prayers for easy childbirth; the shrine is fondly known by the pet name of “Ikuta San”. The vermilion-lacquered columns of the tower gate and the main shrine are impressive, so the shrine is also popular as a ceremonial hall for Shinto weddings. Many worshipers visit throughout the year and flock to the temple for the first shrine visit of the New year.

• Kobe City Suma Aqualife Park

  4.0

  379 Reviews

  Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Suma-ku Wakamiyachou 1-3-5

  This is an aqua park in Suma Kaihin Park about five minutes on foot from JR Sumakaihinkoen Station. The aqua park opened in 1957. It is loved by the citizens of Kobe who have given it the nickname of “Smasui”, and the aqua park celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2017. Located in an area as one enters the park, straight away one will come across such animals as sharks and ray leisurely swimming in large tanks. Besides that, there are also plenty of programs for children up to adults which enable you to experience sea creatures up close such as a commentary and a demonstration of feeding the sea otters and a live show where you can have contact with true seals and bottlenose dolphins.