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Cruises to Kobe

39 Reviews
Kobe (Photo:vichie81/Shutterstock)

About Kobe

Kobe, Japan's fifth-largest city, lies on the southern side of the main island of Honshu. With a population of 1.5 million, the city only grew to prominence relatively recently, in the Meiji period, as a port for foreign trade.

Kobe sits on a narrow spit of land between the Rokko mountain chain and the coast. Mount Rokko is a dormant volcano and dominates the approach to Kobe at an elevation of more than 3,000 feet. It is a popular fall tourist site for Japanese leaf-peepers.

Two artificial islands, Port Island and Rokko Island, have been built out into the harbor to allow space in the city for a modern airport and further development.

In the 13th century, Kobe was known as Hyogo Port and traded extensively with China. In 1868, at the end of Japan's period of self-imposed seclusion, Hyogo Port was reopened to foreign trade and was soon home to a considerable European enclave. The houses of these merchants and diplomats can be found today in Kobe's Kitano area.

Kobe's new 19th-century name derives from kanbe, an archaic name for those who supported the Ikuta Shrine. This Shinto shrine is one of the oldest in Japan. The stretch of coastline around Kobe was famous for the shrine before the city developed.

The city was fire-bombed in 1945, destroying more than a fifth of all buildings. Thirty years later, Kobe's city council passed an ordinance banning vessels carrying nuclear weapons from the port. This ruling, known as the "Kobe Formula," effectively prevents U.S. warships from entering the port because the U.S. Navy has a policy of not disclosing which of its warships are nuclear-armed.

Until 1995, Kobe was Japan's busiest port, but the Great Hanshin Earthquake destroyed much of the old port and killed 6,434 people. The earthquake is dramatically commemorated in Meriken Park. Despite ambitious rebuilding, Kobe is still only the fourth busiest port in Japan.

Kobe today is a fun place to arrive. You are quickly and suddenly in an attractive recreation area. Meriken Park with its modern art installations and lawns is a pleasant 800-meter walk from your ship. Visitors can enjoy Kobe's Maritime Museum and the iconic red Port Tower. Pay to visit its fifth-floor viewing platform, and you get to see how attractively laid out this city is.

Because of the decisions of the Meiji Emperor (1868 to 1912), Kobe remains a cosmopolitan city. That is why you'll find far more French and Italian restaurants, European bakeries and international supermarkets than you might expect. The European influence has also resulted in the city proving particularly popular with European ex-pats and having much more greenery than most Japanese cities. Kitano-cho, the foreigners' enclave to the north of the city center, reminds American visitors of Boston Common, and English residents of Hampstead. Locals take pride living in Kobe, and you can see why. This is a colorful, lively, friendly place to spend your time.

  • More about Kobe

  • Why go to Kobe?

  • Kobe Cruise Port Facilities?

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Norwegian Jewel
Norwegian Jewel

10 Night
Asia - JapanDetails

2,314 Reviews
Leaving:Tokyo
Cruise Line:Norwegian Cruise Line
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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Regatta
Regatta

38 Night
World CruiseDetails

390 Reviews
Leaving:Los Angeles
Cruise Line:Oceania Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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Regatta
Regatta

14 Night
Southeast Asia CruiseDetails

390 Reviews
Leaving:Tokyo
Cruise Line:Oceania Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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Diamond Princess
Diamond Princess

6 Night
Southeast Asia CruiseDetails

908 Reviews
Leaving:Tokyo
Cruise Line:Princess Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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12 Night
Tokyo To Singapore CruiseDetails

48 Reviews
Leaving:Tokyo
Cruise Line:Royal Caribbean International
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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30 Night
Southeast Asia CruiseDetails

235 Reviews
Leaving:Vancouver
Cruise Line:Regent Seven Seas Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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128 Night
128-day Grand World VoyageDetails

1,012 Reviews
Cruise Line:Holland America Line
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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Cruise Critic Favorite

43 Night
Grand World VoyageDetails

1,012 Reviews
Leaving:Honolulu
Cruise Line:Holland America Line
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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7 Night
Southeast Asia CruiseDetails

908 Reviews
Leaving:Kobe
Cruise Line:Princess Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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12 Night
Best Of Japan CruiseDetails

1,696 Reviews
Leaving:Yokohama
Cruise Line:Celebrity Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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53 Night
World CruiseDetails

390 Reviews
Leaving:Los Angeles
Cruise Line:Oceania Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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14 Night
Japan DiscoveryDetails

1,082 Reviews
Leaving:Yokohama
Cruise Line:Holland America Line
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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Cruise Critic Favorite

11 Night
Southeast Asia CruiseDetails

719 Reviews
Leaving:Seoul
Cruise Line:Oceania Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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12 Night
Far East CruiseDetails

908 Reviews
Leaving:Kobe
Cruise Line:Princess Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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13 Night
Southeast Asia CruiseDetails

908 Reviews
Leaving:Tokyo
Cruise Line:Princess Cruises
No prices currently available for this sailing.
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More about Kobe

Why go to Kobe?

Pros:

A lively waterfront with restaurants and shops, just five minutes from the city center

Cons:

An hour and a half from Kyoto's ancient palaces and temples and 40 minutes from Osaka

Bottom Line:

It's a modern port with good facilities and an abundance of day tours and transport options

Kobe Cruise Port Facilities?

Kobe Port Terminal is built on an artificial island, with splendid views out to sea and back to the city. Across the big red Kobe Ohashi Bridge, you come to Meriken Park, which lies between the port terminal and Naka Pier Cruise Terminal. Both terminals are well equipped to make entry procedures smooth and quick but offer little in the way of recreation or information. Both have telephones but no Internet facilities. To head to Meriken Park and Harborland, the twin waterside recreation areas, follow signs to the Port Tower and Maritime Museum.

Good to Know?

You will not find many restaurants with English menus, and if you're shopping for food in supermarkets and convenience stores, it is rare to see English-language signs.

It is useful to have a Japanese phrase book with you or to prepare some basic phrases -- especially if you have any food allergies. If necessary, prepare cards in Japanese to show staff at restaurants explaining that you cannot eat certain ingredients.

You will, however, find that Starbucks (1-2-1 Sakaemachidori and 7-1-19 Isogamidori) and McDonald's (6-46 Ikebirakicho and 2-2-2 Wakinohamakaigandori) only offer traditional Western refreshments and free Wi-Fi.

Getting Around?

On Foot: Most of the sightseeing spots and tourist attractions are within a 15- to 20-minute walk from both Kobe ports.

By Train: Port Liner operates between Kobe airport and Sannomiya Station connects the Kobe Port Terminal to central Kobe. It usually runs every few minutes from 6 a.m. to midnight. By Port Liner, it takes only five minutes from Sannomiya station. It takes 14 minutes in the other direction to go to the airport.

Naka Pier terminal is located a 10-minute walk from Sannomiya station on JR Kobe line. It is only a four-minute train journey from JR Kobe station. A free shuttle bus operates to JR Motomachi Station.

By Taxi: You can find plenty of metered taxis running or waiting around the port terminals and major train stations. Drivers are usually very helpful and speak reasonable English.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

The Japanese currency is the yen; check www.xe.com or www.oanda.com for current exchange rates. The Japanese tend to reserve credit cards for major purchases, so you will want to withdraw local currency. The area around Sannomiya station has three exchanges. ATMs can be found across Kobe city. The machinery is instantly recognizable, but they might have odd names like "Cash Pit." All have the choice of an English keyboard. If you go to any of the 7-Eleven convenience stores, you can withdraw money from machines within the store.

Language?

Japanese is the main language onshore. Kobe receives more Chinese-speaking tourists than English. Nevertheless, all sign posts and information are written in all three languages.

To ask where something is, use its name followed by wa doko dess-ka? For instance, "Kobe Tower wa doko dess-ka?"

"I don't speak Japanese" is Nihongo wa hanasemasen and "Do you speak English?" is Eigo o hanashimasu-ka?

Konnichiwa (Good day) is a useful, all-purpose greeting.

If you have a business card, remember to present it when introducing yourself. The Japanese have great respect for business cards. If you are offered one, make sure you study it briefly before filing it away (not in your back pocket). The longer you look, the more respect you are showing.

Where You're Docked?

Cruise ships generally dock at the Kobe Port Terminal on Shinko-cho, which has a total of six berths on both sides of Shinko Pier No. 4. The terminal building is airy, light and well staffed with elevators to take you up to the front entrance where taxis can be found. It's also possible to board the monorail there; the journey into the city takes only a few minutes. Buses can park right at the terminal.

The secondary cruise ship berthing is Naka Pier Cruise Terminal near Kobe Tower and the dramatic, white Kobe Meriken Park Oriental hotel. This terminal offers free shuttle bus service to the downtown area near Chinatown and JR Motomachi Station.


Kobe Cruise Reviews
Good tour which took us back to our favorite city in Japan, Kyoto. We also tried Kobe beef in Kobe.Read More
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Scottish Sinophile
Must see is the Nunobiki Falls. If the herb garden is not what you need to see, great option is take ropeway to midstation (1/2 price) and walk down the hiking trail. Great view and lots of photo ops along the traRead More
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gslvanbc
Short stay in port. Free bus transfer to the centre of town. Lovely afternoon shopping.Read More
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Helly133
There is not so much to ein Kobe itself, you can easily walk through the city and you should for sure have some Kobe Beef. From Kobe you can do excursions by train to Osaka or to Kyoto. Train System is very efficientRead More
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KarlGermany

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