Kobe (Osaka)

Kobe sits between Osaka Bay and Mount Rokko, and the port is close enough to walk into town. The Kobe Port Tower and the waterfront district are right there. Nada-Gogō, the sake brewery district east of the centre, has several breweries open for tastings and tours. The driverless Port Liner monorail connects the port terminal to the main train stations. Kobe beef is what most people come here to try, and the city has restaurants at every price point serving it. The Great Hanshin Earthquake Memorial in Meriken Park covers the devastating 1995 earthquake and the city's reconstruction. Kitano-chō, on the hillside above the centre, has a cluster of former foreign residences from the Meiji era with European architecture. Osaka is about 30 minutes by train if you want to spend the day there instead. Kobe's Chinatown (Nankin-machi) is compact and good for a quick lunch.