Top Kobe Art & Culture

Arima Onsen (hot spring) is famous as the oldest hot spring resort in Japan. The high quality of the spring water still attracts people, and many tourists from Japan and abroad come to spend a relaxing time in the old-fashioned streets. In this tour, you can experience the deeper Arima culture by strolling around the hot spring town. There are two main types of onsen sources in Arima Onsen: the reddish-brown "Kinsen" (Gold hot spring) and the carbonated "Ginsen" (silver hot spring). It is said to be very rare to find two hot springs with completely different ingredients gushing out in the same area. At some of the spots, you can see the source gushing out, touch it, and drink it. We will introduce you to the mechanism of the source, and visit stores that sell Japan's first cider, which developed from carbonated water, and specialty rice crackers, to show you all the charm of Arima Onsen. Join this tour of the highlights of Arima Onsen and experience Japan's hot spring culture!

This is a virtual tour using Zoom, online conference system. This unique 1h tour brings you to one of the most beautiful and popular cities in Japan, Kobe and surrounding hot spring resort, Arima. The friendly host will make your experience more interactive. We use not only photos or videos but also handmade materials or actual goods from guides' living room, that makes you feel livelier. You can ask them anything about Japan, Kobe and other popular tourists spots by chat or by talk session between and after the tour. This tour will provide helpful hints for your future trip to Japan. PLEASE NOTE the tour time is Japan standard time. Make adjustment to your time when booking. We'll send you Zoom URL invitation and you can enter the room easily.

Cruise passengers with limited time on land will enjoy the convenience of this private tour of Nara from Osaka or Kobe. Learn all about Japanese history and culture at this ancient capital, full of UNESCO-listed temples and shrines, traditional Japanese gardens, and one of the biggest Buddha statues in the country. You’ll be picked up from the port or your hotel and returned there at the end of the day.

Make the most of a short time on land with this private shore excursion to Kobe. Instead of rushing around with a large group, slow down and appreciate the quieter side of Kobe. Visit the Herb Gardens, the Nunobiki Ropeway, and more. Sake lovers will enjoy checking out a sake brewery, to learn more about this Japanese drink. Foodies can also opt to dine at a restaurant serving Kobe beef.

Sake breweries are scattered in the Nada area, where the area is known as one of the best sake breweries in Japan. Several breweries are open to the public, and they are popular with tourists because they offer tours of the production process and free tastings. Sake brewing in Nada has been active since the Edo period and now accounts for about 30% of Japan's total sake production. The location, climatic environment, quality of rice, and water are just perfect to brew sake in Nada. Those are essential for sake brewing, and the craftsmanship has been handed down from generation to generation with its techniques. This tour will not only introduce a sake brewery and tasting but will also introduce you to the food culture using sake, strolling through local shopping streets. By learning about the efforts of the people involved in sake brewing, as well as feeling the daily lives in the area, you will be able to understand the appeal of sake.

Discovering a new city, especially one like beautiful Kobe, is exciting but it's even more fun when you get to do it with a friend by your side. That is exactly what it will feel like as you explore Kobe with one of our hosts from the area. Visit Ikuta Shrine, one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, or amble up Mt. Rokko. You could also venture beyond Mount Rokko to the outdoor hot springs of Arima Onsen. Kobe is a hive of activity, from fine dining to downtown shopping, animal petting, so get ready for an adventure. adventure awaits. Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

If you are visiting Kobe for the first time, chances are you want to find your feet amid the colorful sights and smiling faces of this special city. You probably want to get right to exploring so why not let one of our hosts, a savvy local, show you the ropes so that you can begin your adventure? You could check out top attractions, explore the area you are staying in or just wander the streets. Plan B- grab your host and head down to a restaurant where you can sit down to a meal and get the inside scoop on where to go and how to get there. Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

City tours are great for first-time visits but often have rigid itineraries and tight schedules. This tour offers the chance to design a completely custom family-friendly itinerary with a local host assigned to you based on your interests. Highlights can include riding a cable car up Mount Rokko, visiting Arima Onsen Hot Springs, or checking out the Oji Zoo. Once the tour begins, you’re free to change destinations as you see fit.

This is a great pick for first-time visitors to Kobe or those wanting to explore its highlights in a day. Save time itinerary planning and join a guide on an adventure that showcases a mix of nature spots, shrines, museums, and great shopping and foodie spots. Highlights along the way include Nunobiki Falls, Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, Ikuta Shrine, and Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum.

You’ll spend the day with one of our hosts discovering the true nature of Kobe - and there is plenty of nature to see, the city is wedged between sweeping coastlines and vast mountain ranges after all. Explore the thriving Kobe Motomachi Shopping Street and indulge in authentic cuisine in Nankinmachi, Kobe’s Chinatown. Scale the Kobe Port Tower, where you can see the city's sweeping skyline highlighted by the neon, and discover hidden gems along the way, like the smaller shrines and historic streets that many visitors miss - but not you! Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

In the north, the mountain. In the south, the sea... In the middle, you! Visiting this so beautiful city. We will discover together Kobe, from the north to the south. History, fashion and modernity are melting in this so picturesque city.

Kobe is known as an international port city, but it is also known as a place that reminds us of nature and conveys traditions. This tour will take you to see the craftsmanship and cultures nurtured in Kobe, as well as the nature that shows its expression in each of the four seasons. First, you will visit Nunobiki Falls, known as one of the three most sacred waterfalls in Japan, where you can feel the majestic activity of nature. At the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, you can experience and learn about the carpentry techniques that have supported the development of Japan. At the end of the tour, you will visit the Sorakueb Garden, a quaint place with a perfect blend of nature, tradition, and Japanese and Western culture. We will provide you with a day to rediscover the charm of Kobe by experiencing the nature and traditions scattered throughout the city.

Customize your sightseeing itinerary on this private walking tour of Kobe, Japan’s historic port city. Choose from multiple options, including a scenic cruise along Kobe Bay, a visit to the top of panoramic Kobe Port Tower, and admission to Kawasaki World, a transportation-themed museum. Tours include free time for lunch, so you can grab a bite of the city’s famed Kobe steak.

Kobe is a port city that has prospered through trade with other countries since ancient times. It has nurtured a wide range of industries such as world-famous sports brands, construction technology, and even Japanese sake. In this tour, you will learn about the industries that were born in Kobe. First, you will visit the UCC Coffee Museum, where you will learn the little-known secret of how Japan has changed the way to drink coffee. After that, you can enjoy the shoes of world-famous athletes and how they are made at the ASICS Sports Museum. The sake industry is also popular in Kobe. You will visit the Sawanotsuru Museum, to learn how it is made and taste some of the unique Japanese sake. Finally, you will be exposed to architectural techniques that have been refined to today. Learning about the traditional techniques used in Japanese shrines and temples will make your stay in Japan more enjoyable. Let's learn more about such techniques and traditions by tasting with all five senses!

Here is a great plan to enjoy Kobe, one of the most popular tourist areas in Kansai, all in one day! You will come across tones of unique cultures in Kobe, for example, a fusion of Japanese and international cuisines, a waterfall in the middle of the city, one of the largest man-made islands in the world. It sounds quite difficult to get around in one day, even if you use public transportation. However, you can efficiently tour around the city of Kobe by using an electrically power-assisted bicycle. In this tour, you will visit all the highlights of Kobe at once while enjoying cycling. This plan is recommended for those who want to enjoy sightseeing with a bicycle!

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kobe! Perched on a hillside sloping down to the sea, Kobe is one of Japan's most attractive and cosmopolitan cities. Compact and designed for walking, it is easily visited as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. Immerse yourself in the city's distinct atmosphere and dining options! Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a four-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Kobe is known worldwide for its eponymous beef, but there’s more to this city’s food scene than this prized meat. On this private tour, you’ll be matched with a food-loving local host who will devise a food-focused itinerary that suits your taste and eating style. Sample multiple foods, as well as beer, sake, and Japanese soft drinks.

The well-known activity in Kobe is to visit Nada sake breweries, Mt. Rokko, and Arima Onsen. However, enjoying the nightlife in the city center is one of the experiences you cannot miss. Tones of lights fill the city center and the view has been called the "10 million dollar night view". Kobe also has a lot of pubs, bars, and other places to enjoy drinks in the nighttime. Kobe is the birthplace of jazz in Japan, so there are many bars and coffee shops where you can enjoy jazz. In this tour, you will visit some of Kobe's most popular night view spots and spend a relaxing time at jazz bars. We recommend this tour for those who want to enjoy a different kind of nightlife in Japan.

We introduce you to a tour of Kobe, one of Japan's most famous port cities, where you can capture some of the most beautiful scenery! The city of Kobe developed rapidly from a farming village with sprawling fields as the Port of Kobe was opened in the modern era and trade with foreign countries began. The city topography limits the amount of land you can live on due to the proximity of the sea and mountains, and the buildings are lined up along the slopes. Looking out to sea, cruise ships and transport ships come and go, and unique buildings such as the Port Tower and Harbor Land attract the eye in the harbor. Many tourists come to Kobe to enjoy the beautiful scenery. If you look towards the mountains, you will find many Western-style buildings that are deeply influenced by foreign cultures, and walking the streets will make you feel as if you have gone back in time. Why don't you join us for a photo tour that will leave you with memories of your visit to Kobe?

Kobe is famous for its cityscape and beautiful harbor views. However, these are not the only attractions of Kobe. Why don't you take a deeper look into the history of Kobe and the lives of the locals? Kobe has many historical sites left behind, especially the canals that have remained over 100 years. Also, there are still many old shopping streets in Kobe, such as butcher shops and grocery stores where locals go shopping. Furthermore, you can feel the daily life at taverns crowded with the locals. This tour will take you to temples and museums where you can learn about the history of Kobe, and to restaurants where you can taste local food loved by the local people! You can see one of the three largest Buddhas in Japan at a temple, which closely relates to the development of Kobe's port. We recommend this plan for those who want to know more about Kobe.

Have fun talking with local people in a super smiley environment! Shioya is a quaint peaceful fishing village nestled in a valley. It takes about 15 minutes from Kobe, 40 mins from Osaka and 70 mins from Kyoto by JR train. First, let’s go to the harbor. Enjoy a photogenic view of Mt Rokko, Awaji island, the Pearl bridge, even Kansai airport across the sea on a sunny day. You can taste and buy Nori (seaweed) from local fishing family. Then through the tunnel, we’ll go into SHIOYA town. I’d like you to know about real Japanese daily life by walking through a temple, a shrine, a cemetery, etc. Also, I want to share my local vision with you, visiting a barber shop which has more than 100 years of history, a tatami factory, and our beautiful heritage Guggenheim house, and others when they are open. While walking, let’s enjoy various local snacks & drinks and communication with friendly local people.

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kobe! Perched on a hillside sloping down to the sea, Kobe is one of Japan's most attractive and cosmopolitan cities. Compact and designed for walking, it is easily visited as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. Immerse yourself in the city's distinct atmosphere and dining options! Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Kobe is famous as one of the major cities in the Kansai region. Did you know that you can also enjoy the beautiful coastal scenery that has been featured in international guidebooks? The area around Akashi Kaikyo, just a 30-minute train ride from the center of Kobe, is full of special spots that only the locals know about. The people of this area have lived with the sea for a long time, hence maritime transportation was crucial for their lives. The city has also historically attracted many tourists, as the view of the Akashi Strait from the coast has appeared in many of Japan's most famous literary works. In this tour, we will introduce you to such places where you can enjoy the scenery and life along the coast of Kobe! This plan is for those who want to enjoy the charm of the Seto Inland Sea as well as the central city of Kobe!

At 5:46 a.m. on January 17, 1995, an earthquake of unimaginable magnitude occurred, which no one had expected. Today, Kobe is known as a sophisticated city, but there is a long story behind. The theme of this tour is to know the strength of the people who experienced the earthquake and the history of reconstruction. You will learn about the scale of the actual earthquake and its devastation, and you will be able to see the difference between the way Kobe was then and how it is now. Furthermore, the major tourist spots in Kobe are also symbols of the reconstruction, so this tour will not only take you to famous tourist spots but will also give you a deeper understanding of the history of the city. Japan is an earthquake-prone island nation, and we never know when we will be struck by such a disaster again. Take a trip with your private guide to reflect on the trajectory of the earthquake and recovery.