The city's waterfront is a great place to begin your exploration, with Kobe Port Tower, a city landmark, offering stunning 360-degree views. Frequent boat trips around the bay offer a different perspective, including the sight of several submarines anchored at the port. 

The harbor has a cluster of international dining options; however, serious foodies will skip any restaurant that doesn’t specialize in melt-in-the-mouth Kobe beef. There is no shortage of restaurants serving this perfectly marbled meat, but expect to pay top dollar for this bucket-list experience.

For more affordable dining, head to Nankinmachi, a tiny Chinatown that dates back to the mid-1800s. Most cuisine here has been Japanized, providing a tasty cultural crossover.

Mt. Rokko is another slowpaced way to experience this laidback city. Take a cable car to the 931-meter peak to visit its botanical garden, golf course, music box museum and observation deck.

Official Language: Japanese

Currency: Yen (JPY)

Time Zone: UTC+9

Calling Code: +81