Best Kobe Shore Excursions, Day Trips & Small-group Tours from Port

Cruise Guest at Kobe Port

Sample Kobe Beef

Kobe Beef is a lump of tender, flavorful meat which is well marbled with fat. It is produced from pedigreed Tajima breed cattle that were born and bred in Hyogo Prefecture. Dishes of Kobe Beef usually are steaks, shabu shabu (thin slices of meat quickly boiled in a broth) or sukiyaki (meat slices simmered in a hot pot). Prices can vary, but one thing for sure is it often charges from 8,000 to 30,000 yen per person.

Arima Onsen

Located on the opposite side of Mount Rokko from the city center, Arima Onsen is a hot spring town representing for the traditional Japan features. With a budget from 200 to 2000 yen, visitors on Kobe shore excursions can have special treatment for refreshing and improving poor circulation, backaches, and skin disorders when bathing in the hot spring water.

Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Park

The city of Kobe was hit by the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake in 1995. This horrible event caused the death of more than 5000 people and the damage to thousands of homes. For that reason, in 2002, the Earthquake Memorial Museum was established as a part of the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution. The museum illustrates realistic images of the earthquake's destructiveness, a documentary film about the recovery process and information about the earthquake in a large screen theatre. 

Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)

Nankinmachi gives visitors on Kobe shore excursions the opportunity to experience Chinese culture right in central Kobe. It was developed by Chinese merchants who settled near Kobe Port after the port was opened to foreign trade in 1868. As the Chinatown developed, it is named after the former Chinese capital - Nanjing. You can experience the real Chinese culture when surrounded by significant items such as steamed buns, ramen, tapioca drinks, etc.

Himeji Castle on Kobe Excursions

Himeji Castle or White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) is known as Japan’s most spectacular castle for its elegant white appearance. The castle is highly appreciated as a national treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It comprises of over eighty buildings and ninety-three rooms spread across multiple baileys connected by lots of gates and winding paths. Himeji Castle is also a popular cherry blossom spot, especially in early April.

Nara Park from Kobe Port

Nara Park is a large park located in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum.  Enjoying a walk in Nara Park, visitors on Kobe shore excursions are likely to see freely roaming deers. The park is home to nearly 1200 deers, that is the reason why it is cherished as a natural treasure.

Nonomiya Jinja Shrine

Nonomiya Jinja is a small shrine situated near the well-known temple Tenryū-ji, along the Sagano walking path that leads visitors to the bamboo forest and up into the foothills of Arashiyama. It served as a sacred house belonged to imperial princesses selected as priestesses for Ise Shrine.

Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum

Heading to Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, visitors on Kobe shore excursions can experience sake brewery. Sake made in this museum brings up another taste of aroma and fruity sweet thanks to the high-quality water of Fushimi district. A glass of chilled sake can refresh your mind and body in summer and keep you warm in winter

Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine

Iwashimizu Hachimangu was established in an honor of Hachiman, the God of War. Until 1868, it was a shrine-temple complex dedicated to both Buddhist and Shinto practices. It is rare to have a chance to enter the inner sanctum of a shrine, but at Iwashimizu Hachimangu, you are able to join a tour to have a deeper understanding of the temple’s history.