Kobe, as the sixth largest city in Japan and the capital city of the Hyōgo Prefecture, is home to approximately 1.5 million people with 50,000 expatriates. Kobe is part of the wider Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. Rich culture, great food, polite people, clean surroundings, the good things in Kobe are endless.
Kobe Expatriates Areas
The city has been influenced by Western cultures since the government first started trading with western countries in 1853. As a metropolitan city today, you can find many expatriates in some areas in Kobe. For expatriates who are working in Kobe, you often find them working in the business and financial district. To live in Kobe as an expatriate, here are some recommended areas where you can consider to build your life:
Sannomiya
Sannomiya is the heart of the city so it is a great place for living. It is also a major transportation hub with the intersection of JR, Hankyu, Hanshin, Kobe Municipal Subway and Kobe New Transit train lines.Around the station, you can find three main shopping arcades. First is Sannomiya Center Gai shopping street, which runs from Sannomiya to Motomachi. Second is Santica, the large underground shopping arcade. The third is Koukashita, the 2km long shopping arcade under the JR railway tracks. The Motomachi and Tor Road areas are also popular with the Nankinmachi Chinatown, where you can find various authentic Chinese restaurants and Chinese grocery stores.If you are into sports activities, check out The Kobe Regatta and Athletic Club which is popular within expatriates.Housing in or near Sannomiya is exclusively in high-rise apartment buildings with typical higher floors offering wonderful views of the mountains and sea.
Suma and Tarumi
The Suma and Tarumi wards are located in the west of downtown Kobe, and both are good locations for families. The Shioya area is popular for expatriates who are working in Akashi. Shioya Tochi comes with large western-style homes in an exclusive community. In this area, we can find the James Yama Country Club, which has a long and notable history in the Kobe area. Detached houses, low-rise, and high-rise apartments are available in this area as well. Tarumi ward also contains "James Mountain", a housing development offering western-style houses. Residents of this development have access to the Shioya Country Club, where you can find restaurant, bar, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a gym.Easily access large shopping arcade, with a supermarket, restaurants, a craft shop, an electrical store and much more is minutes away by driving. In addition, there are a general hospital and nearby clinics with English speaking staffs. Located along the coast, Suma and Tarumi present nice sand beaches to compliment your hot summer day.
Rokko
If you are looking for an area which not located in the city center, Rokko area (not Rokko Island) is pretty comfortable to live yet convenient to travel to the city center.The area is also served by the foreigner-friendly Kaisei Hospital and some other English-speaking clinics. The Kobe Union Church and the Mormon church are located nearby. The famous Oji Zoo and the Oji Sports Center are in the area for your recreation needs.You can find a wide range of residential, from detached houses to luxury apartments to suit your best interest.
Akashi
Located 15 minutes from downtown Kobe and 40 minutes to Osaka by train, Akashi is suburban living. Akashi is also famous for its seafood, particularly Octopus, Red Snapper, and their other fresh fish. Housing here is mostly in detached houses and low-rise apartments.
Ashiya City
If you want the lavish luxurious life, there is Ashiya City. Located between mountains and the ocean, Ashiya is Kobe’s most exclusive neighborhood. Ashiya is popularly known as the “Beverly Hills” of Japan. Truth to be told, many famous people buy houses here. It is also one of the most expensive places to live in Kobe. You can find a wide range of high-class restaurants, café, and various shops along the streets. It is a great place to spend the day window shopping. International supermarkets include Ikari, Peacock, and a small Daimaru department store are located just in front of JR Ashiya Station.Popular with celebrities, Ashiya City offers large western style homes and low-rise apartments. Great for singles, couples, and families.If you want to live nearby with affordable life, the surrounding areas of Shukugawa, Nishinomiya, and Kurakuen are less expensive and are also popular within expatriates.
Places of Interest in Kobe
Kobe City was completely destroyed in 1995 by an earthquake that shook the whole area. Today, the city has been completely transformed into a beautiful tourist destination.
Kobe Port Tower
Kobe's most popular landmark, the tower's observation deck offers incredible views of Kobe's skyline and Osaka in the distance.
Mosaic and Canal Shopping Complexes
Offering dozens of small fashion boutiques as well as the larger Hankyu department store, the real attraction of these two shopping malls is their wide selection of restaurants with great ocean view.
Kobe Chinatown
A short walk from Harborland, Kobe's Chinatown has plenty of dining and shopping options and has been a part of Kobe's landscape since 1868.
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
Connecting Honsu to Shikoku, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is the world's longest suspension bridge. Offering great views of the waterfront, and on clear days you can see all the way to Shikoku.
Housing and Living in Kobe
Kobe's living environment has many things to offer than those of larger cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. Even with the busy metropolitan city center, the surrounding areas of Kobe offers spacious housing, a lower living cost, convenient commuting times, good public safety, and good work-life balance, and typically all the advantages of a livable small-scale city.
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