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Kitano-cho (–k–ì’¬, Kitanochō) is a city district at the foot of the Rokko mountain range where many foreign merchants and diplomats settled after the Port of Kobe was opened to foreign trade in the second half of the 19th century. More than a dozen of the former mansions, known as Ijinkan, remain in the area and are open to the public as museums. Most of the houses charge an admission fee of between 300 to 500 yen, while combination tickets are available to see multiple houses. The entire district is pleasant to walk through and offers a variety of cafes, restaurants and boutiques, making it a favorite among young Japanese couples. Below is an list of some of the more interesting houses: England House Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 October to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 700 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) The England house was built in 1907 and displays antique furniture and household items of the time period. The house has two ornately carved bars (which remain open for business on Sundays and holidays from 17:00 to 25:00). The second floor houses a collection of Sherlock Holmes memorabilia including a replica of Sherlock Holmes' room. Yokan Nagaya (France House) Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 October to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 500 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) The Yokan Nagaya was originally built in 1904 as an apartment catering to foreigners. It is furnished in ornate French furniture and artwork and includes a few examples of antique brand goods such as a stained glass Tiffany lamp and a set of Louis Vuitton trunks. Ben's House Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 October to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 500 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) Ben's House was built in 1902 and is one of the district's oldest Western style buildings. It is the former home of Englishman Ben Allison, an avid hunter and world traveler, and the house is filled with stuffed animals, including tigers, a moose, a polar bear and other trophies collected from around the world. Platon Decorative Arts Museum (Italian House) Open: 9:30 to 17:00 Closed: No closing days Admission: 700 yen The Platon Decorative Arts Museum, otherwise known as the Italian House, is a foreigner's former residence whose living and bed rooms, kitchens and servant quarters are filled with an overwhelming amount of household goods, artwork and ornaments. The house also features a small outdoor cafe serving Italian cuisine. Former Chinese Consulate Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 October to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 500 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) The Former Chinese Consulate was built in the late Meiji Period. Although generally Western, the architecture of the building has some distinctly Chinese elements, and the inside is furnished with Chinese style furniture and household items. On display are various art pieces, some of which date back several centuries. Kitano Foreigners Association Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 October to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 500 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) The Kitano Foreigners Association was a members only social club frequented by the foreign residents who moved to Kobe after the port was opened up to international trade. It is housed in a former residence built in the late Meiji Period, and visitors can see the club's bar, lounge and old style kitchen featuring a wood burning hearth. Yamate Hachibankan Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 October to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 500 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) Yamate Hachibankan is a Tudor style mansion originally built in the late Meiji Period. It exhibits various sculptures and other artwork by Rodin, Bourdelle and Renoir, as well as collections of Buddhist relics and African tribal figures. Uroko House and Uroko Museum Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 October to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 1000 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) The Uroko House is named after fish scales because of its overlapping shingled siding. Inside you will find a collection of antique furniture and household items in one part of the house and a small museum with paintings by Russian modern artists in the other. There are also nice view over Kobe from the museum's top floor. Dutch Museum and Fragrance House Open: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 January and February) Closed: No closing days Admission: 700 yen (also available as part of a combination ticket) The Dutch Museum once served as the residence of the Dutch Consul General, and now displays Dutch furniture and household items from past decades. Part of the house is devoted to fragrances, including a gift shop selling scented soaps and perfumes and a workshop where visitors can make their own original perfumes. Any Questions? Ask them in our question forum.

How to get there

Kitano-cho is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from either Sannomiya or Shin-Kobe Stations. How to get to and around Kobe

Hours and Fees

Various combination tickets for different sets of houses are available which include entry to 2-9 houses and range in cost from 500 to 3500 yen. The combination tickets are available at participating houses and ticket desks around the district.

Hotels and Ryokan

In: Kobe Fukuoka Hiroshima Hokkaido Kamakura Kanazawa Kansai Airport Kyoto Mount Fuji Nagasaki Nagoya Nara Narita Airport Nikko Niigata Okinawa Osaka Sapporo Sendai Shima Peninsula Takayama Tokyo From: 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 2012 2013 For: 1 night 2 nights 3 nights 4 nights 5 nights 6 nights 7 nights Website: JAPANiCAN Hotels.com Hostel World Agoda Hotel & Ryokan (NTA) Jalan.net

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News and Reports

Kobe Cherry Blossom Report April 14, 2009

Travel Community

Ratings for Kitano: japan-guide.com Rating:   interesting   User Rating (by 160 users): 78/100   recommended Popularity of Kitano: Users who have been to Kobe: 1715 Users who have been to Kitano: 331 6th of 13 most visited sights in Kobe. 159th of 726 most visited sights nationwide. Have you been to Kitano? No - I have not been there yetYes - no ratingYes - highly recommendedYes - recommendedYes - mildly interestingYes - nothing specialYes - not recommended User Feedback We strive to keep japan-guide.com up-to-date and accurate, and are always looking for ways to improve the user experience. If you have any updates, suggestions, corrections or opinions, please let us know:

Japanese Links

ijinkan.net Informative website with a list and map of all houses. Uroko Group Official website of nine of the houses. Orandakan Group Official website of three of the houses.