Kobe Trip Location Refining

Hi All,

Earlier in the year I started a thread to see if I should stay in Kobe for a few nights for my last trip to Japan. Many different opinions helped me to solidify my position to stay here for 2 nights. The old thread is below.

https://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+169094

The aim of this thread is to get refining feedback from people that have a reasonable understanding of the city. My main interests are rather eclectic but I've traveled Japan more than most locals so I can find my way around reasonably easily. Note that I'll be visiting on a Friday/Saturday just before Christmas.

Day 1: KIX - Kobe Airport Ferry. Keep luggage at Kobe Airport for the day
Visit: UCC Coffee Museum, Kobe City Museum, Kobe Maritime Museum, Kobe Chinatown (Lunch), Earthquake Museum, Hyogo Art Museum.

Day 2 (Hotel near Shin-Kobe Station)
Visit: Takenaka Museum, Sorakuen Garden, Ikuta Shrine, Kobe Zoo, Sawanotsuru Museum

If it's soggy one day and not the other - then I'll just flip the days.

Some other things which I find interesting include: Rokko Cable Car (will most likely miss), Yokoo Tadanori Museum, Nunobiki Herb Garden + Falls, Foreigner Residences (but they seem really expensive for what they are).

Any thoughts would be appreciated and apologies for so many questions about Kobe/Arima. It's my first stop so it's the first place I always look at when completing research. Unfortunately I cannot extend my stay as I'll be driving around Lake Biwako on my 3rd day in Japan.....

If it works for you, that's fine, I think.
Lunch at the Chinatown sounds good - like in others in Yokohama, you'll find some workers trying to pull you in (kyakuhiki). It's not a bad place to kick back a bit as well.
https://youtu.be/G7kV97jqkHA

Mt Rokko to me didn't quite meet my expectations, to be honest. I was expecting more. But the place has been hyped up a lot over the last decades. There was a big gap of lower mountains or hills between the summit and the city, which made the city look too far away. Plus somebody turned on this blinding spotlight to illuminate the walkway, and totally ruined a lot of the atmosphere to me.

The Sorakuen Garden was nice - definitely one of the better sights of the city. It is definitely not overrun by the crowds, either.
https://youtu.be/A7ppPkI2msA

I kind of scratch my head at going to the zoo though - I really love animals, but a zoo is a zoo, and in the afternoon a lot of the residents are just snoozing away. I myself would choose the sake breweries, but that is just me.

Bit odd to leave luggage at UKB. There is no luggage storage service AFAIK, only lockers, so why not leave them in a locker at Sannomiya or Shin-Kobe?

You might be too young, but if you are a fan of manga, or remember Gigantor from the tv, you can go and visit the Tetsujin No.28 statue. I had a very happy half an hour reliving how much very young me enjoyed that show.

We took the tour of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, which is the longest suspension bridge in the world. You need to book in advance, and it is subject to the weather being okay so might be dodgy over winter, but it was quite an experience to get all the way to the top. Not great for those who are scared of heights-lots of walking on open steel mesh. There's a museum at the mainland end that outlines the story of how it was built, how much the part-built bridge moved in the big earthquake, and the engineering and determination that went into it, and is fascinating.

Have a great time!

Thanks for the info all. I'll focus on the main points made.

(1) Visiting the zoo: I find zoos interesting to see how the locals live and such. I'm also worried about buying and carrying around Sake on my first day in Japan. Then again - visiting one of the most important Sake areas in Japan might be more interesting than visiting a zoo

(2) Leaving luggage at airport: My first stop is two stations from the airport (UCC Museum). This will save 30 minutes during peak hour with luggage. It should also be early enough that my luggage should have space at the airport. I've already checked locations.

(3) The Bridge: This sounds interesting - but I hate heights! I'm also not that into looking at big statues. But please make suggestions like this again in the future because quite often these eclectic ideas is what I like!

Now to think about getting drunk or watching animals who look like they had a few too many at the zoo....

Like normal - people have made good points and I've decided to drop the zoo and visit the Nada District

I've always thought that Kobe Animal Kingdom (https://animalcafes.com/v/25525.html ) was much more interesting than the zoo - the animals are free to roam around the same areas as the visitors, and you can touch them (most of them) and feed them. They also have an impressive trained-bird show.

You don't have to buy sake to enjoy the Nada District - there are three sake museums that are worth a visit even if you don't buy any souvenirs. (IMO the best museums aren't necessarily correlated with the best sake anyway.) For me the sake museums and Kobe Animal Kingdom are highlights of a visit to Kobe.