Kobe Marathon 2017
Nov 01, 2017 By Admin
The general public is free to participate in this foot race presented in Kobe. Some 20,000 people take part in this race, which is time-limited to 7 hours. The foot race began in 2011. Come join the race and run through the port city of Kobe! The course starts in...[ Click to read more ]
Kobe’s Gift to the World – Karaoke!
By Justin Hanus
Of all the things that Japan has given the world karaoke may be the most fun. It was Kobe's own Daisuke Inoue who launched the craze of the "empty orchestra" nearly half a century ago. The Osaka-born Inoue was a drummer and band manager who came up with the idea...[ Click to read more ]
Goshikizuka Kofun: Kobe’s Ancient Sacred Pyramid
Oct 30, 2017 By Justin Hanus
In the Christian world this is the time of the year for All Souls' Day when the memories of the deceased are commemorated. Many religions celebrate the departed at other times. Monuments to the dead are some of the world's most revered tourist attractions, the Taj Mahal in India and...[ Click to read more ]
Kobe Gives Birth to Spirit of Volunteerism in Japan
By Justin Hanus
On January 17, 1995, the Great Hanshin earthquake struck Kobe and over 6,000 people lost their lives. In the aftermath of the disaster it is estimated that over one million volunteers came forward to provide help to those in need. While that does not sound remarkable in light of recent...[ Click to read more ]
Look, Up In the Sky – It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…Yes, It’s a Plane
By Justin Hanus
People have been fascinated by spotting aircraft ever since Orville and Wilbur Wright bumped a fabric-covered airplane into the sky from the sand dunes in North Carolina in 1903. Even now, when more than 100,000 flights take off and land somewhere on the planet every day, plane spotting is pursued...[ Click to read more ]
What to Eat in Kobe Besides the Beef
Oct 28, 2017 By Justin Hanus
Tourists flock from around the globe to eat Kobe’s famous beef. But you’re a local now, and you’ve been there, and done that. Now it’s time to give some local delicacies a try. Here are the top five tasty treats the locals enjoy in Kobe. 1. Gyoza Gyoza are delicious...[ Click to read more ]
Celebrating the Japanese Culture of Wood at the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe
Oct 27, 2017 By Justin Hanus
Around the world traditional Japanese carpentry and craftsmanship is revered for its precision and quality. In 1984 the Takenaka Corporation, one of the nation's largest engineering and construction firms, decided to preserve and illuminate those fabled building techniques by establishing the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe. Takenaka had the...[ Click to read more ]
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens is a Celebration of Herbs and More
Sep 14, 2017 By Justin Hanus
Herbs have a hallowed and honored position in Japanese culture dating back hundreds and hundreds of years. Chinese herbs first began appearing in Japan traditional folk medicines during cultural exchanges between the two ancient societies. Japanese sufferers became familiar with plants such as geranium herbs used as an anti-diarrheic and...[ Click to read more ]
All Aboard! Cruising in Kobe Harbor
By Justin Hanus
Kobe is Japan's fifth largest city and one of the best ways to appreciate its size and importance is to view it from the water. You do just that with harbor cruises that depart from the shore on a daily basis. The cruises typically last 90 minutes or two hours...[ Click to read more ]
Horse Archery on Display in Kobe
Aug 24, 2017 By Justin Hanus
In the history of warfare there has seldom been a more impressive warrior than the horse archer. Riding a steed at full gallop, letting go of the reins with both hands, and leveling a bow and arrow against the enemy was truly a fearsome sight on the battlefield. These highly...[ Click to read more ]
