Summer Events in Kobe 2021

May 26, 2021

Summer Events in Kobe 2021

Kobe has a vibrant summer culture with many family-friendly activities and a few annual events and festivals that draw the crowds in. As with most other cities across the globe, things are slightly scaled back this year due to the impact of Covid-19. However, you can still find great events taking place. The 2021 Kobe Festival has just taken place, and we still have these to look forward to.

Kobe Fireworks Festival

The Kobe Fireworks Festival is one of the biggest annual fireworks displays in the Kansai region. Usually held on the first Saturday in August, organizers canceled the event in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been penciled in to return this year, but details are yet to be confirmed. The popular spectacle typically sees more than 100,000 people heading into Meriken Park and lining the surrounding streets to watch around 15,000 fireworks launched from barges between Kobe Harborland and Port Island. The event is free.

Website: https://kobehanabi.jp/

Garden Fest

Starting in late March and running until the 4th of July, this seasonal festival occurs in the glorious Nunobiki Herb Gardens in Mount Rokko. Enjoy spectacular views of the city while exploring over 75,000 herbs and summer flowers – including marigolds, lilies, and hydrangeas – spread across 12 gardens. You can also indulge in a spot of strawberry picking. The entry fee is included with the scenic ropeway journey – with a round trip costing 1,500 yen for adults and 750 yen for children. Pre-schoolers get in for free.

Website: https://www.kobeherb.com/en/

Shinkaichi Saturday

If you fancy an artisan day out in a more hidden away part of the city, head to the downtown fishing village of Shinkaichi on the second Saturday of each month, where you will find a market selling arts, crafts, fresh food, and drink in the Art Village Center within the main shopping district. You will find a selection of seafood, meats, fresh veggies, and delicious cakes alongside plenty of attractive handmade goods. The market runs from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., with the next date being Saturday the 12th of June.

Website: https://shinkaichi.or.jp/marche/

Beethoven’s Forest

German composer Ludwig van Beethoven is popular in Japan with his “Ode to Joy” treated as a Christmas carol. During World War One, the love affair began when captured German POWs arranged a singalong of the composer’s 9th symphony. Kobe has been celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birthday since November 2019. It will culminate in a final live performance of Beethoven’s music by the Kobe City Chamber Orchestra at the Kobe Bunka Hall on the 27th of June from 3:00 p.m., where the orchestra will play highlights from his symphonic cycle.

Website: https://www.kobe-ensou.jp/special/2019btb/

エムティ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons