Kobe travel guide

Base yourself in Sannomiya: the harbor on day one, the hillside on day two, and with four days, Arima on a separate half day.

The Shin-Kobe Ropeway (Nunobiki) costs 2,500 yen return for adults and stops in strong winds.

The City Loop bus costs 300 yen per ride or 800 yen for a one-day pass for adults, and a full loop takes about 65 minutes.

Split lunches between the Nankinmachi lanes and Arima tofu. Kobe Airport connects by Port Liner, but international flights usually use Kansai; for Kobe Airport flight times, see the airline timetable.

Visa and entry requirements for Japan

Whether you need a visa, how long you can stay and which pre-arrival forms apply all depend on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Check the official source below, and your own government's travel advice, before you book.

• Visa information and exemptions (short-term stay) (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)
• Visit Japan Web (online immigration and customs registration) (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)

Have breakfast at your hotel in Sannomiya and pick lunch in Nankinmachi from whichever shops are open. In the afternoon, walk Meriken Park and Harborland, and return to Sannomiya for dinner. The next day, see the Kitano houses after breakfast and ride the Nunobiki ropeway in the afternoon: 2,500 yen return for adults, suspended in strong winds. For food prices, check each shop's menu.

With 2 nights, finish on day two and leave after breakfast on day three; with 4 nights, keep day three for Arima, with tofu for lunch (prices from the shop) and a return to Sannomiya before dinner. Keep Kobe beef as a dinner option on your hillside day, and check prices with the restaurant. Unless you stay at a hot-spring inn, returning to Sannomiya every night works best.

From Kobe Airport, take the Port Liner to Sannomiya; check journey times on the timetable. For Kansai Airport to Sannomiya, check the rail operators' timetables and fares.

The City Loop costs 300 yen per ride for adults and 150 yen for children; a one-day pass is 800 yen for adults and 400 yen for children. According to the city, a full loop takes about 65 minutes and passes Kitano and the harbor. For JR, Hanshin and Hankyu fares to Osaka, see each timetable rather than adding them up as one fare. JR Shinkansen trains stop at Shin-Kobe Station.

Nankinmachi has no street-wide closing day, and hours vary by shop. It is about 10 minutes from Sannomiya's west exit and about 5 minutes from Motomachi, and cars cannot enter. Arima tofu is only for your hot-spring day, and you choose the shop on site; don't put both lunches on the same day. For pudding, check whether the station and Harborland shops have sold out, and read prices on the shelf.

There is no common price list for Kobe beef; check booking, courses and à la carte options, closing days and distance from Sannomiya with each restaurant. Don't carry pudding up the hill, and trying to eat beef for dinner in Arima will make your return to Sannomiya late.

On departure day, have breakfast at your hotel and, for an international flight, check train times to Kansai before deciding on lunch in Sannomiya. For a domestic flight from Kobe Airport, open the Port Liner timetable. Just avoid planning a ropeway ride on your last morning.

The Nunobiki and Arima ropeways can stop in wind. The 300 yen City Loop fare and 800 yen day pass are bus fares, not meal discounts, and the 65-minute loop does not go to Arima. Recheck entry and stay requirements for Japan before you travel.

Kobe checklist

• Base yourself in Sannomiya and do the harbor and the hillside on different days
• Know whether you use Kansai (international) or Kobe Airport (Port Liner)
• Use only each restaurant's own information for names and Kobe beef prices
• Recheck entry requirements on the official sources

• First time in Kobe: a harbor day and a hillside day, with lunch in Nankinmachi.
• With four days: add Arima as a separate half day, with tofu for lunch.
• Arriving at Kobe Airport: take the Port Liner to Sannomiya; times from the timetable.