Kobe is the capital city of Hyogo Prefecture and the sixth-largest city in Japan. It covers a total land area of 552.23 square kilometres and has a total population of 1,536,499 inhabitants. It was founded on 1^st April 1889, and the name ‘Kobe’ derives from archaic names for those who supported the shrine. The city is part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto. Kobe is well-known for the headquarters of companies such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Kobe Steel and other 100 international corporations with Asian or Japanese headquarters in the city includes Eli Lilly and Company, Procter & Gamble and Nestle. Besides that, Kobe acts as the point of origin and namesake of Kobe beef as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, Arima Onsen. Kobe Port was Japan's busiest port and one of Asia's top ports until the Great Hanshin earthquake. After the earthquake, the port’s ranking has dropped to fourth in Japan and 49th-busiest container port worldwide. In Kobe, the main transport hub is Sannomiya Station with the eponymous Kobe Station located to the west and the Shinkansen Shin-Kobe Station to the north.

Airports in Kobe

1. Kobe International Airport

Kobe Airport is an airport located approximately 8 kilometres south of Sannomiya Station. It primarily handles domestic flights and accommodates international charter flights. The airport was constructed in 2003 and officially opened in 2006. In the first year of operation, the airport handled 2,697,000 passengers with an average load factor of 61.1%. In the following year, the airport receives an increasing number compared to the year before which is a total of 3,071,974 passengers with an average load factor of 79.4%. Japan Airlines are operating the first flight and All Nippon Airways operating the first scheduled flight, and the airport handled its first international business jet flight in September 2006.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Kobe?

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When is the Best Time to Fly to Kobe?

The best time to go to Japan is in spring and autumn. The weather during this season is neither too humid nor too warm and too cold. During this season, Kobe is blooming with flowers with various colours, and the whole mountain-side turns golden with falling leaves during autumn. These popular seasons are also busiest for tourism, and the prices for both hotels and ticket flights may be high.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Kobe?

1. Nunobiki Herb Garden - Occupies approximately 40 acres of land area, Nunobiki Herb Garden is located at the stunning Mount Rokko. Visitors are required to take a cable car to this herb garden. The herb garden features over 200 different types of herbs with different properties and benefits. You also can explore greenhouses and exhibitions that explain about various varieties of herbs used in Japanese cookery.

2. Mount Rokko - Stands at 931 metres, Mount Rokko is the highest peak in the Rokko mountain range. This mountain gives a green backdrop to the city of Kobe and Osaka, especially during sunset. This attraction is also surrounded by numerous small tourist attractions including a botanical garden, a music box museum, a pasture with flowers and sheep, Japan's first golf course and Rokko Garden Terrace, a tourist complex with a few restaurants, shops and an observation deck.

3. Kobe Fruit Flower Park - Kobe Fruit Flower Park is a famous landmark in Kobe especially during late July to late October. The building is designed after Rijksmuseum which is the Dutch National Museum in Amsterdam. There are various fruits such as apples, grapes and peaches and visitors are welcomed to pick fruit. Besides the park, there are also other attractions of Kobe Fruit Flower Park include the Kobe Fairyland Amusement Park, Ferris wheel, go-carts, putter golf course, playground and multi-purpose field. The newest addition to the park is Farm Circus which opened in 2017. Visitors can find an Italian restaurant, bakery, cafe, learning centre and market selling fruit. The car parking and gardens are free of charge.