Tanaka-san has worked at Hakutsuru Sake Brewery in Kobe's Nada district for 22 years. The brewery museum is free, the tastings are free, and Tanaka-san's opinions about how tourists experience his city are freely given.
We talked over cups of junmai daiginjo at the museum tasting counter.
"They come only for the beef. They eat one expensive meal and leave. Kobe is a port city with 150 years of international history. The sake district. The foreign quarter. The harbor. The mountain. The earthquake memorial. The beef is one chapter in a much longer story."
"Tell me about the sake."
The Nada district produces 25-30% of Japan's sake, thanks to Miyamizu water — mineral-rich groundwater discovered in the 1840s that gives Nada sake its distinctive clean, crisp character. Three major brewery museums are free with tastings: Hakutsuru, Kiku-Masamune, and Sawanotsuru. Located along the Hanshin line, 15-20 minutes from Sannomiya.
"You can easily sample 10-15 varieties across three breweries for free. Buy bottles at brewery prices — 30-50% cheaper than retail. Take the Hanshin train. Don't drink and drive."
"What about the beef?"
"Real Kobe beef is certified with a 10-digit ID number and a chrysanthemum stamp. Only about 3,000 head are certified annually. Restaurants displaying the certificate — Ishida, Mouriya, Kokubu — serve the real thing. A teppanyaki lunch starts at 6,000-8,000 JPY for 100g.
"But if you're on a budget, try Kobe beef curry (1,200-1,800 JPY) or the croquettes from street vendors in Nankinmachi — 200-400 JPY for something that's legitimately made with Kobe beef."
"Best thing to do in Kobe that's free?"
"Nunobiki Falls. Fifteen minutes walk from Shin-Kobe Station — one of Japan's most accessible urban waterfalls. Then take the ropeway (1,800 JPY round trip) up to Nunobiki Herb Gardens for the city-to-ocean panorama.
"Or walk the harbor at night. The Port Tower, the Maritime Museum, the BE KOBE monument — it's all lit up and the reflections on the water are beautiful. The Great Hanshin Earthquake Memorial at Meriken Park preserves a section of collapsed wharf from 1995. It's free and it's important."
"And the night view?"
"Mount Rokko. Rated one of Japan's top 3 night views — the '10 million dollar view.' Rokko Cable Car (600 JPY one-way) plus the ropeway to the 931m summit. The Tenran Observatory has a free viewing platform. On a clear night, the lights stretch from Osaka to the airport island across the bay."
"Best neighborhood?"
"Kitano-cho. The foreign quarter up the hill from Sannomiya. Western-style mansions from the 1800s, charming cafes, European-feeling streets. The Weathercock House and Moegi House are the most popular museums (300-500 JPY each). But honestly, just walking the streets is the experience.
"And Nankinmachi — Kobe's Chinatown. One of Japan's three great Chinatowns, dating to 1868. Compact grid of 100+ shops. The nikuman (pork buns, 400 JPY) are the essential snack."
"One thing tourists should know?"
"Kobe was devastated by the 1995 earthquake. 6,434 people died. The city rebuilt with world-class seismic standards, but the memory is everywhere. Visit the memorial. Download the Safety Tips app for earthquake alerts. And understand that when you see how beautiful Kobe is today, you're seeing a city that rebuilt itself from rubble in 30 years."
