Kobe Mosque was founded in October, 1935 in Kobe and is Japan’s first mosque. The mosque was confiscated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1943. However, it continues to function as mosque today. It is located also in the Kitano-cho foreign district of Kobe. Owing to its basement and structure, the mosque was able to endure through the Great Hanshin earthquake.

The mosque was built in traditional Turkish style by the Czech architect Jan Josef Švagr (1885–1969), the architect of a number of Western religious buildings throughout Japan.

Kobe Mosque is a post from: Zōkyō

Then we walked over to the Kitano Ijinkan which is a historical district in Kobe and contains a number of foreign residences from the late Meiji and early Taishō eras. This was the house of “Ben” who was an English hunter rare and big game animals a huge polar bear and a moose which are displayed inside.

Ben’s house is a post from: Zōkyō

The next morning we started off at Ikuta Shrine. The Shinto shrine is located in the Chūō Ward of Kobe, Japan, and is possibly among the oldest shrines in the country.

According to Nihon Shoki, it was founded by the Empress Jingū at the beginning of the 3rd century AD to enshrine the Kami Wakahirume, and was used as the base for a festival welcoming warriors back from the latest attempt to invade Korea. It now apparently carries a reputation of being a place at which NOT to marry as many famous Japanese couples who have been married here have since divorced.

Ikuta Shrine is a post from: Zōkyō

We had a long day wondering walking up and down Kobe’s hills. Heading back to our hotel, we stopped for a glass of red wine at a really cool place called “Diente Diente” before we did. Red walls, a great big bar, and friendly staff, with “Coffee and Cigarettes” playing on the screen. Perfect little hole in the wall in a really cool neighborhood. Well worth stopping by for a cafe and some window shopping on a trip to Kobe.

We still had two more days ahead of us, so we went home to make a little place for the next day then crashed.

Night Cap is a post from: Zōkyō

Raccoon Dog and Blowfish

Tanuki and Fugu is a post from: Zōkyō

Meandering around.

Stray Dogs of Kobe is a post from: Zōkyō

Then up to Ninomiya is a post from: Zōkyō

Then we walked over to Sannomiya Station area and just strolled around, taking photos, and getting a feel for the town. We stumbled upon the Akasen district, and walked upon and down the main street a couple of times, dipping down into the back alleys just to see what was there; the same as usual: little member’s only bars, cabaret clubs, love hotels, late night noodle shops, and so on. On our way there, we had asked a few hotels if there was any room in the inn and we’re getting a little discouraged after three or four no’s. The iPhone “around me” app was surprisingly hugely helpful. With it we easily navigated from one hotel to the other, even love hotels, and not to mention bars, attractions and so on. I was amazed about how much info it had on Kobe, Japan of all places. So finally we settled in on a place, took a nice onsen, bought a can of beer from the vending machine, and formulated our plan for the next day.

Sannomiya Station is a post from: Zōkyō

Then we took a stroll down to Kobe Port.

Kobe Port Tower is a post from: Zōkyō

Chinese Kitsch is a post from: Zōkyō