Kobe Kitano Ijinkan-Gai

Kobe Kitano Ijinkan Gai is a charming area filled with beautiful Western-style houses that tell the history of Kobe’s international past. Each house has its own unique design and story, making it a wonderful place to walk around and explore. The atmosphere is peaceful, with narrow streets, cute cafés, and a great view of the city. It’s a must-visit if you love history, architecture, or just want to enjoy a relaxing stroll in Kobe.

2025 August 3.5★ An area with many historical houses from different countries. Here, you can visit many of the different architectures of early settlers. Following the opening of the Port of Kobe, the Kitano district developed due to the influx of foreign residents who left their own countries to come and live in Kobe. The beautiful ocean views and cosmopolitan atmosphere that brought them here can still be found in this iconic area of Kobe. In the Kitano district you can experience old-fashioned foreign residences such as the 'Weathercock House', explore the quaint alleyways between classic buildings and dine restaurants serving a wide variety of international cuisines. It's truly a nice area to visit. A must go? Hard to say, but it's nice to see. Though when it's very sunny and hot, bring an umbrella.

The area is located on a hill, so be prepared for an uphill walk. Fortunately, there are buses available to take you directly there. You can buy tickets on the street from a booth that offers combo passes, allowing you to choose which houses you want to visit. This area might be enjoyable for those who haven't had the chance to visit Europe. However, if you are already familiar with European architecture and museums, you may find it a bit underwhelming. There are other places in Kobe that might be a better use of your time.

Historical area with preserved Western-style houses, but it feels rather profit-oriented. The tourist information center mainly promotes combined tickets to enter multiple houses, which I find too expensive. We did not buy any tickets and only visited one free house, while checking out the rest from the outside. The most famous house is located uphill, but its exterior is not even visible without paying. Visiting on 21 July under the hot summer sun made it less enjoyable. Overall, it was an average experience for me. Once is enough.

Interesting walk. Didn’t enter any historical properties as there wasn’t enough tourist info to make me want to go in. Looks like the area has seen better times. Interesting abandoned buildings.

If you're looking for an affordable European getaway right in Japan, this is the spot! It's a charming old town filled with beautiful historical buildings and mansions. You'll find a variety of bistros, cafes, and restaurants, giving you plenty of options for a lovely weekend date. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to mix things up a bit and enjoy a change of scenery!

While there is some history to the European houses here, we felt that its more of a tourist trap as you have to pay entrance fee for each and every house just to view it. We were on our way to the Botanical Gardens anyway, so just passed by this area. Nothing special or anythimg to shout about, but if you really need to see them out of curiosity, then do pay and have a peek. No harm trying. 😁

It’s a beautiful square, we enjoyed walking around and admiring the houses from the outside. There’s a really nice fountain