Are you looking to take a little break from your life in Japan? Maybe you want to go to Europe but don’t have the budget for it. Well, did you know there is a little European-style town right in Kobe? I’m excited to tell you all about my experience exploring Kitano Ijinkan in Kobe, one of the most unique places to visit in the Kansai area.
I love going to Kobe! There’s always something fun to do or somewhere new to explore there. Not to mention, Kobe is one of the more beautiful areas in Japan. Whenever my friends and I go, we always talk about how rich the area looks and how nice everything is.
You can see some of my previous adventures here:
* Get Your Indian Embroidered Omamori at This Unique Shrine in Kobe!
*It’s On At The Onsen! Kobe Harborland Onsen Manyo-Club
*A Wonderful Winter Kobe Adventure
That being said, I am so excited to tell you about my experience in this Kobe European town.
Kitano Ijinkan, also known as Kitano Ijinkan-gai, is a cute historical town where Western-style homes were built by foreign residents back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Kobe opened their port during the transition from the Edo era to the Meiji era. This meant that a lot of different foreign diplomats and merchants began going to Kobe. Due to an increase in foreign residents, there wasn’t enough space, so they ended up making their own little area to live in the surrounding areas.
Hence, 異人館 (ijinkan) literally means “foreigner’s house.”
My friend and I did a lot, but I will walk you through how our day went. I’ll just start by saying that I wish we could have stayed longer.
There was this really cute, European-looking Starbucks that we just had to go to. The inside is also built like a European home, so it was nice to sit in the décor and sip our drinks while sitting in such a beautiful setting.
My friend and I decided to get the tour book because it is significantly cheaper than going to the individual houses without this book. You can stamp each place as you go, and it feels like going on a mini journey or treasure hunt to explore the area.
My friend and I bought the ¥3,300 plan, but they do offer other plans for the areas that you want to go to.
From there, our journey began.
If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, this is the place that you need to go.
We kind of started backwards, but this is probably the best place to start. This British house was built in 1909 and has many recreations of things from Sherlock Holmes, such as his room at 221B Baker Street in London and other memorable things from the books.
There is also an English garden and even some Alice in Wonderland treats.
You will definitely love going to Yokan Nagaya. It was so beautiful! It’s built in a French style and has all kinds of themes and colors in it.
All of the colors contrasted against each other as you walked from one room to the other, and it was fun to pick out which colors, rooms, and designs we liked the most.
My friend and I really enjoyed Ben’s House! They had different fake animals up around the home, and one of the rooms was meant to be kind of like a horror room, so it gave us quite the jump scare.
The idea behind this place is to think more like an adventure and a curious house with a nature collection. It also connects to a souvenir store as you go down.
My friend and I stopped to eat, and it was absolutely delicious. Of course, you will be walking around a lot during this time, so it’s important to stock up on yummy food.
I highly recommend this café if you are just looking for something simple but delicious to eat.
It was so much fun to go here and take pictures. There is a boar statue in the center where, if you rub its nose, your wish will come true.
You can find all kinds of art pieces in this exhibition hall. If you’re looking for the best view, this observation gallery is the place to go on the third floor. You can see everything from there!
You’ll be starstruck as soon as you see the windows of this specific home.
There’s also another structure, specifically chairs known as Saturn chairs, where if you sit in them, your wishes will come true. You’ll be surrounded by beautiful art and beautiful scenery as you sit and feel like a king.
It has lion statues right in the front that have officially given it the name Lion House Building No. 3. However, inside, you’ll find that the architecture is very beautiful and resembles a French nobleman’s mansion.
It has an interesting balance.
This was one of the last places on our journey. It’s heavily influenced by Chinese culture, and you can tell as soon as you walk in and see the furniture, hear the music, and smell the home.
Especially since my friend is Chinese, she could tell me more about it in detail.
Here is where the last of the structures has two lion stone statues. If you rub them, this will also make your wishes and your hopes for success come true.
I may have covered a lot in this article, but I barely even scratched the surface. There are things like trick houses, the beautiful townscape, and so much more to explore. But you won’t have to find that out for yourself when you actually go.
I promise you will love going here. Four hours didn’t feel like enough time, so I definitely plan to go back soon.
Until the next article, please stay happy, healthy, and excited for European sites in Japan.
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