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{{otheruses1|the Japanese city}}
{{Infobox City Japan
| Name = Kobe
| JapaneseName = 神戸市
| MapImage = Kobe, Hyogo.PNG
| Prefecture = [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo]]
| District =
| Area_km2 = 552.80
| PopDate = [[April 1]], [[2008]]
| Population = 1,529,116
| Density_km2 = 2768
| Coords=
| LatitudeDegrees = 34
| LatitudeMinutes = 41
| LatitudeSeconds =
| LongtitudeDegrees = 135
| LongtitudeMinutes = 12
| LongtitudeSeconds =
| Tree = ''[[Camellia sasanqua]]''
| Flower = [[Hydrangea]]
| Bird =
| SymbolImage = Emblem of Kobe, Hyogo.svg
| SymbolDescription =
| Mayor = [[Tatsuo Yada]]
| CityHallPostalCode = 650-8570
| CityHallAddress = 6-5-1 Kano-chō, Chūō-ku, Kōbe-shi, Hyōgo-ken
| CityHallPhone = 078-331-8181
| CityHallLink = [http://www.city.kobe.jp/index-e.html City of Kobe]
}}

{{nihongo|'''Kobe'''|神戸市|Kōbe-shi}} is the capital city of [[Hyōgo Prefecture]] and a prominent port city in Japan with a population of about 1.5 million. The city is located in the [[Kansai region]] of Japan and is part of the {{nihongo|[[Keihanshin]]|京阪神|Keihanshin}} metropolitan area. Kobe is classified as one of Japan's seventeen [[City designated by government ordinance (Japan)|designated cities]].The city of kobe has a whale exibit in the kyong chin exibit.

Originally known by the name {{nihongo|Ōwada Anchorage|大輪田泊|Ōwada-no-tomari}}, earliest written records regarding the region come from the [[Nihon Shoki]], which describes the founding of the [[Ikuta Shrine]] by [[Jingū of Japan|Empress Jingū]] in [[201|201 A.D.]]<ref name="ikutahistory">[http://www.ikutajinja.or.jp/index1.html Ikuta Shrine official website] - "History of Ikuta Shrine" (Japanese), retrieved October 22, 2007</ref><ref name="kobecityinfo">[http://www.kobecityinfo.com/history.html Kobe City Info] - "History", retrieved February 2, 2007</ref> For most of its history the area was never a single political entity, even during the [[Tokugawa Period]], when the port was controlled directly by the [[Tokugawa Shogunate]]. Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889. Its name comes from {{nihongo|"kanbe"|神戸|kanbe}}, an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta Shrine.<ref name="nagasakiu">[http://hikoma.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/en/target.php?id=5363 Nagasaki University] - "Ikuta Shrine", retrieved February 3, 2007</ref><ref name="kojien_kanbe">Entry for {{lang|ja-Hani|「神戸（かんべ）」}}. [[Kōjien]], fifth edition, 1998, [ISBN 4-00-080111-2]</ref> Kobe became one of Japan's [[City designated by government ordinance (Japan)|designated cities]] in 1956.

Kobe was one of the first cities to open for trade with the [[Western world|West]] following the end of the [[Sakoku|policy of seclusion]] and has since been known as a cosmopolitan port city. While the 1995 [[Great Hanshin earthquake|Great Hanshin Earthquake]] diminished much of Kobe's prominence as a port city, it remains Japan's fourth busiest container port.<ref name="busyport2006">[http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/Statistics/worldportrankings%5F2006.xls American Association of Port Authorities] - "World Port Rankings 2006", retrieved April 15, 2008</ref> Companies headquartered in Kobe include [[ASICS]], [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries]], and [[Kobe Steel]], as well as over 100 international corporations with Asia or Japan headquarters in the city such as [[Procter & Gamble]] and [[Nestlé]].<ref name="foreign_hq">"Number of foreign corporations with headquarters in Kobe passes 100." (Japanese) in Nikkei Net, retrieved from [http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/retto/20070702c6b0202c02.html NIKKEI.net] on July 3, 2007.</ref><ref name="companyhq">[http://www.hyogo-kobe.jp/english/list/company.html Hyogo-Kobe Investment Guide] - "List of Foreign Enterprises and Examples", retrieved February 8, 2007</ref>

The city is the point of origin and namesake of [[Kobe beef]] as well as the site of one of Japan's most famous [[onsen|hot spring]] resorts, [[Arima Onsen]].

== History ==
[[Image:Sesshu Kobe coast prosperity view.jpg|thumb|This [[Nishiki-e]] (Colored woodcut) shows a foreign steamboat entering Hyōgo Port shortly after its opening to the West in the late 19th century.]]
[[Image:Viewofkobe.PNG|thumb|Hyōgo Port in the 19th century<ref>From the [http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?110089 NYPL Digital Library]</ref>]]
[[Image:Kobe Bund 1979.94.6P01B.jpg|thumb|[[The Bund (Kobe)|The Bund]] in Kobe around 1890]]
=== Origins - Meiji Era ===
Stone artifacts and tools found in western Kobe demonstrate that the area was populated at least from the [[Jōmon period]].<ref name="oldkobehistory">[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/15/020/youran/rekishi.html City of Kobe] - "Kobe's History" (Japanese), retrieved October 22, 2007.</ref> The natural geography of the area, particularly of Wada Cape in [[Hyōgo-ku, Kobe|Hyōgo-ku]], led to the development of a port, which would remain the economic center of the city.<ref name="hyogotsu">[http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/hyogotsu/index.html Hyogo International Tourism Guide] - "Hyogo-tsu", retrieved February 2, 2007</ref> Some of the earliest written documents mentioning the region include the [[Nihon Shoki]], which describes the founding of the [[Ikuta Shrine]] by [[Jingū of Japan|Empress Jingū]] in [[201|201 A.D.]]<ref name="ikutahistory" />

During the [[Nara period|Nara]] and [[Heian period]]s, the port was known by the name {{nihongo|Ōwada Anchorage|大輪田泊|Ōwada-no-tomari}} and was one of the ports from which [[imperial embassies to China]] were dispatched.<ref name="kobecityinfo"/><ref name="oldkobehistory" /> The city was briefly the [[capital of Japan]] in 1180 when [[Taira no Kiyomori]] moved his grandson [[Emperor Antoku]] to Fukuhara in present-day Hyōgo-ku.<ref name="oldkobehistory" /> The Emperor returned to [[Kyoto]] after about five months.<ref name="kobecityinfo"/> Shortly thereafter in 1184, the [[Taira]] fortress in Hyōgo-ku and the nearby [[Ikuta Shrine]] became the sites of the [[Genpei War]] battle of [[Battle of Ichi-no-Tani|Ichi-no-Tani]] between the Taira and [[Minamoto clan|Minamoto]] clans. The Minamoto prevailed, pushing the Taira further west.

As the port grew during the [[Kamakura period]], it became an important hub for trade with China and other countries, and in the 13th century, the city came to be known by the name {{nihongo|Hyōgo Port|兵庫津|Hyōgo-tsu}}.<ref name="hyogotsu" /> During this time, Hyōgo Port along with northern Osaka composed the province of [[Settsu Province|Settsu]]. Later, during the [[Edo period]], the eastern parts of present-day Kobe came under the jurisdiction of the [[Amagasaki Domain]] and the western parts under that of the [[Akashi Domain]], while the center was controlled directly by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]].<ref>[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/014/year/year.html#3 City of Kobe] - "Old Kobe" (Japanese), retrieved February 16, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.city.ashiya.hyogo.jp/english/history.html City of Ashiya] - "An Outline History of Ashiya", retrieved February 16, 2007</ref> It was not until the [[abolition of the han system]] in 1871 and the establishment of the current [[Prefectures of Japan|prefecture system]] that the area became politically distinct.

Hyōgo Port was one of the first ports to open for trade with Western countries following the [[Meiji Restoration]] and the end of the [[Sakoku|policy of seclusion]] in 1868.<ref name="hyogopref">[http://web.pref.hyogo.jp/FL/english/index.html Hyogo Prefectural Government] - "Hyogo Overview", retrieved February 2, 2007</ref> The region has since been identified with the West, and many foreign residences from the period remain in Kobe's [[Kitano-chō|Kitano area]].<ref name="japanref">[http://www.jref.com/practical/kobe.shtml Japan Reference] - "Kobe", retrieved February 2, 2007</ref>

===Modern era===
[[Image:Hanshin-Awaji_earthquake_1995_337.jpg|thumb|Damage caused by the [[Great Hanshin Earthquake]]]]

Kobe was founded on [[April 1]], [[1889]], and was [[City designated by government ordinance (Japan)|designated]] on [[September 1]], [[1956]] by government ordinance. The history of the city is closely tied to that of the [[Ikuta Shrine]], and the name "Kobe" derives from {{nihongo|"kanbe"|神戸|kanbe}}, an archaic name for those who supported the shrine.<ref name="nagasakiu"/><ref name="kojien_kanbe"/>

During the course of [[World War II]], Kobe was bombed with incendiary bombs by [[B-29 Superfortress|B-29]] bombers on [[March 17]], [[1945]], causing the death of 8,841 residents and destroying 21% of Kobe's urban area (''see [[Bombing of Kobe in World War II]]''). It is this incident that inspired the well-known [[Studio Ghibli]] film [[Grave of the Fireflies]] and the [[Grave of the Fireflies (book)|book]] by [[Akiyuki Nosaka]] on which it was based.

Following continuous pressure from citizens, on [[March 18]], [[1975]], the Kobe City Council passed an ordinance banning vessels carrying [[nuclear weapon]]s from Kobe Port. This effectively prevented any [[United States|U.S.]] warships from entering the port, policy being not to disclose whether any warship is carrying nuclear weapons. This [[nonproliferation]] policy has been termed the "[[Japan's non-nuclear policy#The Kobe Formula|Kobe Formula]]".<ref>[http://www.prop1.org/prop1/jkobef.htm Kobe City Council] - "Resolution on the Rejection of the Visit of Nuclear-Armed Warships into Kobe Port", [[18 March]] [[1975]], retrieved [[February 16]], [[2007]]</ref><ref>Kamimura, Naoki. "Japanese Civil Society and U.S.-Japan Security Relations in the 1990s". retrieved from [http://www.ippnw.org/MGS/V7N1Kamimura.html International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War] on [[February 2]], [[2007]]</ref>

On [[January 17]], [[1995]] an earthquake measuring at 7.3 on the [[Richter magnitude scale]] occurred at 05:46 am [[Japan Standard Time|JST]] near the city. Nearly 4,600 people within the city were killed, 240,000 were made homeless and large parts of the port facilities and other parts of the city were destroyed.<ref>[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/013/report/january.2008.pdf The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Statistics and Restoration Progress] (Jan. 2008), retrieved April 14, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/en/topics_hanshin.html Great Hanshin Earthquake Restoration], retrieved [[April 14]], [[2008]]</ref> The earthquake destroyed portions of the [[Hanshin Expressway]], an elevated freeway which dramatically toppled over. Within Japan, the earthquake is known as the [[Great Hanshin earthquake|Great Hanshin Earthquake]] (or the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake).
To commemorate Kobe's recovery from the 1995 quake, the city holds an event every December called the [[Kobe Luminarie|Luminarie]], where the city center is decorated with illuminated metal archways.

Kobe was Japan's busiest port and one of Asia's top ports until the Great Hanshin Earthquake occurred.<ref name="maruhon">[http://www.maruhon.com/business/port.htm Maruhon Business News] - Port Conditions in Japan, retrieved [[January 23]], [[2007]]</ref> Kobe has since dropped to the fourth in Japan and thirty-eighth [[List of world's busiest container ports|busiest container port worldwide]] (as of 2005).<ref name="busyport2006"/>
{{-}}

== Geography ==
[[Image:Port of Kobe02s4100.jpg|thumb|right|225px|[[Port of Kobe]] at twilight.]]

Wedged in between the coast and the mountains, the city of Kobe is long and narrow. To the east is the city of [[Ashiya, Hyōgo|Ashiya]], while the city of [[Akashi, Hyōgo|Akashi]] lies to its west. Other adjacent cities include [[Takarazuka, Hyōgo|Takarazuka]] and [[Nishinomiya, Hyōgo|Nishinomiya]] to the east and [[Sanda, Hyōgo|Sanda]] and [[Miki, Hyōgo|Miki]] to the north.

The landmark of the port area is the red steel [[Kobe Port Tower|Port Tower]]. A giant ferris wheel sits in nearby [[Harborland]], a notable tourist [[Esplanade|promenade]]. Two artificial islands, [[Port Island]] and [[Rokko Island]], have been constructed to give the city room to expand.

Away from the seaside at the heart of Kobe lie the [[Motomachi (Hyogo)|Motomachi]] and [[Sannomiya]] districts as well as Kobe's [[Chinatown]], [[Kobe Chinatown|Nankinmachi]], all well-known retail areas. A multitude of train lines cross the city from east to west. The main transport hub is [[Sannomiya Station]], with the eponymous [[Kobe Station (Hyogo)|Kobe Station]] located to the west and the [[Shinkansen]] [[Shin-Kobe Station]] to the north.

[[Mount Rokko]] overlooks Kobe at an elevation of 931 meters. During the autumn season, it is famous for the rich change in colors of its forests.

=== Wards ===
[[Image:Kobe kus-.PNG|thumb|right|225px|Wards of Kobe.]]
[[Image:Kobe-Nankinmachi.JPG|thumb|right|225px|[[Kobe Chinatown]], [[Motomachi]]]]
[[Image:Giant panda01 960.jpg|thumb|right|225px|The [[Giant Panda]] Koukou at Oji Zoo]]

Kobe has 9 [[Wards of Japan|wards]] (''ku''):
; 1. [[Nishi-ku, Kobe|Nishi-ku]] : The westernmost area of Kobe, Nishi-ku overlooks the city of [[Akashi, Hyōgo|Akashi]] and is the site of [[Kobe Gakuin University]]. This ward has the largest population with 247,000 residents.<ref>[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/013/toukei/contents/kubetusihyo.html City of Kobe] - "Population by Ward" (Japanese), retrieved July 25, 2007</ref>
; 2. [[Kita-ku, Kobe|Kita-ku]] : Kita-ku is the largest ward by area and contains the Rokko Mountain Range, including [[Mount Rokko]] and [[Mount Maya]]. The area is well known for its rugged landscape and hiking trails. The [[onsen]] resort town of [[Arima Onsen|Arima]] also lies within Kita-ku.
; 3. [[Tarumi-ku, Kobe|Tarumi-ku]] : Tarumi-ku is a mostly residential area. The longest suspension bridge in the world, the [[Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge]], extends from Maiko in Tarumi-ku to [[Awaji Island]] to the south. A relatively new addition to Kobe, Tarumi-ku was not a part of the city until 1946.
; 4. [[Suma-ku, Kobe|Suma-ku]] : Suma-ku is the site of Suma beach, attracting visitors during the summer months.
; 5. [[Nagata-ku, Kobe|Nagata-ku]] : Nagata-ku is the site of [[Nagata Shrine]], one of the three "Great Shrines" in Kobe.
; 6. [[Hyōgo-ku, Kobe|Hyōgo-ku]] : At various times known as Ōwada Anchorage or Hyōgo Port, this area is the historical heart of the city. [[Shinkaichi]] in Hyogo-ku was once the commercial center of Kobe, but was heavily damaged during [[World War II]], and since Hyogo-ku has lost much of its former prominence.
; 7. [[Chūō-ku, Kobe|Chūō-ku]] : {{nihongo|''Chuo''|中央}} literally means "center", and as such Chuo-ku is the commercial and entertainment center of Kobe. [[Sannomiya]] along with [[Motomachi (Hyogo)|Motomachi]] and [[Harborland]] make up the main entertainment areas in Kobe. Chuo-ku also includes Kobe City Hall and [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo prefectural]] government offices. [[Port Island]] as well as [[Kobe Airport]] lie in the southern part of this ward.
; 8. [[Nada-ku, Kobe|Nada-ku]] : Nada-ku is the site of Kobe's Oji Zoo and [[Kobe University]]. Nada is also well-known for [[Nada-Gogō|its sake]]. Along with [[Fushimi-ku, Kyoto|Fushimi]] in [[Kyoto]], it accounts for 45% of Japan's sake production.<ref>[http://www.kippo.or.jp/culture_e/syoku/sakejijo/sakejijo1.html Kansai Window] - "Japan's number one sake production", retrieved February 6, 2007</ref>
; 9. [[Higashinada-ku, Kobe|Higashinada-ku]] : The easternmost area of Kobe, Higashinada-ku borders the city of [[Ashiya, Hyōgo|Ashiya]]. The man-made island of [[Rokko Island|Rokko]] makes up the southern part of this ward.
{{-}}

== Demographics ==
As of September 2007, Kobe has a population of 1,530,295 making up 658,876 households. This is an increase of 1,347 persons or approximately 0.1 percent over the previous year. The [[population density]] is approximately 2,768 persons per square kilometer, while there are about 90.2 males to every 100 females.<ref name="population statistics">[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/013/toukei/contents/suikeijinkou.html City of Kobe] - "Estimated Population of Kobe", retrieved October 2, 2007</ref> About thirteen percent of the population are between the ages of 0 and 14, sixty-seven percent are between 15 and 64, and twenty percent are over the age of 65.<ref name="pocket statistics">[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/013/toukei/contents/pocket.html City of Kobe] - "Statistical Summary of Kobe", retrieved July 25, 2007</ref>

Approximately 44,000 registered foreign nationals live in Kobe. The four most common nationalities are [[Korea]]n (22,237), [[China|Chinese]] (12,516), [[Vietnam]]ese (1,301), and [[United States|American]] (1,280).<ref name="pocket statistics" />

== Economy ==
[[Image:Kobe shinko11s2048.jpg|thumb|right|225px|Kobe is the busiest port in the [[Kansai region]].]]
[[Image:P and g02 1024.jpg|thumb|right|[[Procter & Gamble]] Asia headquarters on [[Rokko Island]].]]

Kobe is both an important port and manufacturing center within the [[Hanshin Industrial Region]]. Kobe is the [[List of world's busiest container ports|busiest container port]] in the region, surpassing even [[Osaka]], and the fourth busiest in [[Japan]].<ref name="busyport2005">[http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/Statistics/WORLD%20PORT%20RANKINGS%202005.xls American Association of Port Authorities] - "World Port Rankings 2005", retrieved July 3, 2007</ref>

As of 2004, the city's total real [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]] was ¥6.3 trillion, which amounts to thirty-four percent of the GDP for [[Hyōgo Prefecture]] and approximately eight percent for the whole [[Kansai region]].<ref name="Kobe economy">[http://web.hyogo-iic.ne.jp/hyogoip/4-2-1.pdf Hyogo Industrial Advancement Center] - "Industry Tendencies in Various Areas of Hyogo Prefecture" (Japanese), retrieved July 3, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/sna/kenmin/h16/main.html Cabinet Office, Government of Japan] - "2004 Prefectural Economy Survey" (Japanese), retrieved July 3, 2007</ref> [[Per capita income]] for the year was approximately ¥2.7 million.<ref name="Kobe economy"/> Broken down by [[Three-sector hypothesis|sector]], about one percent of those employed work in the [[Primary sector of economic activity|primary sector]] (agriculture, fishing and mining), twenty-one percent work in the [[Secondary sector of economic activity|secondary sector]] (manufacturing and industry), and seventy-eight percent work in the [[Tertiary sector of economic activity|service sector]].<ref name="pocket statistics" />

The value of [[manufactured goods]] produced and exported from Kobe for 2004 was ¥2.5 trillion. The four largest sectors in terms of value of goods produced are small appliances, food products, transportation equipment, and communication equipment making up over fifty percent of Kobe's manufactured goods. In terms of numbers of employees, food products, small appliances, and transportation equipment make up the three largest sectors.<ref>[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/013/toukei/pdf/kougyou/16kiji.pdf Kobe City Report on Census of Manufacturers, 2004] (Japanese), retrieved March 30, 2007</ref>

=== Major companies and institutes ===
Japanese companies which have their headquarters in Kobe include [[ASICS]], a shoe manufacturer; [[Daiei]], a department store chain; [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries]], an automobile and ship manufacturer; and [[Kobe Steel]]. Other companies include the [[confectionery]] manufacturers [[Konigs-Krone]] and [[Morozoff Ltd.]], [[Sun Television (Japan)|Sun Television Japan]] and [[UCC Ueshima Coffee Co.]]

There are over 100 international corporations with East-Asia or Japan headquarters in Kobe. Of these, twenty-four are from [[China]], eighteen from the [[United States]], and nine from [[Switzerland]].<ref name="foreign_hq" /> Some prominent corporations include [[Eli Lilly and Company]], [[Nestlé]], [[Procter & Gamble]], [[Tempur-Pedic]], and [[Toys "R" Us]].<ref name="companyhq"/>

Kobe is the site of a number of research institutes, such as the [[RIKEN]] Kobe Institute Center for [[developmental biology]] and medical imaging techniques,<ref>[http://www.cdb.riken.go.jp/en/index.html RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology RIKEN Kobe Institute], retrieved June 26, 2007</ref> the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology Kobe Advanced ICT Research Center,<ref>[http://www2.nict.go.jp/w/w103/en/index.html National Institute of Information and Communications Technology Kobe Advanced ICT Research Center], retrieved June 26, 2007</ref> the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention,<ref>[http://www.bosai.go.jp/e/index.html National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention], retrieved June 12, 2007</ref> and the Asian Disaster Reduction Center.<ref>[http://www.adrc.or.jp Asian Disaster Reduction Center], retrieved June 12, 2007</ref>

International organizations include the [[WHO Centre for Health Development]], an [[intergovernmental]] agency forming part of the [[World Health Organization]].

{{-}}

== Transportation ==
[[Image:Akashi Bridge.JPG|thumb|right|225px|The [[Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge]] extends from Kobe to Awaji Island.]]

=== Rail ===
[[Sannomiya Station]] is the main commuter hub in Kobe, serving as the transfer point for the three major intercity rail lines. The [[JR Kobe Line]] connects Kobe to [[Osaka]] and [[Himeji, Hyōgo|Himeji]] while both the [[Hankyu Kobe Line]] and the [[Hanshin Main Line]] run from Kobe to [[Umeda Station]] in Osaka. In addition, [[Kobe Municipal Subway]] provides access to the [[Sanyō Shinkansen]] at [[Shin-Kobe Station]]. [[Sanyō Electric Railway]] trains from Himeji reach Sannomiya via the [[Kobe Rapid Railway]].

Other rail lines in Kobe include [[Kobe Electric Railway]] which runs north to [[Sanda, Hyogo|Sanda]] and [[Arima Onsen]]. [[Hokushin Kyuko Railway]] connects Shin-Kobe Station to [[Tanigami Station]] on the Kobe Electric Railway. [[Kobe New Transit]] runs two lines, the [[Port Island Line]] from Sannomiya to [[Kobe Airport]] and the [[Rokko Island Line]] from [[Sumiyoshi Station (JR West)|JR Sumiyoshi Station]] to [[Rokko Island]].

Over [[Mount Rokkō]], the city has two [[funicular]] lines and three [[aerial lift]]s as well, namely [[Maya Cablecar]], [[Rokkō Cable Line]], [[Rokkō Arima Ropeway]], [[Maya Ropeway]], and [[Shin-Kobe Ropeway]].

=== Road and Air ===
Kobe is a hub in a number of [[Expressways of Japan|expressways]], including the [[Meishin Expressway]] ([[Nagoya]] - Kobe) and the [[Hanshin Expressway]] (Osaka - Kobe).<ref>[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/27/kigyo-yuchi/invest-kobe/e/access/domestic/index.html Hyogo-Kobe Investment Guide] - "Domestic Access", retrieved February 15, 2007</ref> Other expressways include the [[Sanyō Expressway]] (Kobe - [[Yamaguchi Prefecture|Yamaguchi]]) and the [[Chūgoku Expressway]] (Osaka - Yamaguchi).
The [[Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Project#Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway|Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway]] runs from Kobe to [[Naruto, Tokushima|Naruto]] via [[Awaji Island]] and includes the [[Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge]], the longest suspension bridge in the world.

[[Osaka International Airport]] in nearby [[Itami, Hyōgo|Itami]] and [[Kobe Airport]], built on a reclaimed island south of [[Port Island]], offer mainly domestic flights, while [[Kansai International Airport]] in [[Osaka]] is the main international hub in the area.

== Education ==
[[Image:Kobe-Univ-Rokkodai-Honkan.jpg|right|thumb|Kobe University main building.]]
{{main|Education in Kobe}}

The city of Kobe directly administers 169 elementary and 83 middle schools, with enrollments of approximately 80,200 and 36,000 students, respectively.<ref name="Kobe schools">[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/57/kyouikutyousa/index.html City of Kobe] - "Number of municipal schools and students" (Japanese), retrieved July 2, 2007</ref> If the city's four private elementary schools and fourteen private middle schools are included, these figures jump to a total 82,000 elementary school students and 42,300 junior high students enrolled for the 2006 school year.<ref name="pocket statistics" /><ref>[http://web.pref.hyogo.jp/pa15/pa15_000000005.html Hyogo Prefectural Government] - "Private elementary schools" (Japanese), retrieved July 2, 2007</ref><ref>[http://web.pref.hyogo.jp/pa15/pa15_000000004.html Hyogo Prefectural Government] - "Private middle schools" (Japanese), retrieved July 2, 2007</ref>

Kobe also directly controls seven of the city's twenty-eight full-time public high schools, while the remainder are administered by the Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education.<ref name="Kobe schools"/><ref>[http://www.hyogo-c.ed.jp/~board-bo/gakko.htm#koube Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education] - "Hyogo prefectural public schools at a glance" (Japanese), retrieved July 2, 2007</ref> In addition, twenty-five high schools are run privately within the city.<ref>[http://web.pref.hyogo.jp/pa15/pa15_000000003.html Hyogo Prefectural Government] - "Private high schools" (Japanese), retrieved July 2, 2007</ref> The total enrollment for high schools in 2006 was 43,400.<ref name="pocket statistics" />

Kobe is home to eighteen public and private universities, including [[Kobe University]] and [[Konan University]], and eight [[junior colleges]]. Students enrolled for 2006 reached 67,000 and 4,100, respectively.<ref name="pocket statistics" />

== Culture ==
[[Image:Kobe kitano thomas house07 2816.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Weathercock House, one of the many foreign residences of the [[Kitano-cho|Kitano area]] of Kobe]]

Kobe is famous for its [[Kobe beef]] and [[Arima Onsen]] (hot springs), while notable buildings include the [[Ikuta Shrine]] as well as the [[Kobe Port Tower]]. It is well known for the night view of the city, from the mountains (like [[Mount Rokkō]], [[Mount Maya]] and so on) as well as the coast. Kobe is also known for having a somewhat exotic atmosphere by Japanese standards, which is mainly a result of its history as a port city.

The city is also widely associated with cosmopolitanism and fashion, encapsulated in the Japanese phrase, "If you can't go to Paris, go to Kobe."<ref name="nytimes">Hassan, Sally. (April 9, 1989). "Where Japan Opened a Door To the West". ''[[New York Times]]''., retrieved from [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEED6173FF93AA35757C0A96F948260&sec=travel&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink New York Times Website] on February 7, 2007.</ref> The biannual fashion event [[Kobe Collection]] is held in Kobe.<ref>[http://kobe-collection.com/ Kobe Collection Official Website] (Japanese), retrieved February 27, 2007</ref> The jazz festival "Kobe Jazz Street" has been held every October at jazz clubs and hotels since 1981.<ref>[http://www.kobejazzstreet.gr.jp/history/english.html Kobe Jazz Street], retrieved March 12, 2007</ref>

Kobe is the site of Japan's first golf course, [[Kobe Golf Club]], established by [[Arthur Hasketh Groom]] in 1903,<ref name="golfclubatlas">[http://www.golfclubatlas.com/alison1.html Golf Club Atlas] - "Gliding Past Fuji - C.H. Alison in Japan", retrieved February 7, 2007</ref> and Japan's first mosque, [[Kobe Mosque]], built in 1935.<ref>Penn, M. "Islam in Japan," [http://www.asiaquarterly.com/content/view/168/ Harvard Asia Quarterly] Vol. 10, No. 1, Winter 2006, retrieved February 15, 2007</ref> The city also hosts the [[Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club]], founded in 1870 by [[Alexander Cameron Sim]],<ref name="krac">[http://www.krac.org/history.shtml Kobe Regatta and Athletic Club] - "a distinguished history", retrieved February 7, 2007</ref> a prominent [[Foreign cemeteries in Japan|foreign cemetery]], and a number of Western-style residences from the 19th century, in the [[Kitano-cho|Kitano area]].

Most of the 1957 romantic drama ''[[Sayonara]]'' takes place in Kobe. Kobe is also the setting of the [[Studio Ghibli]] film [[Grave of the Fireflies]].

== Sports ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col"| Club
! scope="col"| Sport
! scope="col"| League
! scope="col"| Venue
! scope="col"| Established
|-
| [[Image:Kobelco.gif|30px|Kobelco Steelers]] [[Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers]]
| [[rugby football|Rugby]]
| [[Top League]]
| [[Kobe Wing Stadium]]
| 1928
|-
| [[Image:Orixbuffaloeslogo.png|30px|Orix Buffaloes]] [[Orix Buffaloes]]
| [[Baseball]]
| [[Pacific League]]
| [[Skymark Stadium]]<br/>[[Osaka Dome]]
| 1938
|-
| [[Image:VisselKobe.png|30px|Vissel Kobe]] [[Vissel Kobe]]
| [[Football (soccer)|Football]]
| [[J. League]]
| [[Home's Stadium Kobe]]<br/>[[Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium]]
| 1995
|}

== Sister cities and sister ports ==
Kobe has six sister cities and a number of other affiliations.<ref>[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/17/020/en/international/worldmap.htm City of Kobe] - "Sister City, Friendly City, Friendship & Cooperation City", retrieved February 15, 2007</ref> They are:

* {{flagicon|United States}} [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[United States]] (1957)
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Marseille]], [[France]] (1961)
* {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brazil]] (1969)
* {{flagicon|Latvia}} [[Riga]], [[Latvia]] (1974)
* {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Brisbane City Council|Brisbane]], [[Australia]] (1985)
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Barcelona]], [[Spain]] (1993)
* {{flagicon|Peru}} [[Pisco]], [[Peru]] (2007)
* {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]]

Sister ports:
* {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Rotterdam]], [[Netherlands]] (1967)
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Seattle]], [[United States]] (1967)

Other city affiliations:
* {{flagicon|China}} [[Tianjin]], [[PRC|China]] (friendly city) (1973)
* {{flagicon|United States}} [[Philadelphia]], [[United States]] (friendship and cooperation city) (1986)

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Kobe nakatottei07s3200.jpg|[[Kobe Port Tower]]
Image:Akashi-kaikyo_bridge_night_shot_small.jpg|[[Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge]]
Image:Kobe_skyline_small.jpg|Downtown Kobe from a harbour cruise boat
Image:KobeDowntownStreet.JPG|[[Sannomiya]] (Downtown)
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{commons|Kobe}}
* {{en icon}} [http://www.city.kobe.jp/index-e.html Official Kobe homepage]
* {{en icon}} [http://www.kobecityinfo.com Kobe City Info]
* [http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?word=Kobe%2Dshi%20%28Japan%29&s=3&notword=&f=2 New York Public Library Digital Gallery] - late 19th century photographs of Kobe
* {{wikitravel}}

{{Hyogo}}
{{Regions and administrative divisions of Japan}}
{{World's most populated urban areas}}

<!--Categories-->
[[Category:Kobe| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Hyōgo Prefecture]]
[[Category:Coastal settlements]]
[[Category:Port settlements in Japan]]
[[Category:Coastal settlements in Japan]]

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[[zh:神户市]]

Revision as of 14:32, 26 September 2008

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