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Catching a train in Kobe; Sannomiya area.
The central Kobe station of Sannomiya might be fairly small compared to the stations in and around Tokyo or Osaka, but it is still connects 7 lines and can be quite overwhelming trying to figure out what station platform and train to jump on. When in the center of Kobe, Sannomiya / Motomachi area, if…
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Top 10 traditions of celebrating New Years in Japan (Kobe Edition)
In no particular order, here are our Top 10 ways to celebrate New Years in Japan (Kobe Edition). Many of these traditions are nationwide while some are specific to Kobe. 1. Visiting Ikuta Shrine for hatsumoude First thing to do for New Years in Japan is to visit a shrine. Every year the streets around…
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Christmas in Japan; Fried Chicken & Love Hotels
Christmas in Japan is a mixed stocking full of common western traditions and uniquely Japanese twists. Coming from Australia, where we enjoy a warm summer Christmas, family traditions across the country vary. Having a BBQ and heading to the beach might seem strange for most from the Northern Hemisphere. However, the concept of Christmas in…
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Peace & Nature: 15 years of making peace, revitalizing nature in rural Kobe
Peace & Nature, an international NPO based in Kobe where Japanese and international members work together, recently celebrated 15 years since its foundation. They have strong message and purpose with their overall theme of “global peace and the environment”. They are revitalizing unused fields and growing rice and vegetables without agricultural chemical in the beautiful natural…
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Kobe with Kids
Although Kobe doesn’t often make it into many of Japan’s tourist pamphlets it is my special, special “Japan Happy Place.” It’s where I’ve spent the majority of the Japan-portion of my life and it’s also where I met my husband. At the risk of sounding like a complete bossy boots… I also used to…