VISIT KOBE

From Sannomiya Station, ride the Port Liner for 14 minutes and alight at Keisan Kagaku Center Station (Kobe Animal Kingdom, Fugaku Mae). The zoo is right outside the exit. Visitors flock here to enjoy encounters with animals. The zoo has two areas, the Inside Park and the Outside Park, and features species rarely seen in Japan such as shoebill storks and sand cats. Unique exhibition methods allow close-up viewing of free-roaming animals and free-flying birds, allowing visitors to observe their ecology with a sense of realism.

The Ecological Garden is home to powerful Sumatran tigers in a setting similar to their native habitat. In the squirrel forest, be transfixed as cute Japanese squirrels run and leap around. The long list of options runs from a petting zoo with dogs, cats and other small animals to horse and camel riding, for example. Feeding the capybara, tortoises, alpaca and sheep will pique kids’ curiosity. And do not miss the “pelican flight”, when all the big-billed birds take off at once.

In the outdoor stadium, exciting bird and dog performances are especially popular. Also look for events where staff explain animal ecology during feeding time.

The restaurant also has an extensive menu, making this a go-to for a whole day of fun for adults and kids alike.

A new urban-style aquarium located inside Kobe Port Museum, approximately 20 minutes’ walk from Sannomiya or Motomachi Station, downtown Kobe. The aquarium combines digital art and stage design to showcase fish and other aquatic creatures. Átoa is grabbing attention as the “new-sensation, art-loving aquarium.”

The facility features a themed symbolic tank for each zone, and all five senses are stimulated by the interplay of sound, light and scent. The exhibits are not just a presentation of living creatures; they are designed to fully showcase their allure in imaginative spaces.

There are plenty of programs for parents and their children, so experience touching the shell of a giant tortoise or watching staff give a commentary as they feed the penguins.

On the fourth floor is an open-air terrace, where we recommend tasting the cute otter-themed cookies or manju buns in the sea breeze.

The museum shop is on the first floor, and it is stocked with plenty of unique goods such as plush toys designed under the supervision of aquarists. Here too is one of Kobe’s largest food halls, where you can savor Kobe beef, Western-style cuisine, sweet treats and sake unique to Kobe while gazing up at the huge tank directly above.

This is the place to visit in combination with taking in the spectacular views from Mt. Rokko via a lookout or ropeway.

Animals including sheep, cows, horses, and goats are living their best lives here on a green and hilly pasture fringed by forest. In addition to hands-on experiences like feeding and horseriding, special events take place all the time such as the popular cute woolly sheep race (select days only). As you take a break at the farm restaurant or café, sample soft-serve ice cream, cheeses and more that are at their freshest right on their farm of origin.

[Request from the farm hosts]

For the sake of your safety and the health of our animals, please abide by the following rules:
■To prevent infection, please do not visit the farm within a week of arriving in Japan from overseas.
■You must tread on the disinfection mat when entering the farm.
■You must wash and disinfect your hands before and after touching the animals.
■Do not give food to animals outside of the set locations.

A popular zoo in Nada, the district famous for its sake brewery tours. It is home to some 130 species from around the world and the animals can be viewed up close.

In addition to elephants, giraffes and hippos, you can also see impressive wild beasts like tigers and leopards. Do not miss the cute koalas! Catch a regular event at the Zoological Science Center, where kids play and learn. In the nearby theme park zone, many rides can be enjoyed together by parents and children and for those tired from all the walking in the zoo, we recommend riding the Ferris wheel to enjoy a relaxing view of the city of Kobe.

What did you think? We recommend taking a few days for this itinerary, because the animals you encounter and the experiences on offer vary so much from place to place. It is bound to be a memorable time.