Nankinmachi - Kobe Chinatown
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Alongside Yokohama and Nagasaki, Kobe has one of Japan's big three Chinatowns: Nankinmachi, as it's know locally. These three cities were the first Japanese ports to open up to western trade and, in the case of Kobe, European traders settled up in the Kitano district in the hills, while Chinese merchants set up shop in the Motomachi district. Kobe's Chinatown is much smaller than Yokohama's, but that just makes it manageable, especially as a stop on a day trip to Kobe.
Top street food & what to eat in Nankinmachi
Food is one of the main reasons to visit, and eating on the go (or at standing tables) is how you do it! There are some fantastic sit-down restaurants, though, if you have time and especially if your feet need a bit of a break.
Roushouki (老祥記): The legendary shop on the central square, credited with inventing Japanese butaman (steamed pork buns) in 1915. I've never been in Nankinmachi when there hasn't been a long queue here, but the line moves fast and it's worth the wait in any case.
Steamed dim sum & dumplings: Stalls steam baskets right on the street - xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), shumai, and gyoza are everywhere. I love walking down the main street of Nankinmachi in the colder months past all of these steaming goodies. The gyoza are to die for and are basically like central heating for the next round of sightseeing.
Peking duck wraps & skewers: Quick-grab portions served in paper cones or wraps, alongside sweet treats like jian dui (sesame balls filled with red bean paste) and egg tarts.
Sweet character buns from Tenshido: You won't be able to pass these adorable sweet, custard or bean-filled buns shaped like pandas or chicks, but then you'll find it hard to eat them because they're just. so. darn. CUTE!
Kobe beef x Chinatown mashups: Look for local twists, such as Kobe beef steamed buns and ramen bowls. Nankinmachi is also a great place to grab a portion of Kobe beef, cooked to perfection, on a skewer if you want to sample Kobe's most famous product without going in for a whole sit-down meal.
Tip: Eating your way down the street is going to generate all sorts of paper trash, empty skewers, etc. and you'll be hard pushed to find a bin; the stall owners are always happy to take back the wrappers of the snacks you bought from them. Walking while eating is discouraged anyway, so it's best to stay put at the stall, munch and dispose of your rubbish before moving on to the next treat.
What else to see in Nankinmachi
You should also look out for the huge, ornate gates at the entrances to Nankinmachi. One is down on Meriken Road opposite the big Daimaru department store, another is at the southern entrance on Sakaemachi-Dori, and the third is at the western end on Motomachi Park Road, i.e. the road that runs south directly from Motomachi Station - a good starting point for your exploration of Kobe Chinatown.
In the centre of Nankinmachi is a lovely little octagonal gazebo. There are seats in here but it's right in front of the super-popular Roushouki butaman shop and I've never seen an empty seat. The gazebo is in a central square, surrounded by stone statues of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The whole square is draped with lanterns, so it's especially pretty in the evening.
Best time to visit Kobe Chinatown
It's pretty dead here before 10am. If you want to grab some snacks before the crowds really get going, then 11am or so is a good bet. I love Nankinmachi after sunset, when the lanterns are all light and it's incredibly colourful and buzzy. The food stalls start packing up at around 7pm, though, so don't leave it too late. Weekends are usually very busy. But that sort of adds to the atmosphere - you just have to expect to queue for a few minutes for the more popular stalls.
If you happen to be in Kobe in January/February or October/November, you might catch the Chinese New Year or Autumn Festival celebrations (the dates change every year according to the lunar calendar).
Is Kobe Chinatown worth visiting?
Kobe Chinatown is definitely worth visiting. True, Nankinmachi isn't the biggest Chinatown in Japan but that just means that it won't take up much time in your itinerary and it's very accessible from either Kyoto or Osaka. You might wonder why you would visit a Chinatown at all in Japan, but Nankinmachi is an integral part of Kobe's history and international character. And, quite honestly, it's fun! It has great energy, the street food is great and it's only about 10 minutes walk from Kobe's central Sannomiya Station. It's also more or less on the way to some of Kobe's other attractions such as Meriken Park and Port Tower. And, of course, it's free (aside from what you pay for food or other purchases)!
How to get to Kobe Nankinmachi Chinatown
If you're starting from Sannomiya, the best way is to walk west down the Centre Gai covered shopping arcade (an especially good idea on a rainy day). When you come to a larger street running north-south (Tor Road), you'll see that the Centre Gai shopping arcade continues on the other side of this street but a few metres further south. Continue on down through Centre Gai until you come out onto a major street (Meriken Road). Down to the left, you'll see the rounded facade of the Daimaru department store. Walk down towards it and opposite it on the other side of the street you'll see a big white stone gate marking the east entrance of Nankinmachi.
If you're coming from Motomachi station, exit to the south (West Exit), cross the road in front of the station, walk right (west) down the road for a few metres or so until you see the Hanshin Railway Motomachi Station entrance on the corner. Take left at this corner and walk south about 100 metres and you'll see the western gate to Nankinmachi.
If you're coming from Osaka or Kyoto, you can take the Special Rapid (shinkaisoku) JR train as far as Sannomiya. The Special Rapid trains don't stop at Motomachi, though, so you'll have to either take the slower Rapid (kaisoku) train to Motomachi or change in Sannomiya to a Rapid or Local train. From Osaka, you can also take the Hankyu or Hanshin lines.
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