Experience Japanese culture through all five senses at a venue just a 8-minute walk from Sannomiya Station, located right behind Round One. In this 90-minute session, you’ll create two original onigiri (rice balls) while learning about the cultural stories behind them, such as “Why are onigiri triangular?” and “What are fermented foods?” You can also enjoy handmade pickles and rice malt amazake accompanied with your onigiri. The experience is designed to be accessible for first-timers and is fully English-friendly.
【Special Offer】
You can save 1,000JPY/person if you book the “Sake Tasting Tour at local breweries in Kobe” at the same time!
Click here for details => “Sake Tasting Tour at local breweries in Kobe”
Schedule
9:45
Meet up at East ticket gate at JR Sannomiya Station
10:00
Onigiri Making Experience
11:30
Dismiss on site
*If you also applied for the sake tasting experience, the sake tour guide will be waiting for you at the Hanshin Sannomiya ticket gate at 11:50 a.m.
Location
【Special Offer】
You can save 1,000JPY/person if you book the “Sake Tasting Tour at local breweries in Kobe” at the same time!
Click here for details => “Sake Tasting Tour at local breweries in Kobe”
“An extraordinary intellectual experience to feel and learn about pearl culture at a pearl wholesaler.”
When you think of pearls, most people think of “pure white” and “round” ones.
In fact, pearls have a wide variety of types, shapes, and colors, and no two pearls are exactly alike.
In this tour, pearl professional will give a lecture with interesting topics such as the history of the pearl industry and the process of pearls.
After experiencing beautiful pearls, let’s go sightseeing in Kobe!
We offer two courses for sightseeing:
1.Nunobiki Herb Garden Course
2.Pearl Street & Tea Time Course
You can choose the course according to your preference or the weather.
1.Nunobiki Herb Garden Course
2.Pearl Street & Tea Time Course
Schedule
13:00
Meet at central ticket gate at JR Sannomiya Station
13:15
HINATA Trading Co., Ltd.
Andy Muller, the current chairman of the board, has contributed greatly to the development of South Sea pearls from cultivation to distribution since his arrival in Japan in 1968, based in Kobe which is the world’s leading pearl distribution city.
You can learn more about pearls while observing the actual equipment used for many years. Please feel free to ask any questions about pearls.
It is a rare experience to see so many colorful pearls.
13:40
Tour of Processing Site & Pearl Sorting Experience
Observe up close how craftsmen process pearls.
Actually, the most difficult and time-consuming part of pearl processing is “sorting”.
Try sorting the many unique pearls by carefully comparing their colors and shapes.
Even if the pearls look beautifully round, when they are made into a necklace, they may differ…
The professionals will evaluate and decide the one who is the best at sorting pearls.
14:00
Visit a showroom and order jewelry (if you would like)
Have you found your favorite pearl from among many attractive pearls?
You can also order pearls you have selected to be processed into jewelries of your choice.
Upon leaving, you will also get a beautiful pearl shell as a souvenir.
Choose your favorite one from our selection. They can be used as soap dishes or accessory cases.
*We do not have any aggressive sales or solicitation for purchase.
14:10
Sightseeing in Kobe *You can decide which course you would like to take on the day of the tour.
1.Nunobiki Herb Garden Course
One of the largest herb gardens in Japan with about 200 species of 75,000 flowers and herbs, you can enjoy a spectacular view of Kobe from 400 meters above sea level.
Take a ropeway to explore the 12 gardens in the herb garden, and enjoy the fragrance of flowers and herbs in each season!
2.Pearl Street & Tea Time Course
In Kitano-machi, near HINATA Trading, there is a street commonly known as “Pearl Street,” where about 220 pearl-related companies are gathered. Feel the history of Kobe while reviewing the history of pearls.
Kobe is also known as a city of sweets! There are many wonderful cafes that you will want to stop by. If you want to spend a relaxing afternoon, how about having tea time at a traditional cafe?
Ask many questions about Kobe to our local guide!
16:00
Finish at Shin-Kobe station (Herb Garden Course) or at JR Sannomiya Station (Tea Time Course)
You can rent out an entire floor of the building which is conveniently located in front of Sannomiya Station.
With a projector, tables, and children’s play equipment, it can be used not only for business purposes, but also for relaxation or luggage storage.
You can use it for an orientation meeting before starting out for sightseeing, or for a short break and socializing with food brought in!
It is also nice to use it as a place to leave large luggage that might disturb your sightseeing.
Service Hours
Monday – Friday：6:45 PM – 0:00 AM / Saturday,Sunday and National Holidays：All Day
Location
Address : Mikoto Building 3F, 5-4-5 Kotonoo-cho,Chuo-ku,Kobe-shi,Hyogo,Japan
*Elevator is available to our office.
SHIOYA is my small hometown, a quaint peaceful fishing village nestled in a valley. It takes about 15 minutes from Kobe, 40min from Osaka and 70min from Kyoto by JR train. It’s surrounded by beautiful mountains and the sea, its historical and has a lovely quaint market street.
On meeting at JR SHIOYA station, I’d like to give your own Japanese name card to you. It would be useful for communication with friendly local people.
First, let’s go to the harbour. Enjoy a photogenic view of the area. You can see Mt Rokko, Awaji island, the pearl bridge, etc. Also, my fisherman friend waits for you. You can sample Nori (seaweed) if you like.
Then through the tunnel, we’ll go into SHIOYA town. I’d like you to know about real Japanese daily life by walking through a temple, a shrine, a cemetery, etc.
Also, enjoy the narrow market street and I want to share my local vision with you, visiting a barber shop which has over 100 years history, a tatami factory, and our beautiful heritage, the Guggenheim house when they are open.
Let’s enjoy more than 8 different yummy Japanese snacks & drinks.
Have fun talking with local people & a super smiley environment !
Other things to note
Comfortable shoes and clothes for walking are recommended.
Children, non-English speakers and people who study Japanese are welcome.
We can use gestures!
Schedule
10:00AM
Pick up at Kobe city center
15-minutes walk to the next stop.
10:15AM
Seaweed Factory
10:45AM
15-minutes walk to the next stop.
10:30AM
Guggenheim House
The Western-style house, offers stunning sea views. The name originates from an American trader’s family who once lived in Kobe from Meiji to Taisho eras. Today, the building is often used as an event venue and a filming location for movies. It remains a beloved spot for visitors and locals alike.
11:30AM
15-minutes walk to the next stop.
11:45AM
Shioya shopping street
Restaurants, shops, local markets—this street is the main shopping hub of the area. There’re steep slopes and winding road -like a maze alleys are lined with a wide variety of stores, making it a favorite among locals.
1:45PM
Drop-off at Kobe city center
Pick-up and Drop-off Location
Kobe City Center（Shin-Kobe・Sannomiya Station・Hotels in Chuo Ward・Kobe Port）
*For other areas, additional fees may be charged. Please contact us.
Vehicle Type
Van and sedan type vehicles are available.
Location
We’ll meet at the gate of JR SHIOYA station. ( It takes about 15 min from JR Kobe station.)
First, we’ll go to the harbour.
Then go into SHIOYA town and walk around a temple, a shrine, markets, shops, the Guggenheim house and so on, while enjoying various snacks at a croquette shop, restaurants, fishmonger, a tofu shop, a bakery, a cake shop, and fresh fruits and vegitable shops etc.
Let’s enjoy communication with local people & belong Shioya!
Reviews
★★★★★ Shioya, Japan Walking Tour
“Konnichiwa! Sumire, thank you for your message, so good to hear from you. And thank you and Yurina so much for the pictures. We have had a really great time here in beautiful Shioya, Japan. I wish to say our most memorable time was having you as our best tour guide ever and all the wonderful Shioya people we were privileged to meet during our tour. We will never forget you, Yurina, and Shizuko-san, who was so kind and generous and served us refreshing and cool drinks. Please tell her I will always cherish her gift to me that will always remind me of her and the warm and beautiful heart of Shioya, Japan. Sumire, you made this unique and memorable visit to Shioya all happen because of your genuineness and sincerity in allowing me, Rosemary, and Mia, to experience the uniqueness and beauty of Shioya and take you and some of Shioya with us in our minds and hearts. I certainly want to keep in touch with you and hope to revisit with you and Shioya very soon again. Take care and good health to you and your family. This walking tour was simply the best!” JESSE R (June 24, 2023)
★★★★★ Meet the Locals
“It was a unique experience we enjoyed on this day. Sumire picked us up from the cruise ship and traveled with us by train to a village outside Kobe. She showed us around her hometown, visiting a school, barber shop and much more. We interacted with local people and had a tea break. I can highly recommend to everybody who would like to do something outside the normal tourist attractions.” widi (June 20, 2023)
As the proverb says “Nada (Kobe) sake for men, Fushimi (Kyoto) sake for women”, Nada’s sake is influenced by mineral rich water and it is characterized by its dry taste. We will enjoy more than 20 varieties of sake in 3.5 hours. The guide will be familiar with Nada area and sake, and will provide a friendly atmosphere. You will be informed about the history of sake, customs, brewing methods and how to enjoy snacks that go well with the alcohol. Enjoy different types of sakes depending on the season you visit. Let’s learn and go on an adventure deep into the sake world.
Schedule
12:00PM
Pick up at Kobe city center
12:30PM
1st brewery
Established in 1751, the liquor store owner is a 13th generation. There is a full-fledged and rich variety of Japanese sake, including “Junmai Ginjo” that was served 5 times at the Nobel Prize banquet. In the souvenir corner, there are abundant items such as snacks, deep-fried rice, and soup. We recommend that you purchase souvenirs to bring home to your loved ones. Optionally, there is a paid tasting counter, and you can enjoy popular sake 300 yen per cup and the highest class drip-pressed sake for about 1,500 yen per 45ml cup.
1:30PM
2nd brewery
With a 250 year old history, this is one of the smallest brewery in Nada area. The production volume is as small as 40,000 bottles of 1.8 L each per year. They are a high-quality brand that is famous all over Japan, even though the production scale is small. We will taste unpasteurized-sake, which can only enjoyed in Japan.
*Please note that this brewery is closed on weekends, but we will arrange to visit another brewery.
2:00PM
3rd brewery
The biggest brewery in Japan! You will walk along huge sake tank, and get into sake museum. Let’s wear happi, half size Japanese cloth, take photo for memory.
3:00PM
4th brewery
With 63 years of experience, the final and last brewery that we will visit features a sake master who’s become a symbol to this brewery. While making traditional, high quality sake, it’s also taking a new innovative and creative route. For example, they produce sake using Whiskey production methods, by utilizing American Oak. Using Sherry wine barrels imported from France, this brewery ages the sake with it. They also came up with the idea of mixing sake and Chardonnay, giving this new beverage a very refreshing twist. It will change the way you see sake. This is also optional, there is a paid tasting counter where you can enjoy small cheese platter from top dairy cattle raised in Mt. Rokko.
*Please note that this brewery is closed on Mondays, but we will arrange to visit another brewery.
3:30PM
Finish at Uozaki station on Hanshin Line.
Pick-up and Drop-off Location
Kobe City Center（Shin-Kobe・Sannomiya Station・Hotels in Chuo Ward・Kobe Port）
*For other areas, additional fees may be charged. Please contact us.
Vehicle Type
Van and sedan type vehicles are available.
Location
Reviews
★★★★★ Truly Amazing !! Seigo is the Best!!!
“Our tour guide Seigo was extraordinary, he was very compassionate, considerate, kind and such a sweet soul. He enlightened us with not only his kindness but the history of Kyoto throughout our tour, took us to many beautiful scenery’s and guided us to indulge in many different forms and flavors of sake. We walked away so thrilled by this experience and would have to say it was one of the best, thank you so much for a wonderful time and highly recommend everyone do this tour!
You do have to pay at the last location if you choose to do the extra 18 Sake tasting, which we did and do not regret at all, HIGHLY WORTH IT!” jacinda a (August 13, 2023)
★★★★★ Great sake tour and guide Seigo
“Our tour guide Seigo, was absolutely lovely. He was knowledgeable and interesting to listen to. He was personable and made the tour fun. So did the sake.” Yvonne (August 3, 2023)
★★★★★ Fantastic, Memorable, Recommended
This is a fantastic experience for me. I have learned a lot from Seigo, and become more interested in Sake. The most amazing part is the last stop where I tried the sherry cask brewed Sake. As a whisky lover, I really enjoyed it. BTW the little Tofu shop was lovely and the taste was original and traditional. Vivian Wang (August 2, 2023)
It is said that the name of Kobe originates from the Ikuta Shrine.
We will visit each shrine after drawing a fortune “Mizu-mikuji” a famous item at the Ikuta Shrine.
We also take a taxi and visit some famous monuments in Kobe.
Let’s pray for good health and good luck by visiting eight shrines.
At the end of the tour, we will have a traditional Japanese lunch.
9:45
Pick up at Kobe city center
10:00
Departing from the Ikuta Shrine
10:15
Ichinomiya Shrine → Ninomiya Shrine → Sannomiya Shrine → Yonomiya Shrine → Gonomiya Shrine → Rokunomiya Shrine & Hachinomiya Shrine → Shichinomiya Shrine
Bounding for Kitano-cho Area by Taxi
13:15
Lunch at a traditional Japanese restaurant
※ Comfortable shoes and clothes for walking are recommended.
Pick-up and Drop-off Location
Kobe City Center（Shin-Kobe・Sannomiya Station・Hotels in Chuo Ward・Kobe Port）
*For other areas, additional fees may be charged. Please contact us.
KOBAY is the official character of Kobe Local Tours!!
KOBAY wants to spread the attraction of Kobe, so KOBAY is looking forward to meeting as many visitors to Kobe as possible.
Please enjoy interacting with KOBAY!!!
Special benefits for visitors
・Instax photo taken with KOBAY
・KOBAY keychain
Price
You can apply from 1 person.
Special Offer: Key folder
1 group (1~3 persons) 2,500 JPY (1 key chain included)
1 group (4~7 persons) 5,000 JPY (1 key chain included)
1 group (8~11 persons) 7,500 JPY (1 key chain included)
Special Offer: Plush toys
1 group (1~4 persons) 3,500 JPY (1 plush toy included)
1 group (5~8 persons) 7,000 JPY (1 plush toy included)
*Persons aged 12 and over are counted in the number of group members.
*Please place two orders for more than 12 people.
*Maximum of 20 people can be accepted at the same time. Please contact our staff for more details about the price.
Location
Meet at BE TORABERU CO.,Ltd
Mikoto Building 3F, 5-4-5 Kotonoo-cho,Chuo-ku,Kobe-shi,Hyogo,Japan
Business Hours : Monday-Friday 10:00AM-6:00PM *Closed on national holidays
We provide temporary storage for your suitcases and luggage at our office.
We also have tourist information (guide books, maps, etc…),which is very convenient for sightseeing in Kobe!
Leave your luggage with us and enjoy sightseeing in Kobe!
*The office is open as a rental space outside of business hours, so you can rent out the floor and leave your luggage. For more information, please click here.
Business Hours
10:00AM to 18:30PM on Weekdays （Closed on Saturday, Sunday and National Holidays）
Price
Small and Medium Bag Size 330JPY/day
Suitcase Size 660JPY/day
Other Size (strollers, snowboards,musical instrument, etc… ) 880JPY/day
Payment
On-site payment is available.
We accept credit cards, PayPay and cash.
*Please prepare to pay the exact amount to avoid change if you pay in cash.
Location
Address : Mikoto Building 3F, 5-4-5 Kotonoo-cho,Chuo-ku,Kobe-shi,Hyogo,Japan
*Elevator is available to our office.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Date
Cancellation Cherge
Until 5:00PM the day before reservation date
No Fee
After 5:00PM the day before reservation date / No Show
This is a sweets tour by a guide who loves sweets and lives currently in Kobe.
The tour takes you to the famous sightseeing spots around Kobe by a cab. Afterwards, we will take you to the Motomachi shopping district with rich history of Kobe Sweets.
A mouth-watering information about each store’s specialty awaits.
With the sweets shop tour, we can stop by at your favorite store on a request basis!
Enjoy Be Toraberu’s original souvenir perk and Fugetsudo special eat-in menu. Finally, the tour will take you to the B1F of Daimaru, where Kobe’s famous local sweets stores are located.
3:00PM
Meet near Sannomiya and go around Kobe’s famous sightseeing spots by chartered taxi.
Freundlieb, Kitano Ijinkan, Kitano Temple (Mosque, Synagogue, Jaina, etc.), Kobe Old Settlement, Meriken Park, Kobe Harborland, etc.
4:00PM
Stroll around Kobe Motomachi Shopping Street and stop by Kameido’s main branch.
4:30PM
Enjoy pancakes at Fugetsudo Café.
5:00PM
Kannonya, Hontaka, Sanwa Fruits Mixed Juice, Ichibankan (Chocolates from Around the World), Introduction of Königskrone.
5:30PM
Part ways in front of Daimaru (east side of Königskrone) where famous Kobe sweet stores are lined up.
Notes:
Comfortable attire and walking shoes are recommended.
It is said that the name of Kobe originates from the Ikuta Shrine.
We will visit each shrine after drawing a fortune “Mizu-mikuji” a famous item at the Ikuta Shrine.
We also take a taxi and visit some famous monuments in Kobe.
Let’s pray for good health and good luck by visiting eight shrines.
At the end of the tour, we will have a traditional Japanese lunch.
9:45
Meet at West Gate of Hankyu Sannomiya Station
10:00
Departing from the Ikuta Shrine
10:15
Ichinomiya Shrine → Ninomiya Shrine → Sannomiya Shrine → Yonomiya Shrine → Gonomiya Shrine → Rokunomiya Shrine & Hachinomiya Shrine → Shichinomiya Shrine
Bounding for Kitano-cho Area by Taxi
13:15
Lunch at a traditional Japanese restaurant
※ Comfortable shoes and clothes for walking are recommended.
