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Kobe offers much to see and do. More days there could easily be filled with worthwhile adventures. Historical and environmental environments are very nice. It is also a bit more off the beaten track of tourist traffic except for Himeji Castle, which is spectacular. Transportation and shopping and dining offerings are excellent.The Maya Ropeway is fun and hiking options on the mountain beautiful. The waterfront area offers many historical and recreational options. The Port of Kobe Tower is worth the visit and has a variety of attractions.

Kobe being a little smaller than Kyoto and Osaka, seems a little more relaxed. It is close enough to Osaka and Hiroshima to do a day trip and has a lot of unexpected surprises, like waterfalls located 15 minutes walk behind San Kobe station. There are also a number of Ropeways and Cable Cars that take you up to the hiking trails in the mountains behind Kobe. The waterfront area is also very interesting, with an earthquake museum, which details the restoration of the Kobe Harbour after an earthquake, in just 2 years. There is also a nightly light and water show near the Kobe Tower.

I stayed in Kobe Sannomiya near the bus terminal as I wanted to visit Awajishima early in the morning. The location is just right and there are warm cafes and local eateries (homestyle cooking) in the surrounding streets.

Kobe is a great city to visit. A vibrant, buzzing and cosmopolitan city with memorable features such as the ropeway to the herb garden at the JR Shin Kobe Station at Sannomiya (an absolute must for visitors), the Maya cable car and ropeway and the Akashi bridge to Awaji Island.

Kobe is known for Kobe Beef. Unfortunately this highly priced wagyu is exported to 5 star hotels, top restaurants in Kyoto and Tokyo, or overseas. Sad that many of the wagyu restaurants are not serving the famed high-end Kobe wagyu. It is busy metropolis, but less crowded than nearby Osaka. As the city is built on hills and mountains, the local hiking culture and sudden panoramic views are both delights. There is not much in terms of local culture or cuisine, besides some western influence as shown in the architecture of few buildings and an abundance of pâtissiers.

There's a lot more here to see than I thought - in particular the harbour area offers a lot of interesting variety. The Port Tower is excellent, offering great views, especially at sunset, and the revolving bar is not as expensive as you might think such a facility would be. The boat trips from the harbour look good, but we didn't have time to go on one. Also not to be missed is the "ropeway" (cable car) up to the Nunobiki herb garden and the subsequent lovely walk back down, including spectacular waterfalls.