Historic streets · Kitano
Kitano Ijinkan District 北野異人館街
Hillside streets of Meiji and Taisho Western-style houses built for Kobe's foreign merchants, mixed in among Japanese homes.
About
When the port of Kobe opened in 1868, foreigners lived and traded in a settlement by the sea. As it filled up, merchants and diplomats moved up the slopes of Kitano, where they built houses with verandas, bay windows and weathervanes between the 1880s and 1920s. These ijinkan, 'foreigners' houses', stand among Japanese homes and temples. In 1980 the district became an Important Preservation District, the first in Japan classified as a port town, with 34 Western and 7 Japanese buildings protected. Several houses are now open as museums.
Highlights
- Weathercock House and Moegi House
- Steep lanes with views over the port
- Mix of Western and Japanese houses
Tips
- Many houses charge separate fees; combination tickets save money.
- Expect steep slopes; walk uphill from Sannomiya via Kitano-zaka.
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-19
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Open in the appNearby
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