Kobe no Tobira (神戸のとびら), a platform for locally organized tourism programs operated by the Kobe Tourism Bureau (a general incorporated foundation), has begun selling four special tours that bring visitors into contact with Kobe's little-known history and culture, from a hot spring town and a mountain castle to a historic port town and historic buildings.
Explore the Hidden Side of Tenjin Spring Source (天神泉源) with a Yumori Guide: A Carbonated Senbei Hand-Baking Experience and Arima Onsen History Walk
- Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
- Capacity: 12 people, first-come, first-served
- Price: ¥4,980
Themed around "walk, learn, taste, and soak," this walking tour lets participants take in the charms of Arima Onsen with all five senses. Along with a hand-baking experience for tansan senbei (carbonated crackers), a yumori — the traditional keeper who watches over Arima's hot spring culture — explains the workings of the springs, and the tour includes a visit to Tenjin Spring Source, which is not normally open to the public.
The tour also includes a visit to Nenbutsuji Temple, tea time at the tea house Citta, and a look around the historic site Taiko no Yudono-kan, and wraps up with a bathing ticket for Kin no Yu (金の湯).
Experience the Castle's Former Landscape in 3DCG: An Autumn Trek to Takiyama Castle Ruins with a Curator and Mountain Writer Mari Negishi
- Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Capacity: 15 people, first-come, first-served
- Price: ¥5,000
This trekking tour visits Takiyama Castle Ruins, one of Kobe's largest mountain castle sites, located behind JR Shin-Kobe Station. The ruins, once held for a time by the Sengoku-era warlord Hisahide Matsunaga, are explored with commentary from a curator at Kobe City's Cultural Property Division. Using the free app "Nishi-Harima no Yamashiro e GO," which recreates the terrain in 3DCG, participants can compare the present-day landscape with the castle's former appearance.
Mountain writer Mari Negishi also joins the tour, introducing the surrounding nature, autumn highlights, and tips for safe mountain walking. Along the way, participants sample "Yukino Chimaki," a specialty of the long-established Inari Chaya tea house that has been certified a Kobe Selection product, together with handmade gyoza. It promises to be a special day of taking in both history and autumn nature.
About the free smartphone app "Nishi-Harima no Yamashiro e GO"
This AR app recreates the mountain castles of western Harima in 3DCG. Kobe's Takiyama Castle Ruins edition is now available as the ninth installment in the series. On site, users can view 3DCG recreations of the castle overlaid on the present-day scenery, comparing them with their surroundings for an immersive castle-touring experience.
About Mari Negishi
Born in Suma Ward, Kobe, Negishi is a freelance writer based around Mount Rokko who covers mountain climbing, outdoor activities, and nature observation, and has written numerous books about Mount Rokko and Mount Maya.
Walk Through History and Food with a Descendant of Hyogo-tsu Merchants at the Renewed Kyu Okagata Club
- Date: Saturday, November 28, 2026
- Capacity: 15 people, first-come, first-served
- Price: ¥5,500
Set in Hyogo-tsu, a port town that once flourished as a trading hub, this walking tour is guided by Seiji Takada (高田誠司), the 12th-generation owner of Taruya Gohei (樽屋五兵衛), a shop with roots dating back to the Edo period, as he traces the history and culture built by Hyogo's merchants. Highlights include a visit to Kyu Okagata Club (旧岡方倶楽部), a nationally registered tangible cultural property, along with stops at Hyogo Canal, Shichinomiya Shrine, and Nofukuji Temple to learn about Hyogo-tsu's history and its development as a port town.
At Taruya Gohei, participants can also watch a filleting demonstration of autumn salmon tied to the Kitamae-bune trading ships. The walk wraps up with an original lunch, available only through Kobe no Tobira, at the local café and eatery Usagi to Happa (うさぎと葉っぱ). The tour is organized by Proactive Co., Ltd.
Additional Departure Added by Popular Demand: A Bus Tour to "Hakogi Sennenke," Set to Become Japan's First Residential National Treasure, and National Treasure Taisanji
- Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Capacity: 24 people, first-come, first-served
- Price: ¥7,700
This half-day bus tour, added for another round due to strong demand, visits the main building of the Hakogi family residence (箱木家住宅主屋), commonly known as Hakogi Sennenke (箱木千年家), which is set to become the first residential building in the country designated a National Treasure, and the main hall of Taisanji, the first building within Kobe city to be designated a National Treasure.
At Hakogi Sennenke, a staff member from Kobe City's Cultural Property Division explains the historical value and appeal behind the National Treasure designation. At Taisanji, participants view the National Treasure main hall and stroll the temple grounds, which hold a wealth of cultural properties, taking in the interiors of Amida-do Hall and Rakan-do Hall, which are not normally open to the public. The tour finishes with a cup of coffee, roasted in-house to the owner's exacting standards, at Taisanji Coffee Roasting Room along the temple's approach.
How to Apply
Applications are accepted through the reservation form on the official website, where visitors enter their name, phone number, number of participants, and other details.
Kobe no Tobira official website: https://kobe-door.feel-kobe.jp/
Phone and fax applications are not accepted, and a cancellation fee applies after a set date.
