Cycling Kobe

自転車で神戸へ

Kobe is an elegant port city in western Japan, not far from either Osaka or Kyoto.

The city is widely considered to be one of Japan's most cosmopolitan and its residents very stylish.

On a recent visit, both of those boxes were indeed checked. Thanks no doubt to its long history of contact with the West and its large expat population, foreigners are very much a part of the fabric of the city. And, yes, Kobe women and men were very well turned out.

Cycling though appears to be less popular - or less done - than in Kyoto or Osaka.

That may be geography: one side of the city is the Pacific Ocean and the various port facilities, the other a ring of mountains.

Thus, outside the main center of Sannomiya, the the city is not as flat as either Osaka or Kyoto.

Also, much of the city is veined with long shopping arcades in which cycling is banned (see photos).

Still, being Japan, cyclists were about, and bikes parked on every sidewalk.

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Cycling Maizuru to Kobe Japan

自転車で舞鶴から神戸へ

It is still in the planning stages, but a Sea-to-Sea ride is going to take place this summer.

Weather- and health-permitting, we ride.

The concept is simple: we will cycle from the Sea of Japan (Yellow Sea for our Korean friends) to the Pacific Ocean.

The closest and shortest route from Kyoto is to take the express train out to the port city of Maizuru and alight and ride from Higashi Maizuru Station, which is a stone's throw from the Sea of Japan. From Kyoto Station, express trains take 95 minutes. If you bag your bike, JR (Japan Railways) allows you to bring it along at no cost.

From Maizuru, we will dip a big toe in the Sea of Japan (perhaps not, the port area is pretty built up), check out the Red Brick Museum, and then set out for Kobe.

The route follows the Yura River and Fukuchiyama train line for much of the ride.

Using MapMyRide, we fiddled with many possible routes, and the one below appears to be the flattest. At 149 km (92 miles) it is a bit longer, but the climbs are more manageable than a more direct route.

The last stretch is down the picturesque Mt. Futatabi Driveway and into Sannomiya, the heart of Kobe. We will press on a just a bit farther from there, and wiggle our sore toes in the direction of the bay below, which is part of the Pacific.

After spending a night in Kobe, we will - again, weather- and energy-permitting - cycle back to Kyoto. After some industry on the way to Osaka, the last and longest leg with be car-free all the way from Umeda to Kyoto.

Maizuru to Kobe Cycling Route

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Kobe Port Island Bicycles

神戸ポートイランド自転車

Port Island is a manmade island in the harbor of Kobe, Japan.

It is literally a world apart.

It is home to a large expatriate population, the elite Canadian Academy school, a German school, and many shopping malls and highrise apartments.

On a visit to the Kobe Fashion Museum, we kept an eye out for bike and cyclists.

Compared to other urban spaces in Japan, it was pretty bleak. Though the streets are wide and traffic relatively light, there were not many cyclists on the ride.

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Kobe Japan Cosplay Girls

神戸コスプレ女たち

Two young girls preened in front of a camera that one controlled with a remote control. And many more were nearby.

Over the weekend a "cosplay" (costume play) convention was held at the Kobe Fashion Museum.

Many young women, and a few men, were decked out in outrageous costumes.

The young women above right were both holding boxes of Pocky chocolate sticks.

When asked about the connection between the chocolate sticks and their attire, one said "We are totally yummy, just like the chocolate sticks." And her friend nodded in agreement.

Then it was off to the Kobe Fashion Museum.

Information

Kobe Fashion Museum
9, 2-chome, Koyocho-naka, Higashinada
Kobe 658-0032
Telephone: 078 858 0050

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Admission Fee: 500 yen

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Kobe Ijinkan

自転車で神戸異人館

Kobe is a 50-minute ride away on JR's Super Express from Kyoto Station.

However, it is a world away.

Kyoto, though cluttered and messy, makes an effort to retain much of its cultural patrimony. Tourism depends on it.

Kobe in contrast is a port city, and has always been more open to new ideas, new people, and new things than almost any other Japanese city.

In addition to US Air Force bombing during World War II, a horrific earthquake in January 1996 leveled much of what remained of the pre-War architecture of the city.

About the only part of the city that retains a pre-War vibe is the Kitano-cho area.

This is an area close to the base of Rokko Mountain where many foreign merchants and diplomats settled settled and lived at the end of 19th century.

Today, more than 12 of the former mansions - called Ijinkan (literally, "outside person house") - still exist and are open to the public as museums.

Admission fees range between 300 to 500 yen.

The area is ideal for strolling; cycling is possible but it will involve a climb at the end.

Access

A fifteen-minute walk from Sannomiya Station.

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