West of Kitano and Suwayama Park, there’s a part of Kobe with an ancient history and a prominent 20th century past which seems to be on the verge of a comeback. This is a neighborhood where the remnants of the past and glimpses of the future stand together side by side. One stark example of this can be found on the 3rd floor of the recently-built Toho Supermarket: to the left of the elevator is a small museum display of the artifacts that were unearthed during the building’s construction. Some of them are two thousand years old.
The area north of the main street, in the shadow of the mountains, is an especially interesting place for a stroll. The atmosphere is much more like a rural village than part of a city of over one million people. This is especially odd because of its relative proximity to busier areas such as Minatogawa, Okurayama Station and Kitano.
In the earlier half of the 20th century, Kobe’s main downtown area was Shinkaichi, just to the south, and this was a convenient and desirable place to live. But when commerce and foot traffic shifted east after the construction of the Sogo department store in Sannomiya, the neighborhood’s status declined. Over the years, younger families moved out, and some residences were abandoned or left in poor condition. However, in recent years there have been efforts to restore some of the beautiful traditional Japanese houses and rent them out to tenants looking for something different and special. And new businesses are cropping up with increasing frequency.
The small and modest Gonomiya Shrine, and the larger and grander Shofukuji Temple are two of the most prominent sights here. The Gonomiya Shrine, despite its plain appearance, is an integral part of Kobe’s eight-shrine pilgrimage.
Shofukuji Temple is a monastery and does not typically allow sightseers to enter, but you are welcome to explore the grounds outside. There is a nice view overlooking the city from here, as well as a small, well-maintained rock garden. When you are in the neighborhood you may sometimes hear the monks chanting or see them walking together.
This is a fascinating neighborhood of Kobe with a lot of potential. If you’re interested in living here or contributing to the revitalization of the area, you’re in luck! There is a kominka for rent just off the main street whose owners are hoping to share with a creative and enterprising person. You can read about it here: https://www.move2japan.com/for-rent/looking-for-a-creative-project-at-the-kominka-in-kobe/
