Hanging in Hanshin

After Kyushu, my original plan had been to make a quick stop on Japan’s fourth main island, Shikoku. Logistically, however, I may as well have flown back to London for a couple of nights. This is, of course, hyperbole of the grandest scale. But, a quick stop on the island that probably has the least to offer of the four in a limited time period seemed a little pointless, particularly as another break was probably due. I, therefore, decided against literally ferrying myself around to Shikoku in favour of an easier stop off in the Hanshin region of Kobe and Osaka for a few days to recoup en route back to Tokyo.

Kobe

This was my first time in Kobe, and what can I say: a bit more of a dump than I was expecting. Though I wasn’t expecting much. My knowledge of Kobe up to that point was the Hanshin earthquake, apparently there is some famous beef here and most of the Japanese women’s football team seem to play for Inac Kobe. Three probable causes of a place being a bit of a dump: natural disasters, excessive meat consumption and football.

Home's Stadium, Kobe

To start, my hotel wasn’t exactly up to much, which was a shame as most of my plans for the three days there involved staying in my room horizontally. I’d accidentally failed to specify non-smoking on my room, and so it both stank and was dirty. This forced me out of the hotel, but most of what I found in the vicinity wasn’t up to much and there seemed to be a healthy collection of unhealthy drunks about.

Kobe

Kobe

But it wasn’t all bad. Further walking saw me locate the port area which is pretty lively come the evening and even offers a Snoopy shop to satisfy all those without nut allergies. There was also the random area of Kitano where British, French, German and Swiss-themed establishments seemed to compete for popularity. I have no idea what was in any of them, but they all seemed to think they were European. Indeed, foreign influence seems greater in Kobe, with local cuisine based around meat and Western-themed venues. This is probably a better place for a Westerner to live than visit as a tourist.

Kobe

Kobe

So far, along with Tokyo and Kamakura, Osaka is one of the few places I have ended up on each of my visits to the floating world. Having been there, done that before, my sole purpose for going to Hanshin’s better half was to continue my pointless mission to visit all ten of Japan’s World Cup venues ten years too late, continuing from Oita and Kobe itself. Being that it is only the distance of a slightly forced piss away, I thought it none-too-much trouble. Like Yoyogi Park on a Sunday, kids aren’t too afraid to display their (lack of) talent around Nagaikoen, with stop-start saxophoning accompanying endless badly-choreographed dance routines as the young dance around three Russian doll-style football stadiums sat side-by-side.

Nagai Stadium, Osaka

Kincho Stadium, Osaka

But largely, my time in two of Japan’s bigger cities was spent doing very little except going for the odd run and farting pleasantries.