Neighbourhood in Chuo Ward, Kobe
Kitano
北野町
A hillside district above central Kobe with Western-style houses built by foreign merchants and diplomats more than a century ago.
- places to see
- 5
- walk past the highlights
- 0.7 km
- Hyogo
- Chuo Ward, Kobe
Photo: Manish Prabhune (opens in a new tab), CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
Kitano-cho holds Kobe's ijinkan, the homes of foreign residents from the late Meiji and early Taisho eras, after the port opened to international trade. Similar districts once existed in Hakodate and Nagasaki, but Kitano has the largest group still standing, and many houses are open to visitors.
The streets climb steeply north from Sannomiya. Start at the Weathercock House and Moegi no Yakata, then head up to Kitano Tenman Shrine for the view. Cafes and bakeries fill the old houses in between. More of the ward is in our Chuo, Kobe guide.
Don't miss in Kitano
Start with these, then wander the side streets.
1. Moegi no Yakata
萌黄の館Pale green American consul's house from the early 1900s, one of the finest in Kitano.
Photo: 663highland (opens in a new tab), CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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2. Uroko House
うろこの家・うろこ美術館House clad in slate tiles that look like fish scales, with a small art gallery next door.
Photo: 663highland (opens in a new tab), CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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3. Kitano Tenman Shrine
北野天満神社Hilltop shrine above the old houses, with one of the best views over Kobe.
Photo: 663highland (opens in a new tab), CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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4. Italy-kan
イタリア館・プラトン装飾美術館Western house furnished with Italian antiques and a garden terrace.
Photo: 663highland (opens in a new tab), CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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5. Kobe Kitano Museum
神戸北野美術館Small art museum in an old Western house on the main slope.
Photo: 663highland (opens in a new tab), CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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Walk Kitano in order
The highlights as one easy walk, about 0.7 km in all.
Stop 1
Moegi no Yakata
Start here
Stop 2
Kitano Tenman Shrine
2 min walk
Stop 3
Uroko House
3 min walk
Stop 4
Italy-kan
3 min walk
Stop 5
Kobe Kitano Museum
2 min walk
Kitano on the map
Every place on this page. Tap a pin for directions.
Questions
Which Kitano houses should I visit?
The Weathercock House and Moegi no Yakata are the classic pair and are designated Important Cultural Properties. Add the Uroko House for its view and scale-patterned walls.
How long does Kitano take?
Two to three hours for a walk and two or three houses.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
More areas in Hyogo
- Nankinmachi and the Old SettlementKobe's Chinatown of street food and red gates, next to the stone buildings of the old foreign settlement and the Motomachi shopping arcade.
- Meriken Park and HarborlandKobe's waterfront: the red Port Tower, the maritime museum and an earthquake memorial in Meriken Park, with Harborland's shops across the water.