Ginsuiso Bekkan Choraku

NANKINMACHI (CHINATOWN)

by heywinks

For those who have visited Chinatowns in different countries, you`ll find this one a little unique. There are food stalls lining the main street selling fried chicken, pork and chicken buns, gyoza, noodle dishes, sesame balls, & other small dishes and finger foods. People are lined up to buy the food & you can see people standing in corners eating their food.
Kobe`s Chinatown has the same aroma as other Chinatown`s (delicious Chinese food smells!!) but a little cleaner than most.
Also, most of the people who work here DON`T speak Chinese! Most of the establishments are Japanese owned, not Chinese owned like in other Chinatowns.
But still, come here for the great food! Beware the weekends when it gets really crowded & you can hardly walk without bumping into someone!!

Homage to my Brother

by cochinjew

"thinking of my brother"

My dearest Brother who now lives in Portland Oregon grew up in Kobe. So on this trip to Japan, I decided to pay a visit to the city of his childhood, paying a homge to our deep bond. As I walk through these streets and also while visiting the foreigners area ( the previous one ), I would think of him growing up here, finishing school and then leaving for the United States. My love for Japanese food is his gift to me and wherever we have travelled together, he has to have at least one japanese meal ( including Cuzco, Yguazu, Hanoi, Santiago de chile etc )

"Kobe as a Refuge"

Kobe had been opened up to foreigners since 1896. Many of the opulent western style mansions are testimonials to this. After the second world war, many stateless jews found refugee here, flourished in businesses and later on migrated to USA predominantly. It was interesting to see the old building housing the Panamanian Consulate here. Some prominent Panamanian Jews had their beginings here as well.

"International Feel to it..."

Kobe unlike other japanese cities has much more of an international presence.. In the Kobe Kitano area, just in one street there is a Jamaican restaurant, Sri Lankan restaurant and a North Indian
restaurant not to mention germanm french, italian and korean ones.
This particular part of Kobe even feels like it is not in Japan mainly because of the architecture and also the fortunate fact that Kobe was spared the bombs during the second world war.