Kitano-cho

Kitano-cho is a hillside district of Kobe where Western merchants and diplomats built their homes after the port opened to foreign trade in the nineteenth century. Its steep lanes are lined with preserved Western-style residences, known locally as ijinkan, in varied European and American styles, several open to visitors as museums furnished in period taste. The neighborhood blends foreign architecture with the mountains behind. Cafes, boutiques, and harbor views make it a pleasant area for an unhurried walk.