Although Kobe has almost totally recovered from the 1995 earthquake , it has far from forgotten this horrific event; one of the city's most interesting new "attractions" is the Kobe Phoenix Plaza , which documents the quake and its aftermath. The nearby Kobe City Museum , covering the port's earlier illustrious history, is also worth a look, as is the space-age Fashion Museum on the man-made Rokko Island, east of the city harbour.

Heading into hills, you can relax at Arima Onsen , one of Japan's oldest spa resorts. West of the city is the Akashi Kaikyo Ohashi , the longest suspension bridge in the world , linking Kansai directly with Shikoku via Awaji-shima. Continue some 55km further west along the coast and you'll arrive at Himeji , home of Japan's best original castle Himeji-jo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.