Meriken Park

What to know

Meriken Park (メリケンパーク) is a lovely waterfront park in Kobe's port area. Built on reclaimed land, the park features grassy lawns and open courtyards dotted with modern art installations and fountains. It is home to some of the city's most iconic contemporary architecture, including the red Kobe Port Tower and the Kobe Maritime Museum.

The park was devastated by the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake but has since become a popular spot for both locals and tourists. A small memorial honors the many victims who lost their lives in the port during the earthquake. A short section of damaged waterfront has been left unrepaired as a reminder of the earthquake's tremendous destructive power.

The Kobe Maritime Museum stands at the center of the park in a building topped by a dramatic white steel framework meant to evoke the image of sails. Half of the building is devoted to shipping. The first floor explains how Kobe Port functions and exhibits models of modern ships. The second floor introduces the history of the port and how it has been an important connection between Japan and the outside world. Actual historic boats are on display outdoors around the museum.

The other half of the Maritime Museum building is occupied by the Kawasaki Good Times World, the corporate museum of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, manufacturer of various mechanical components and vehicles including shinkansen trains, jet planes, helicopters, and motorcycles. The museum exhibits the history of the company and its many successful products, and visitors can have hands-on experiences with some of the vehicles.

To the west of the Maritime Museum stands the Kobe Port Tower, a unique red-painted steel structure that has become a symbol of the port and the city. Built in 1963, the tower stands 108 meters tall and has five observation decks approximately 100 meters above ground. They include an open-air rooftop deck and a revolving cafe and bar.

Next to the tower, between Meriken Park and Kobe Harborland, sits the Nakatottei Chuo Terminal from where multiple companies operate sightseeing cruises around Kobe Bay, starting at 1500 yen for a 45-minute cruise.