Kobe: Strolling Along the Quaint Kitano Hillside
Not far from Osaka, Kobe is a city of approximately 1.5 million inhabitants and it is said to be one of the most attractive cities in Japan. I thought it was a very "cute" and quaint city especially if you go walk around the neighbourhood of Kitano where there is a uniquely European-American atmosphere. Very different from all the shrines, castles and small wooden houses found elsewhere. On this hillside, away from the hustle and bustle of centre city where all the shopping and businesses are located, I feel like I have just travelled to a little hillside town in the US or somewhere in Europe. I walk up some steps and find myself in a little plaza where ice-cream shops and cake shops adorn the place. I could be in Germany, I remember seeing a small area like this when I was last in Frankfurt, the only difference is that the ice-cream is all Japanese style, soft served in a cone and green-tea flavored and the people eating it are japanese. I walk further up ...