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2 days in Kobe: harbour or gardens?

Choose a Kobe overnight for Port Tower views/Harbourland walks or ropeway/daytime Nunobiki gardens. Both stay in Sannomiya.

On the last day, walk the harbour, return to Sannomiya and take subway to Shin-Kobe. Shorten walks if your train leaves insufficient time.

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Choose a 2 days / 1 night itinerary

2 days / 1 night A

Day 1 Meriken Park/Port Tower, day 2 Harbourland

Choose this Kobe overnight for harbour views from above and waterfront walks. Visit Port Tower/Meriken Park first, then Harbourland on day 2 before returning to Sannomiya and taking the subway to Shin-Kobe.

Day 1 Meriken Park/Port Tower, day 2 Harbourland →2 days / 1 night B

Herb gardens and harbour

Walk hilltop gardens first and Meriken Park waterfront the next day. Stay in Sannomiya; return there on the last day before taking the subway to Shin-Kobe.

Herb gardens and harbour →
2 days / 1 night A

Day 1 Meriken Park/Port Tower, day 2 Harbourland

Choose this Kobe overnight for harbour views from above and waterfront walks. Visit Port Tower/Meriken Park first, then Harbourland on day 2 before returning to Sannomiya and taking the subway to Shin-Kobe.

Day 1 after lunch: Sannomiya to Port Tower

After lunch, visit Port Tower and walk Meriken Park. Choose tower admission time, then check hotel-to-southbound-stop access.

  1. Your Sannomiya hotel → Southbound stop 13 and Port Tower stop 17

    After lunch, go to southbound City Loop stop 13 outside Subway Sannomiya. Distinguish it from northbound stop 8 and check current stop names on the operator's boarding map. Take City Loop to stop 17 outside Port Tower.

    Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026Operator's current boarding stops

  2. Stop 17 → Tower ground-floor ticket/information desk

    Stop 17 is beside the tower. Walk to the tower shown on the official Harbourland map and check deck admission access at the ground-floor ticket/information desk.

    Official April 2026 Harbourland mapPort Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor information

  3. Port Tower → Deck viewing and Meriken Park walks

    Deck-only and rooftop-inclusive tickets differ. Standard hours are 09:00–23:00, admission gates until 22:30. Tickets specify date/time; no same-day tickets remain for sold-out slots. Rooftop access is stairs only from observation floor 5. It may open in rain, but umbrellas are prohibited; rain/strong winds can close it without notice. Check same-day operations. Afterwards, rest along Meriken Park's waterfront. Follow local access controls and omit restricted sections.

    Port Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor informationOfficial tower pageKobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken ParkPort Tower official rooftop floors, stairs and rain guidance

  4. Port Tower and Meriken Park → Kamomeria stop 0 and your Sannomiya hotel

    Find Kamomeria Central Terminal west of the park on the official map. Take City Loop from stop 0 to stop 7 at Sannomiya Center-gai's east entrance. Distinguish Port Loop stops; allow the walk to boarding and waiting. Return to your hotel and eat in Sannomiya. For added night views, choose return services again.

    Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026Operator's current boarding stopsKobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken Park

Day 2 morning: Harbourland

Walk Harbourland, return to Sannomiya, then travel to Shin-Kobe. Distinguish the separate bus boardings at Kamomeria from the final subway transfer.

  1. Sannomiya southbound stop 13 → Kamomeria stop 0

    Take City Loop from southbound stop 13 outside Subway Sannomiya to Kamomeria stop 0. Distinguish northbound stop 8 and check the next boarding separately.

    Operator's current boarding stopsShinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026

  2. Kamomeria stop 0 → Harbourland stop 1

    Take the next City Loop from Kamomeria stop 0 to Harbourland stop 1. Change buses at Kamomeria; each boarding has its own fare. Show a 2-day pass at both boardings.

    Operator's current boarding stopsShinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026City Loop fares, passes and outlets

  3. Harbourland stop 1 → Mosaic, waterfront and return to stop 1

    Harbourland stop 1 is near umie North Mall on the official map. Walk towards Bentenbashi for Mosaic/Takahama Quay waterfront views, then return to stop 1. Check business hours for routes through buildings or meals. Cruises/Ferris wheel are excluded from basic costs.

    Official April 2026 Harbourland mapOperator's current boarding stops

  4. Harbourland stop 1 → Sannomiya stop 7

    Take City Loop from Harbourland stop 1 to stop 7 at Sannomiya Center-gai's east entrance. Allow walks to the stop and bus waits.

    Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026Operator's current boarding stops

  5. Subway Sannomiya → Shin-Kobe

    Enter Subway Sannomiya through basement level 1 gates. Take Shin-Kobe/Tanigami-bound trains from basement level 2 platform 1 to Shin-Kobe. Distinguish Kaigan Line Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae. The approximately 2-minute ride excludes platform access and waits.

    Sannomiya subway platforms and timetableKobe subway station-to-station ride times

  6. Shin-Kobe subway → JR Shinkansen platform

    At Shin-Kobe, follow JR Shinkansen signs to floor 2 gates and floor 3 platforms. Platform 2 serves Shin-Osaka/Tokyo; platform 1 serves Okayama/Kyushu. Add ticket collection, lift waits and luggage walks to JR's standard 10-minute transfer. Shorten/omit the final visit if your booked train is difficult to reach. Airport departures need separate terminal access and flight procedures.

    JR Shin-Kobe layout and standard transfers

Confirmed admission and transport costs: 2,400 yen

Included: City Loop 2-day pass and rooftop-inclusive Port Tower admission

Extra costs and conditions: No facility benefits applied. Sannomiya–Shin-Kobe subway, Shinkansen, airports, flights, accommodation, meals, storage and extra paid facilities are excluded.

Confirmed costs: adult City Loop 2-day pass 1,200 yen + high-school-age-and-above rooftop-inclusive tower ticket 1,200 = 2,400 yen. Deck-only makes 1,200 + 1,000 = 2,200. Prepare the 2-day pass at an official outlet or digitally before day 1 boarding; buses sell only paper 1-day passes. This route has 2 day 1 rides and 3 day 2 rides with the Kamomeria change: 5 total. Single fares cost 300 × 5 = 1,500, making totals with tower admission 2,700/2,500 yen.

City Loop fares, passes and outletsOfficial tower page

2 days / 1 night B

Herb gardens and harbour

Walk hilltop gardens first and Meriken Park waterfront the next day. Stay in Sannomiya; return there on the last day before taking the subway to Shin-Kobe.

Day 1: Sannomiya to herb gardens

Take a northbound bus from Sannomiya to the herb gardens. After the ropeway and daytime garden visit, return to the same Sannomiya hotel.

  1. Your Sannomiya hotel → Northbound stop 8 and herb-garden stop 11

    Check garden operations before leaving. For strong-wind/lightning suspension, replace the visit with city meals/rest. Take City Loop from northbound stop 8 outside Subway Sannomiya to stop 11 Herb Gardens/Ropeway, then go to the lower ropeway station. Distinguish harbour-bound southbound stop 13. Check hotel-to-stop access and that day's buses.

    Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026Operator's current boarding stopsHerb Gardens 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 prices

  2. Stop 11 → Ropeway and hilltop gardens

    From stop 11, go to the lower ropeway station, buy a return ticket and visit hilltop gardens. Add ticketing, waits and garden viewing to the approximately 10-minute ride. Descend in the afternoon and return to Sannomiya. Check date-specific last admission and descent in the official calendar.

    Herb Gardens 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 pricesHerb Gardens access

  3. Lower ropeway station → Stop 11 and your Sannomiya hotel

    Descend by ropeway, then take City Loop from stop 11 Herb Gardens/Ropeway to southbound stop 13 outside Subway Sannomiya. Ticketing, waits, viewing and bus waits take additional time.

    Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026Operator's current boarding stopsHerb Gardens 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 pricesHerb Gardens access

Day 2: Meriken Park and Shin-Kobe

See Meriken Park waterfront and Port Tower outside, then return to Sannomiya. Paid tower viewing is excluded; finish walks around your Shin-Kobe departure.

  1. Your Sannomiya hotel → Southbound stop 13 and Meriken Park

    Take City Loop from southbound stop 13 outside Subway Sannomiya to Meriken Park stop 16, distinct from northbound stop 8. Walk past Port Tower's exterior and the waterfront. Paid tower entry is excluded. Omit walks if local controls prevent waterfront access.

    Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026Operator's current boarding stopsKobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken Park

  2. Meriken Park → Kamomeria stop 0 and Sannomiya stop 7 return

    After walks, take City Loop from Meriken Park stop 16 to Kamomeria stop 0. Change to the next City Loop for stop 7 at Sannomiya Center-gai's east entrance. Show your 2-day pass at each boarding.

    Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 2026Operator's current boarding stops

  3. Sannomiya bus arrival and subway station → Sannomiya subway and Shin-Kobe

    Enter Subway Sannomiya through basement level 1 gates. Take a Shin-Kobe/Tanigami-bound train from basement level 2 platform 1 to Shin-Kobe. Distinguish Kaigan Line Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae. The approximately 2-minute ride excludes platform access/waits. At Shin-Kobe, follow JR Shinkansen signs to floor 2 gates and floor 3 platforms: 2 for Shin-Osaka/Tokyo, 1 for Okayama/Kyushu. Add ticket collection, lift waits and luggage walks to JR's standard 10-minute transfer. Shorten/omit the final visit if your train is difficult to reach. Airport departures need separate terminal access and flight procedures.

    Sannomiya subway platforms and timetableJR Shin-Kobe layout and standard transfersKobe subway station-to-station ride times

Confirmed admission and transport costs: 3,700 yen

Included: City Loop 2-day pass and return herb-garden ropeway/garden admission

Extra costs and conditions: Subway, Shinkansen, meals, accommodation, storage and airport travel are excluded.

Confirmed adult costs: herb-garden return 2,500 yen + City Loop 2-day pass 1,200 = 3,700 yen. This uses 2 day 1 bus rides and 3 day 2 rides. Five single fares cost 300 × 5 = 1,500, making 4,000 yen total. Prepare 2-day passes beforehand at outlets/digitally; buses sell only paper 1-day passes. Recheck separate Christmas prices and date-specific suspensions.

City Loop fares, passes and outletsHerb Gardens 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 prices

Frequently asked questions

2 days: harbour or herb-garden route?

The harbour route visits tower/Meriken Park first and Harbourland next day. The garden route visits daytime gardens first and Meriken Park/tower exterior next day. Choose the harbour route for tower/Harbourland or garden route for ropeway/gardens.

Port Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor informationKobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken ParkOfficial April 2026 Harbourland mapHerb Gardens 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 prices

Can I buy a City Loop 2-day pass aboard?

No. Buses sell only paper 1-day passes. Prepare this route's 2-day pass at an official outlet or digitally before first boarding. It covers 2 consecutive days; Sannomiya–Shin-Kobe subway is excluded.

City Loop fares, passes and outlets

Does the herb-garden route enter Port Tower too?

No. It visits daytime gardens first, then Meriken Park/tower exterior. Paid tower decks are excluded. Add viewing time/admission separately if desired.

Kobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken ParkHerb Gardens 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 pricesPort Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor information

Sources and check dates