Two days in Kobe: harbour or gardens?
Choose a one-night Kobe trip with Port Tower views and Harborland walks, or a ropeway ride and daytime Nunobiki Herb Gardens. Both stay in Sannomiya.
On the final day, walk the harbour, return to Sannomiya and take the subway to Shin-Kobe. Shorten the walk if your departure train leaves too little time.
Choose a 1 night, 2 days itinerary
Day one at Meriken Park and Port Tower, day two at Harborland
Choose this for a night in Kobe with harbour views from above and waterfront walks. Visit Port Tower and Meriken Park on day one, then Harborland's waterfront on day two before returning to Sannomiya and taking the subway to Shin-Kobe.
Day one at Meriken Park and Port Tower, day two at Harborland →1 night, 2 days BHerb gardens and harbour
Walk through mountaintop gardens on day one and Meriken Park's waterfront on day two. Stay in Sannomiya; on the final day, return there and take the subway to Shin-Kobe.
Herb gardens and harbour →Day one at Meriken Park and Port Tower, day two at Harborland
Choose this for a night in Kobe with harbour views from above and waterfront walks. Visit Port Tower and Meriken Park on day one, then Harborland's waterfront on day two before returning to Sannomiya and taking the subway to Shin-Kobe.
Day 1 after lunch | Sannomiya to Port Tower
After lunch, enjoy Port Tower views and a Meriken Park walk. Choose your tower entry time, then check the route from your Sannomiya hotel to the southbound bus stop.
- Your Sannomiya hotel → Southbound stop 13 and Port Tower stop 17
After lunch, go to southbound City Loop stop 13, in front of 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 in front of Port Tower.
Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01Operator's current boarding locations
- Stop 17 → Ground-floor tower ticket and information desk
Stop 17 is directly beside the tower. Walk to the tower shown on the official Harborland map and check the observation-floor entry route at the ground-floor ticket and information desk.
April 2026 official Harborland mapPort Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor guidance
- Port Tower → Observation floors and a Meriken Park walk
Observation-floor tickets differ from tickets including the rooftop. Regular hours are 09:00–23:00, with the gate closing at 22:30. Tickets specify a date and time; no same-day tickets are available for sold-out slots. The rooftop is reached only by stairs from observation floor five. It may open in rain, but umbrellas are prohibited. Rain, strong winds or other conditions can close the rooftop without notice, so check operations that day. Afterwards, rest on a Meriken Park waterfront walk. Access follows local restrictions; skip closed waterfront areas.
Port Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor guidanceOfficial tower pageKobe tourism bureau Meriken Park guideOfficial Port Tower rooftop floor, stairs and rain guidance
- Port Tower and Meriken Park → Kamomeria stop 0 and your Sannomiya hotel
Find the western Kamomeria Central Terminal on the official map, take City Loop from stop 0 and get off at stop 7, Sannomiya Center Gai East Entrance. Distinguish City Loop from Port Loop stops. Allow the park-to-stop walk and waiting time. Return to your hotel and eat dinner in Sannomiya. If adding night views, choose a new return service.
Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01Operator's current boarding locationsKobe tourism bureau Meriken Park guide
Day 2 morning | Harborland
Walk Harborland's waterfront, return to Sannomiya, then continue to Shin-Kobe. Distinguish the bus change at Kamomeria from the final subway transfer.
- Southbound Sannomiya stop 13 → Kamomeria stop 0
Take City Loop from southbound stop 13 in front of subway Sannomiya and get off at Kamomeria stop 0. Distinguish it from northbound stop 8; check the next boarding separately.
Operator's current boarding locationsShinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01
- Kamomeria stop 0 → Harborland stop 1
At Kamomeria stop 0, take the next City Loop to Harborland stop 1. You change buses at Kamomeria, with a fare charged for each boarding. With a two-day pass, show it on both journeys.
Operator's current boarding locationsShinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01City Loop fares, passes and sellers
- Harborland stop 1 → MOSAIC, the waterfront and return to stop 1
The official map places Harborland stop 1 beside umie North Mall. Walk towards Bentenbashi to MOSAIC and the Takahama quay waterfront, then return to the same stop 1. Check individual shop hours if walking through buildings or eating. Cruises and the Ferris wheel are excluded from the basic cost.
April 2026 official Harborland mapOperator's current boarding locations
- Harborland stop 1 → Sannomiya stop 7
Take City Loop from Harborland stop 1 to stop 7, Sannomiya Center Gai East Entrance. Allow time to walk to the stop and wait for the bus.
Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01Operator's current boarding locations
- Subway Sannomiya → Shin-Kobe
Enter subway Sannomiya through the B1 ticket gates and use B2 platform 1 for a train towards Shin-Kobe and Tanigami. Get off at Shin-Kobe. Distinguish this station from Kaigan Line Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae. Add platform access and waits to the roughly two-minute ride.
Sannomiya subway platforms and timetablesKobe subway station-to-station times
- Shin-Kobe subway → JR Shinkansen platforms
At Shin-Kobe, follow JR Shinkansen signs to the second-floor gates and third-floor platforms. Platform 2 serves Shin-Osaka and Tokyo; platform 1 serves Okayama and Kyushu. Add ticket collection, lift waits and walks with luggage to JR's standard ten-minute transfer. Shorten or skip the final visit if you cannot reach your booked train in time. Airport departures need separate terminal travel and flight check-in.
Included items: City Loop two-day pass and Port Tower admission including the rooftop
Extra costs and conditions: No attraction discounts are applied. Subway Sannomiya → Shin-Kobe, Shinkansen, airport transfers, flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage and additional paid facilities are excluded from the subtotal.
Documented cost: adult City Loop two-day pass JPY 1,200 + tower admission including the rooftop for high school age and above JPY 1,200 = JPY 2,400. With observation floors only, it is JPY 1,200 + JPY 1,000 = JPY 2,200. Prepare the two-day pass from an official seller or digitally before the first ride. Only paper one-day passes are sold on board. This example uses two rides on day one and three on day two, changing at Kamomeria: five rides total. Individual fares would be JPY 300 × 5 = JPY 1,500, giving JPY 2,700 or JPY 2,500 including tower admission.
Herb gardens and harbour
Walk through mountaintop gardens on day one and Meriken Park's waterfront on day two. Stay in Sannomiya; on the final day, return there and take the subway to Shin-Kobe.
Day 1 | Sannomiya to the 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.
- Your Sannomiya hotel → Northbound stop 8 and herb garden stop 11
Check herb garden operations before leaving. If strong winds or lightning suspend the ropeway, switch to city meals and rest. Take City Loop from northbound stop 8 in front of subway Sannomiya to stop 11, Herb Gardens/Ropeway, then walk to the lower station. Distinguish this from harbour-bound southbound stop 13. Check your hotel-to-stop route and the day's bus times.
Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01Operator's current boarding locationsHerb garden 2026–2027 operations and prices revised April 2026
- Stop 11 → Ropeway and mountaintop gardens
From stop 11, go to the lower ropeway station, buy a return ticket and explore the mountaintop gardens. Add ticketing, queues and garden time to the roughly ten-minute ropeway ride. Come down in the afternoon and return to Sannomiya. Check last admission and the final downward service in the operating calendar for your date.
Herb garden 2026–2027 operations and prices revised April 2026Herb garden access guidance
- Lower ropeway station → Stop 11 and your Sannomiya hotel
Return by ropeway to the lower station, then take City Loop from stop 11, Herb Gardens/Ropeway, to southbound stop 13 in front of subway Sannomiya. Ropeway ticketing, queues, visiting time and bus waits are additional.
Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01Operator's current boarding locationsHerb garden 2026–2027 operations and prices revised April 2026Herb garden access guidance
Day 2 | Meriken Park walk, then Shin-Kobe
See Meriken Park's waterfront and Port Tower's exterior, then return to Sannomiya. This route excludes the paid observation deck; finish walking in time for your Shin-Kobe departure.
- Your Sannomiya hotel → Southbound stop 13 to Meriken Park
Take City Loop from southbound stop 13 in front of subway Sannomiya to Meriken Park stop 16. Distinguish it from northbound stop 8. Walk beside the waterfront and see Port Tower's exterior. Paid tower admission is excluded. Skip the walk if local restrictions close waterfront access.
Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01Operator's current boarding locationsKobe tourism bureau Meriken Park guide
- Meriken Park → Kamomeria stop 0 and return to Sannomiya stop 7
After walking, take City Loop from Meriken Park stop 16 to Kamomeria stop 0. Change to the next City Loop for stop 7, Sannomiya Center Gai East Entrance. Show your two-day pass on each boarding at the Kamomeria change.
Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01Operator's current boarding locations
- Sannomiya bus arrival and subway station → Subway Sannomiya to Shin-Kobe
Enter subway Sannomiya through the B1 gates and take a train towards Shin-Kobe and Tanigami from B2 platform 1 to Shin-Kobe. Distinguish this from Kaigan Line Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae. Add platform access and waiting to the roughly two-minute ride. At Shin-Kobe, follow JR Shinkansen signs to the second-floor gates and third-floor platforms. Platform 2 serves Shin-Osaka and Tokyo; platform 1 serves Okayama and Kyushu. Add ticket collection, lift waits and walks with luggage to JR's standard ten-minute transfer. Shorten or skip the final visit if your booked train cannot be reached in time. Airport departures need separate terminal travel and flight check-in.
Sannomiya subway platforms and timetablesJR Shin-Kobe layout and standard transfer timeKobe subway station-to-station times
Included items: City Loop two-day pass, return herb garden ropeway and garden admission
Extra costs and conditions: Subway, Shinkansen, meals, accommodation, luggage storage and airport transfers are excluded.
Documented cost: herb garden return ticket JPY 2,500 + City Loop two-day pass JPY 1,200 = JPY 3,700 per adult. This assumes two bus rides for day one's return and three on day two. Five individual rides cost JPY 300 × 5 = JPY 1,500, giving JPY 4,000 total. Prepare the two-day pass from a seller or digitally in advance; only paper one-day passes are sold on board. Check separate Christmas prices and suspensions for your date.
City Loop fares, passes and sellersHerb garden 2026–2027 operations and prices revised April 2026
Frequently asked questions
For two days, should I choose the harbour or herb garden itinerary?
The harbour itinerary visits Port Tower and Meriken Park on day one, then Harborland on day two. The herb garden itinerary visits daytime gardens first, then Meriken Park's waterfront and Port Tower's exterior. Choose the harbour route for tower views and Harborland, or the herb garden route for the ropeway and gardens.
Port Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor guidanceKobe tourism bureau Meriken Park guideApril 2026 official Harborland mapHerb garden 2026–2027 operations and prices revised April 2026
Can I buy the City Loop two-day pass on the bus?
Only paper one-day passes are sold on board. Prepare this itinerary's two-day pass from an official seller or digitally before the first ride. It covers two consecutive days and excludes subway Sannomiya → Shin-Kobe.
Does the herb garden itinerary also enter Port Tower's observation deck?
It visits daytime gardens on day one, then walks Meriken Park's waterfront and Port Tower's exterior on day two. Paid tower observation floors are excluded. Allow separate time and admission if adding them.
Kobe tourism bureau Meriken Park guideHerb garden 2026–2027 operations and prices revised April 2026Port Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor guidance
Sources and dates checked
- Operator's current boarding locations ·
- Kobe tourism bureau Meriken Park guide ·
- Port Tower tickets, prices and ground-floor guidance ·
- Official tower page ·
- Herb garden 2026–2027 operations and prices revised April 2026 ·
- Herb garden access guidance ·
- Official JR timetable and fare search: enter your travel date ·
- April 2026 official Harborland map ·
- Sannomiya subway platforms and timetables ·
- JR Shin-Kobe layout and standard transfer time ·
- Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 2026-04-01 ·
- City Loop fares, passes and sellers ·
- Kobe subway station-to-station times ·
- Official Port Tower rooftop floor, stairs and rain guidance ·