Kobe

Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum

A very nice exploration of hand carpentry tools, from the stone axes of Jomon age to the Western influenced tools of yesterday. Hands on exhibits and English language descriptions make this a pleasant place to spend the afternoon.

Nunobiki Herb Park

布引ハーブ園 is a 40-acre garden located on Mount Rokko. It is accessible by the Shin-Kobe Ropeway, located near Shin-Kobe station. It features over 200 varieties of herbs, as well as greenhouses, exhibitions, and a restaurant. Admission for adults, which includes the round-trip ride on the Ropeway, is ¥1200.

Kōbe is a well-known center of sake production and many sake breweries are in the Nada 灘 area, and have tours or museums open to the public. You can pick up a map of the sake breweries at the tourist information office in Sannomiya.

Sawa-no-Tsuru Museum

沢の鶴資料館 10-minute walk from Hanshin Ōishi station 大石駅. 078-882-7788. Open daily 10 AM to 4 PM, closed Weds. This museum is probably the best of the bunch, with an informative multi-level exhibit partly labeled in English, and a well-stocked gift shop. Free entry, but no free sake.

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum

walking distance from Hankyu Mikage station 御影駅 or Sumiyoshi station 住吉駅, 078-822-8907. Open daily 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, closed Mon. This museum is located inside a former brewery, and features traditional tools, dioramas and English-language videos to explain the sake-making processes. At the end, you can sample some sake, which is non-pasteurized, presumably because it doesn't have to travel far from the factory. Write your name on a piece of paper provided by the guard and return that at the end. Free entry, free sake.

Hamafukutsuru-Ginjo Brewery and Shop

Open daily 10 AM to 5 PM, closed Mon. 078-411-0492. Reportedly, Hamafukutsuru offers factory tours, rather than just a museum.

Oji Zoo

王子動物園 walking distance from Hankyu Oji Koen station 王子公園駅 or JR Nada 灘駅 station Open daily 9 AM to 4:30PM from March to October and 9AM to 4PM November-February. 078-961-5624. Besides animals, there is a mini amusement park with rides for young children. Admission is ¥600 for adults and ¥200 for children.