In front of City Hall there's a statue with a clock that stopped when it was damaged in the Great Hanshin Earthquake

In front of City Hall there's a statue with a clock that stopped when it was damaged in the Great Hanshin Earthquake (Photo: Peter Sidell)

Kobe City Hall Observatory

Admire the mountains on one side, the port on the other

Peter Sidell Dec 11, 2012 - 1 min read

In front of City Hall there's a statue with a clock that stopped when it was damaged in the Great Hanshin Earthquake

Looking northwest

Looking northeast

The busy central Sannomiya district

There's a pleasant, leafy park to the south of the tower

And the park offers a nice view of the tower

The Flower Clock, a well-known Kobe landmark near the City Hall

Looking north at night, with illuminated shapes that appear to be suspended over the city

For a fine, free panorama of Kobe, head to the observatory on the 24th floor of the City Hall on Flower Street. It offers great views of the mountains to the north of the city and the port to the south, and is open until 10:00pm so you can enjoy the lights after dark too. There's a coffee shop and a restaurant - make sure you get a window table!

Peter Sidell

Peter Sidell @peter.sidell

I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.