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Historic Ruins & Heritage

Kitano Monogatarikan

📍 3-1-31 Kitano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
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3.6/ 5.0
★★★★☆

Quick Facts

Location
Japan, Kobe
Category
Historic Ruins & Heritage
Duration
About 30-45 minutes
Address
3-1-31 Kitano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
Coordinates
34.7020, 135.1880

Introduction

Kitano Monogatarikan is a nationally registered tangible cultural property at the entrance of Kobe's Kitano Ijinkan district: a two-storey wooden Western-style house built in 1907, first owned by an American and later by a German baker who ran a ground-floor coffee shop. Damaged in the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, its parts were stored and rebuilt on this site in 2001; since 2009 the ground floor has housed Japan's first Starbucks in a registered cultural property, while the upper floor displays district history and works by Western-style painter Masuzen Komatsu.

✨ Highlights

1
1907 house
A registered cultural property of wooden construction.
2
Rebuilt after the quake
Parts stored and reassembled here in 2001.
3
Heritage Starbucks
Japan's first Starbucks in a cultural property.
4
Upper-floor display
District history and Masuzen Komatsu's paintings.
5
Wooden sign
A store logo specially carved in wood.
6
Kitano-zaka gate
The starting point for the ijinkan walk.

🛈 Practical Info

→Location：3-1-31 Kitano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
→Time needed：about 30-45 minutes
→Highlights：Heritage building, Starbucks, upper-floor display
→Nearby：Kazamidachi, Moegi houses, Kitano-zaka
→Opening Hours：8:00-22:00 (irregular holidays)

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
AdultFree

Free entry (order at the floor-1 Starbucks)

Transportation

Subway

Subway Sannomiya Station, East Exit 8, about 13 min on foot

Bus

Shinki Bus to Kitano Ijinkan stop, about 3 min on foot

💡 Tips

• Entry is free; the ground-floor Starbucks asks one drink or food item per person.
• Open 8:00-22:00 with irregular holidays.
• About 13 min on foot from Subway Sannomiya East Exit 8; 3 min from the Kitano Ijinkan bus stop.
• 74 seats plus 8 terrace seats; the upper-floor window seats are prized.
• Combine with the Kazamidachi and Moegi houses on an ijinkan pass.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Kitano Monogatarikan?

8:00-22:00 (irregular holidays)

How much is the admission for Kitano Monogatarikan?

Adult: Free; Free entry (order at the floor-1 Starbucks)

Any practical tips for visiting Kitano Monogatarikan?

Entry is free; the ground-floor Starbucks asks one drink or food item per person. Open 8:00-22:00 with irregular holidays.

How long should I spend at Kitano Monogatarikan?

A typical visit takes About 30-45 minutes.

How do I get to Kitano Monogatarikan?

Subway: Subway Sannomiya Station, East Exit 8, about 13 min on foot; Bus: Shinki Bus to Kitano Ijinkan stop, about 3 min on foot