Former Hunter House
Quick Facts
- Location
- Japan, Kobe
- Category
- Historic Ruins & Heritage
- Duration
- 30-60 min
- Opening Hours
- Daily 09:00-17:00 · With Kobe Oji Zoo: Mar-Oct 9:00-17:00, Nov-Feb 9:00-16:30 (last entry 30 min before closing); closed Wednesdays (open on holidays) and 29 Dec-1 Jan
- Ticket Price
- Free Admission: House free (included with zoo entry) · Adult: Kobe Oji Zoo JPY 600 adults · Moved from Kitano-cho to Oji Zoo in 1963; designated a national Important Cultural Property in 1966
- Address
- 3-1 Ojicho, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-0838, Japan (inside Kobe Oji Zoo)
- Coordinates
- 34.7095, 135.2155
Introduction
The Former Hunter House is the largest surviving Meiji-era Western residence in Kobe, built in 1889 for Edward Hazlett Hunter, the British industrialist who founded Osaka Iron Works (now Hitachi Zosen), to a design by Alexander Nelson Hansell. It originally stood in Kitano-cho and was moved wholesale into Kobe Oji Zoo in 1963 for preservation. Facing south, the two-storey front holds a reception room, study and dining room on the ground floor, three bedrooms and a sitting room above, with a three-storey corner turret at the northwest; its colonial verandas and Arabesque detailing are the highlights. Designated a national Important Cultural Property in 1966, it appeared on a 1984 Japanese stamp of modern Western architecture — a tangible lesson in Kobe's foreign settlement era.
✨ Highlights
🛈 Practical Info
Opening Hours
| Monday | 09:00-17:00 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Friday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00-17:00 |
| Sunday | 09:00-17:00 |
With Kobe Oji Zoo: Mar-Oct 9:00-17:00, Nov-Feb 9:00-16:30 (last entry 30 min before closing); closed Wednesdays (open on holidays) and 29 Dec-1 Jan
Ticket Information
| Free Admission | House free (included with zoo entry) |
|---|---|
| Adult | Kobe Oji Zoo JPY 600 adults |
| Child | Junior high and under free |
Moved from Kitano-cho to Oji Zoo in 1963; designated a national Important Cultural Property in 1966
Transportation
3 min from Hankyu Ojikoen, 5 min from JR Nada, 10 min from Hanshin Iwaya
Inside the zoo, so a zoo ticket is needed; 2024-2030 works may pause some facilities
FAQ
What are the opening hours of Former Hunter House?
Monday: 09:00-17:00; Tuesday: 09:00-17:00; Wednesday: 09:00-17:00; Thursday: 09:00-17:00; Friday: 09:00-17:00; Saturday: 09:00-17:00; Sunday: 09:00-17:00; With Kobe Oji Zoo: Mar-Oct 9:00-17:00, Nov-Feb 9:00-16:30 (last entry 30 min before closing); closed Wednesdays (open on holidays) and 29 Dec-1 Jan
How much is the admission for Former Hunter House?
Free Admission: House free (included with zoo entry); Adult: Kobe Oji Zoo JPY 600 adults; Child: Junior high and under free; Moved from Kitano-cho to Oji Zoo in 1963; designated a national Important Cultural Property in 1966
How long should I spend at Former Hunter House?
A typical visit takes 30-60 min.
How do I get to Former Hunter House?
Subway: 3 min from Hankyu Ojikoen, 5 min from JR Nada, 10 min from Hanshin Iwaya
