Nankinmachi(南京町), a Small Chinatown
I walked down the street that led from the Kitano Ijinkan(北野異人館) to Kobe’s Chinatown, Nankinmachi (南京町).
Yamaguchi Bank (山口銀行, San-Gu Bank)
It felt like coming down from Arima Onsen to the city.
The Yamaguchi Bank building was well-maintained.
Tor Road
There’s Tor Road here, a road that connects the Kitano Ijinkan, which used to house shops and offices, and the residential district of Kyu-kyoryuchi(旧居留地).
It’s in the middle of Sannomiya and Motomachi, and foreigners who used to live in early Kobe would pass through this road on their commutes, resulting in the gradual emergence of shops selling goods they needed, naturally forming this exotic bustling street.
MediTerrasse
At the end of Tor Road, there was this lovely pastel-toned building called MediTerrasse.
It looked like a pastel painting.
Now the building is demolished, replaced by a modern shopping complex.
Daimaru Department Store
While walking, I often spotted Daimaru Department Store, and there were always many people in front of the building.
Seeing a department store gives you a reassuring feeling of being in a city while traveling.
Kobe Motomachi Shopping Street
Motomachi Shopping Street is Kobe’s largest shopping district.
It felt cozy with a roof, similar to Shinsaibashi in Osaka.
Since it’s an area with a lot of international exchanges, you can easily find foreign products, and there are even some smuggled goods, they say.
Nankinmachi (Chinatown)
Below Motomachi Shopping Street is a Chinatown called Nankinmachi.
I didn’t get to visit, but I heard Yokohama’s Chinatown is quite large in scale, whereas Kobe’s Chinatown is not as big.
‘Journey to the West(Seiyuuki)’
It used to be a place for smuggling goods, but now it didn’t feel that way.
It was a place to enjoy various Chinese cuisines.
It looked a bit intimidating.
In the center of Chinatown, there was a Seiyuuki sculpture that seemed a bit eerie.
A Place with Long Lines
Even though it was daytime, there were many people.
There were several popular restaurants, but I didn’t go in to eat.
Nankinmachi
It was definitely decorated with a lot of red and had lanterns, giving it the atmosphere of Chinese scenery.
Chang’an Gate
Nankinmachi also had a Chang’an Gate.
I didn’t see Beijing’s Chang’an Gate myself, but it seemed more like a decorative element showing the entrance to the shopping district.
There were many Chinese foods like dumplings and Peking duck, but since I was alone, I didn’t want to have a full meal and just bought some dumplings.
At first, it looked like dumplings, but when I bought one and looked closely, it resembled a bun.
Dumpling Filling
Inside, there was a filling made of meat, and it was juicy and very delicious.
To save time, I walked on to my next destination.
Dec. 15, 2009