Japan became a closed country in 1633 during the Edo Age . In 1853, Edo Bakufu, the Japanese feudal government headed by a Shogun, had contracts with the Unites States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France and Russia to open five harbors, including Kobe. Edo Bakufu allowed foreigners of these five nations to live in designated foreign settlements of each harbor.

The foreign settlement in Kobe was one of the foreign settlements which opened in 1868.

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The location of the former foreign settlement was on the southeast side of the Kobe-Daimaru Department Store near the JR Motomachi Station. The area of the settlement was 0.26 square kilometers. After the foreign settlement was closed in 1899, many western style office buildings were built in this area.

After World War II, these buildings remained but many offices moved to Tokyo. As a result, this area became less prosperous and became considered as an old business district. However, after 1988, people in Kobe started to consider this area to be the most representative area of Kobe and these old western style buildings needed to be conserved.

Today, this area has become a historical area in Kobe, and also many fashionable companies have their stores in this area. The monument of the "Former Foreign Settlement" is located in the front of the Kobe-Daimaru Department Store.

The former #38 building is located at the southeast corner of the Kobe-Daimaru Department Store. In 1988 when the former Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building next to this building was destroyed, the movement of the conservation of the "Former Foreign Settlement in Kobe" happened.

This building was built in 1929. It was originally built as a branch office of City Bank, but used as a warehouse of the Kobe-Daimaru Department Store after World War II.
Currently "HERMES" store is located here.

In the south block of the former #38 building, the Meikai Building is located. This is the location of the former #32 building. This building was completely destroyed during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, and rebuilt as a modern building but keeping old style appearance. Also, fashionable stores are there.

East of the Meikai Building, the former Consulate General of the USA is located (shown in the above right picture). This is the only original building from the Foreign Settlement Age and is an important cultural property of Japan.

On the east of the former Consulate General of the USA, Kobe Museum, Shinko Building (Former #8) and Chartered Building (Former #9) are located. These buildings were built in the late 1930s.

At the south end of the Former Foreign Settlement is Kaigan-Dori Avenue. Along the avenue, a couple of old buildings are located.

The Mitsui-Shosen Building was built in 1922. This is the oldest office building in Japan. The style of the building is very sophisticated and elegant.

This area is one of the most exotic areas in Japan.

How to get there
Former Foreign Settlement in Kobe is located on the southeast side of Motomachi Station. It is just a two minute walk from the station.
Kyukyoryuchi-Daimaru-Mae Station of Kobe Subway Kaigan Line is the nearest station.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Minatogawa Shrine
"Meriken Hatoba" Harbor
Kitano Area