History Of Kobe

Kobe is one of the distinguished port cities in Japan. The city had been the capital of this country for a short while. The five-month reign of Emperor Antoku, grandson of Taira no Kiyomori was conducted from Kobe, it is believed. The history of Kobe takes one back to 7th century when the port is believed to have been active and developed excellent trade links with China and Western countries. Officially set up on April 1, 1889, Kobe City was named thus on September 1, 1956. The World War II wrecked the city with a shower of firebombs from 331 B-29 bomber planes on the March 17 th , 1945. 30 years later, in 1975, the City Council of Kobe forbade the entry or exit of nuclear weapon bearing vessels at the Kobe Port. The injunction is known as the Kobe Formula.

Another notable incident in the history of Kobe has been the tragic Great Hanshin Earthquake that rocked the city for about 20 seconds on 17 th January 1995. Measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale the earthquake caused widespread damage and took a huge toll on the city's shocked population. While almost 6,433 people lost their lives the homes of 300,000 were devastated and the citizens were left deprived of the basic amenities. The famed port suffered huge infrastructure damage and the Hanshin Expressway crumbled. However the courage and never-say-die spirit of the citizens must be applauded as Kobe has now been rebuilt and is better equipped to face a natural disaster such as the last. However the loss and the grief stand out every year as the Luminarie is held in the city hall. What was once Japan's busiest port, has lost much of its sparkle due to this natural disaster. However, slowly and steadily the port is way to recovery. Thus history of Kobe helps us understand the present day city.

Hotels in Kobe
Chisun Hotel	Plaza (rokko Island) Hotel
Holiday Inn Express Hotel	Tokyu Inn Hotel
Kobe Plaza Hotel	New Otani Harborland Hotel