Kobe Travel Guide - What to do in Kobe Kobe (神戸, Kōbe) is the capital of Hyogo Prefecture and one of Japan's ten largest cities Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, Kobe is also considered one of Japan's most attractive cities Kobe has been an important port city for many centuries Its port was among the first to be opened to foreign trade in the 19th century alongside the ports of Yokohama, Nagasaki