Kobe is Japan's 7th largest city with 1.7 million inhabitants and is part of the huge Kansai conurbation along with Osaka, Kyoto and Nara.

Although many tourists prefer the more well-known Kyoto or Osaka, I was personally impressed by Kobe.

The city sits in a relatively narrow strip between the sea and high, densely forested mountains. It has a very lively centre with many shopping streets, malls, promenades and modern buildings.

There are also beautiful sandy beaches to enjoy, while several cable cars take you up into the mountains for dozens of kilometres of marked hiking trails and divine views.

As the perfect time to explore Kobe, I recommend staying here for at least 3 nights.

View the 10 best hotels in Kobe

However, many tourists also manage to commute here from nearby Osaka, where many train services leave from and the journey only takes around 40 minutes.