Sannomiya 三宮

Sannomiya is a major shopping venue in the center of Kobe , which includes some big underground malls. There are plenty of hotels in the area as well, making this an excellent base for travelers.

Sannomiya Station is a two-minute subway ride from Shin-Kobe Station, a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line.

Taking its name from Sannomiya shrine, Sannomiya is Kobe's downtown heart. Overlooking the area, the shrine is home to the god of safe navigation and flourishing commercial activities, a deity who has been worshiped among the people of this port city through the ages.

Prior to the 1920s, this area was considered outside the city center, but following a retail evolution which saw Sogo Department Store relocate from Motomachi to Sannomiya in 1933, it became a central business district.

Today the area is filled with government agencies and marine trading companies as well as a diverse collection of large scale and small, independently run stores. If you do make it to Sannomiya, be sure to visit Sanchika, a popular shopping mall that's home to 120 stores and is buzzing with local customers and tourists.