ABOUT
About this spot
Kobe City Museum stands in Kyomachi, Chuo Ward, within Kobe's Old Foreign Settlement. The neoclassical building, completed in 1935 to a design by Kotaro Sakurai, was originally the Kobe branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank and later served as a Bank of Tokyo branch. It was extensively remodeled when it became a museum in 1982, and is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. The museum opened in 1982 by merging the Kobe Municipal Namban Art Museum and the Kobe Municipal Archaeological Museum. Its theme is international cultural exchange and the contact between East and West. The collection includes archaeological finds, old maps, Nanban art and works by artists linked to Kobe. The Sakuragaoka dotaku bronze bells and bronze halberds are National Treasures, and Important Cultural Properties include a portrait of Oda Nobunaga and the Namban screens by Kano Naizen. The building is lit up at night. The Nankinmachi Chinatown, Kobe Port Tower and Ikuta Shrine are all within about a 15-minute walk. Allow one to two hours; displays change, so check what is on view before you go.
Last updated October 23, 2026