Meriken Park

Meriken Park, built by reclaiming the Meriken Wharf and Nakatottei, has facilities such as Kobe Port Tower, Kobe Maritime Museum, a hotel, and an observation deck. There are various ways to enjoy the park, and visitors can enjoy the unique atmosphere of the port city of Kobe.

Meriken Park” and “Harborland” were created by reclaiming Meriken Wharf, a port for unloading foreign cargo built in the first year of Meiji Era, and Nakadottei, a breakwater built in the Taisho Era. The area is home to some of Kobe’s most photogenic landmarks, and is a must stop when visiting Kobe.

At night, the Port Tower, Maritime Museum, and “BE KOBE” monument are illuminated, making it a beautiful sight to behold.

You can enjoy the whole day here, taking a leisurely stroll along the seaside and feeling the sea breeze, taking a cruise ship and viewing the city of Kobe from the sea, or admiring the sparkling night view at night. Shinko-machi, located on the east side of Meriken Park, is also a hot spot with an aquarium and food hall.

As part of the Kobe Port development plan, the area between the former Meriken Wharf and the middle jetty where the Kobe Port Tower stands was reclaimed in 1987 to create a park. The Kobe Maritime Museum, Hotel Okura, and other buildings were constructed in the park, which is now part of the landscape representing the Port of Kobe.

On the north side of the park, an objet d’art called “Fish Dance,” created by architect Frank Gehry in 1987, was installed to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the opening of the port. On the central lawn is a bell tower called the “Bell of Ortansia,” built in 1990 to celebrate the first Kobe Fashion Festival. On the east side of the park, the Meriken Wharf, which was damaged in the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, was preserved as it was, and in 1997 it was developed into the Kobe Port Earthquake Memorial Park, preserving valuable records of the disaster.

In 2017, a large-scale renovation of the entire park was completed as a project to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Port of Kobe. As part of the project, a Starbucks Coffee, one of the largest in western Japan at the time, was constructed and visitors can now enjoy a design inspired by cruise ships docked in the port.

The Nakatottei is also located on the west side of Meriken Park, where cruise ships on foreign routes and restaurant ships such as Luminous Kobe 2 arrive and depart. At the end of the Nakatottei is the Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel, which is shaped like a wave.