I arrived at Kobe’s Sannomiya Station early morning feeling a bit under the weather. The streets were damp, my backpack hung heavily on my back, and the city wasn’t yet awake. Clutching my umbrella in one hand and my phone in the other, I miraculously located rogue wifi in front of a convenience store and Beyang somehow found me. With a huge smile on her face, she took me inside a quaint bakery, where we loaded up a basket full of pastries. After a sip of my hot black coffee and a bite of the deep-fried curry donut, I realized it was going to be a really good day. We were chatting as old friends do, and I felt right at home, in Kobe.
Beyang, my good friend from college, had visited me both Mexico City and Seoul. In her home base for a day, I was very excited to be a visitor in her charming port city.
Come along on our adventure with these snapshots!
Beyang, full of abundant energy!
Kobe, one of Japan’s first cities to open its doors to the world, is home to architectural diversity and good international cuisine.
How fun are these retro signs! I loved Kobe’s offering of themed restaurants.
When in Kobe, one must try the namesake beef!
After our delicious steak lunch, I somehow lost one of my contact lens and almost fell into a blurry funk. But then we stepped inside this lovely vegan cafe…
Cake, hot drinks, and friends!
Kobe’s Chinatown had so many cute goodies. We shared a pork bun and croquette.
A tiny jar of Kobe’s specialty custard pudding! It tasted a bit like flan + creme brulee.
Just when it started raining, we caught this festival performance under a tented area. It reminded me of high school marching band competitions.
Rain can’t stop us!
Best of all, Beyang took me to meet Totoro!
Feeling re-energized, I hopped on the train to my final destination and the city where I learned to travel in 2006: Kyoto.