KOBE - Kobe welcomed a new waterfront destination this year as the redevelopment of the former Shinko No. 2 Pier area gave rise to TOTTEI, a spacious coastal district designed to connect the city more closely with the sea while offering visitors a range of leisure attractions that highlight the port city’s unique blend of ocean and mountains.
The site, once lined with warehouses, has been transformed into a public space anchored by GLION ARENA KOBE, home to the professional basketball team Kobe Storks and also a venue for concerts and large-scale events.
Behind the arena, a grassy open space known as TOTTEI PARK spreads out toward the water, filled with the lively voices of children at play. The district’s most striking feature is Midori no Oka, a triangular, terraced-roof structure covered entirely in greenery, where a summit about 11 meters high offers panoramic views of the harbor and cityscape that locals say feel entirely new even to long-time residents.
The broader waterfront has also seen steady growth, as neighboring areas around the former No. 1 Pier continue to attract new facilities. The hot spring accommodation Kobe Minato Onsen Ren, the urban-style aquarium Atoa, and the Felissimo Chocolate Museum have opened one after another, adding depth to the district’s appeal as a year-round tourist destination.
Adding to the vibrancy of the redeveloped coastline, the Kobe Port Weekend Fireworks are launched on a regular basis, illuminating the night sky and enhancing the port’s distinctive evening scenery.
Source: 産経ニュース
