Sorakuen Garden, Kobe, Japan

Sorakuen Garden / 相楽園

Basic information

Sorakuen is a traditional Japanese landscape garden in the center of Kobe. The garden used to be part of the residence of Kodera Kenkichi, a former mayor of Kobe, but was opened to the public in 1941.

All the buildings, which had originally stood in the garden, were destroyed in the war, except for a stable. The former home of a foreign trader, the Hassam House, was moved into the Sorakuen Garden from the Kitano district in 1961.

How to get there:

Sorakuen is a ten minutes walk north of Motomachi Station (JR and Hanshin Railways) and a five minute walk north of Kencho-mae Station (Kobe Subway).

Working Hours and fees

Working Hours:9:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)

Closed:Thursdays (or following day if Thursday is a national holiday)

December 29 to January 3

Admission:300 yen