Sake TabiA guide to visiting Japan's sake breweries, distilleries, wineries and more
Bar district・Kobe, Hyogo

Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)

Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown) (Kobe, Hyogo) is a Bar district. One of Japan's three major Chinatowns along with Yokohama and Nagasaki, a shopping district of Chinese restaurants and street-food stalls. The name 'Nankinmachi' is a registered trademark of the shopping street association.

Bar district
Checked against official sources
View on the map
Nankinmachi at night

Nankinmachi (Chuo-ku, Kobe)

Photo: Laitr Keiows / CC BY-SA 3.0 ・ Photo source ・ Resized and cropped

Basics

Location
Kobe, Hyogo
Type
Bar district
Address
兵庫県神戸市中央区栄町通1丁目付近

Good to know before you go

  • About a 5-minute walk from JR/Hanshin Motomachi Station. There is no town-wide closing day; hours and closing days vary by shop.
  • More a food-hopping Chinatown than a night drinking district. The official site cautions about touts and flyer handouts.

The position is approximate.

Breweries and distilleries nearby

Beer
Secondary sources (not confirmed with the facility)

PAINT PALETTE BREWING

Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo

A craft brewery at HAT Kobe with a taproom and a brewery tour; reported to be usable without entering the hot-spring facility.

Booking: Check the official site
Gate and sign of the Sawanotsuru Museum
Sake
Checked against official sources

Sawanotsuru Museum (Old Sake Brewery)

Kobe, Nada Ward, Hyogo

A museum in a reconstruction of Oishi-gura, a wooden sake brewery from the late Edo period, following the old sake-making process with original tools. The adjacent museum shop offers a free tasting of unpasteurized sake.

Booking: No reservation needed
The front gate of Kobe Shu-shin-kan
Sake
Checked against official sources

Kobe Shu-shin-kan (Fukuju Brewery)

Kobe, Higashinada (Mikage), Hyogo

The Mikage-gō brewery that makes Fukuju. It offers a free, partly self-guided tour and a paid small-group tour led by brewery staff.

Booking: Reservation required
Exterior of the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and head office
Sake
Checked against official sources

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum

Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo

A free museum in a Taisho-era brewery building with exhibits on traditional sake-making processes and work.

Booking: No reservation needed
Exterior of the Kikumasamune Sake Museum
Sake
Checked against official sources

Kikumasamune Sake Museum

Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo

Admission to the Kikumasamune Sake Museum is free. Visits to the Taruzake Meister Factory are also mentioned; the reservation-only Sake Cup Gallery is a two-minute walk away.

Booking: No reservation needed

Photos

Entrance to Nankinmachi

Nankinmachi (Chuo-ku, Kobe)

Photo: inunami / CC BY 2.0 ・ Photo source ・ Resized and cropped

Frequently asked questions

What is Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)?

Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown) (Kobe, Hyogo) is a Bar district. One of Japan's three major Chinatowns along with Yokohama and Nagasaki, a shopping district of Chinese restaurants and street-food stalls. The name 'Nankinmachi' is a registered trademark of the shopping street association.

Where is Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)?

It is in Kobe, Hyogo. The address is 兵庫県神戸市中央区栄町通1丁目付近.

What should I know before visiting Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)?

About a 5-minute walk from JR/Hanshin Motomachi Station. There is no town-wide closing day; hours and closing days vary by shop. More a food-hopping Chinatown than a night drinking district. The official site cautions about touts and flyer handouts.

Are there breweries or distilleries to visit near Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)?

Within about 30 km: PAINT PALETTE BREWING (about 2 km), Sawanotsuru Museum (Old Sake Brewery) (about 4 km), Kobe Shu-shin-kan (Fukuju Brewery) (about 6 km), Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum (about 7 km), Kikumasamune Sake Museum (about 8 km).

What should I keep in mind before drinking?

The legal drinking age in Japan is 20. Do not drink if you are driving. Many small bars charge a seat fee (otoshi or charge) or take cash only, so check the menu or the sign at the door before you go in.

Information sources

Information checked against official sources, such as the facility's website.

Checked 2026-10-27

Sources

Spotted a mistake?

Opening days, fees and booking methods change. If you notice a difference, please tell us and we will check and fix it promptly.

Report an error on this listing

More in the same prefecture

The gate of Shinkaichi
Bar district

Shinkaichi

Kobe, Hyogo

A downtown entertainment area in Kobe that began in 1905 on reclaimed land of the old Minato River. Shopping streets, alleys and an underground arcade hold about 100 eateries, including long-established standing bars.