The Kobe Luminarie is an illumination event where the winter nights of the enchanting city of Kobe are adorned with stunning lights and colors. The 2024 event marks its return after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic and promises to be even more thrilling than previous years! This article covers the history and highlights of this wintertime event in Kobe.
An Event That Began With Wishes to Revitalize Kobe and Repose the Departed
Since then, the festival has evolved and persists to this day as an event symbolizing the dreams and hopes of Kobe and its citizens, passing on the memory of the earthquake from one generation to the next. In 2019, it drew in over 3.46 million visitors from Japan and abroad over 10 days, showing just how big and famous of an event it is today.
Check Out the New Luminarie!
Date and time: Friday, January 19 to Sunday, January 28, 2024 (10 days)
Take a Leisurely Stroll and Marvel at the Glittering Works of Art in Each Area
During the event period, the lights are illuminated every day, starting at dusk. Witnessing the splendid works of art sparkling in the night in the charming port city of Kobe is truly a captivating sight.
Starting this year, the optimal way to experience Kobe Luminarie is to wander through the three venues, admiring the artistic displays.
At Higashi Yuenchi Park, one of the usual venues, a light wall called the Spalliera that measures 39 meters wide and 19 meters high at its tallest point will be installed. Additionally, smaller works will be scattered throughout the park, and a cathedral of light called the Cassa Armonica will serve as the music stage, with a height of 11 meters and a diameter of 7.6 meters.
The Former Foreign Settlement of Kobe, another venue, will showcase an approximately 7.2-meter-high, 14- to 18-meter-wide light billboard enveloping three sides of the plaza in front of the SMBC Kobe Headquarters building. Additionally, there will be a tree-shaped luminaire work, standing at 10 meters high and 5.6 meters in diameter, along with various other works of different sizes.
The highlight of the new Meriken Park venue is a 70-meter-long corridor of light. At its entrance, a 40-meter-wide, 15-meter-high installation called Frontone will be on display. The attractions are scattered from Higashi Yuenchi Park to Meriken Park, allowing visitors to freely enjoy the artworks while strolling through each area.
You Have to Try Kobe Beef While in Kobe! Find Delicious Kobe Beef at These Restaurants
Kobe Beef Steak SAKURA (Sannomiya)
For those eager to relish Kobe beef to the fullest, we recommend getting a course meal. The [Hanagoromo Course] (16,500 JPY) is an opulent culinary journey featuring two main dishes: A5 grade Kobe beef marbled rib roast grilled shabu and A5 grade Kobe beef loin steak. From salad to dessert, this comprehensive 11-course meal is a treat for the senses.
Kobe Beef Steak SAKURA
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Access: 5-minute walk from [Sannomiya Station]. On the 2nd floor of the building next to Ikuta Shrine.
Address: 203, Lion Bldg. Sannomiya, 2-17-10, Shimoyamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe city, Hyogo Map
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Kobe Steak Sai Dining (Sannomiya)
The [A5 Grade Kobe Beef Sirloin Steak Course, 160 grams] (15,180 JPY) is highly recommended, featuring a thickly cut, marbled sirloin steak and eight other delectable dishes. Various other courses, such as Chateaubriand and rib roast, are also available. Plus, you can enhance your dining experience with wines from around the world, including second wines from the five major chateaus.
Kobe Steak Sai Dining
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 13,000 JPY / [Lunch] 4,500 JPY
Access: 5 minutes on foot from Sannomiya Station. Upon exiting the station, proceed west along Sunset-dori Street, make a right at the street after the intersection with Tor Road, and the restaurant will be 150 meters ahead on the right.
Address: B1 Cosmo Building, 3-1-9 Shimoyamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Map
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