Editing Kobe (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:151229_Kobe_Port_Japan01bs.jpg|thumb|260px|View of Kobe from an airplane]]

Wedged between the coast and the mountains, the city of Kobe is long and narrow. To the east is the city of [[Ashiya, Hyōgo|Ashiya]], while the city of [[Akashi, Hyōgo|Akashi]] lies to its west. Other adjacent cities include [[Takarazuka, Hyōgo|Takarazuka]] and [[Nishinomiya]] to the east and [[Sanda, Hyōgo|Sanda]] and [[Miki, Hyōgo|Miki]] to the north.

The landmark of the port area is the red steel [[Kobe Port Tower|Port Tower]]. A [[ferris wheel]] sits in nearby [[Harborland]], a notable tourist [[Esplanade|promenade]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}} Two artificial islands, [[Port Island]] and [[Rokkō Island]], have been constructed to give the city room to expand.

Away from the seaside at the heart of Kobe lie the [[Motomachi, Kobe|Motomachi]] and [[Sannomiya]] districts, as well as Kobe's [[Chinatown]], [[Nankin-machi]], all well-known retail areas. A multitude of train lines cross the city from east to west. The main transport hub is [[Sannomiya Station]], with the eponymous [[Kobe Station (Hyōgo)|Kobe Station]] located to the west and the [[Shinkansen]] [[Shin-Kobe Station]] to the north.

[[Mount Rokkō]] overlooks Kobe at an elevation of {{cvt|931|m}}. During autumn, it is famous for the rich change in [[autumn leaf color|colors of its forests]].

{{wide image|Panoramic view of Kobe and Kobe Harbor from the Kobe Port Tower.png|1000px|align-cap=center|A panorama of Kobe, [[Port of Kobe|its harbor]], and [[Port Island]] from [[Kobe Port Tower]]}}

=== Wards ===
Kobe has nine [[wards of Japan|wards]] (''ku''):

# [[Nishi-ku, Kobe|Nishi-ku]]: The westernmost area of Kobe, Nishi-ku overlooks the city of [[Akashi, Hyōgo|Akashi]] and is the site of [[Kobe Gakuin University]]. This ward has the largest population, with 247,000 residents.<ref>[http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/013/toukei/contents/kubetusihyo.html City of Kobe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014182029/http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/06/013/toukei/contents/kubetusihyo.html |date=October 14, 2007 }}, "Population by Ward" (Japanese). Retrieved July 25, 2007.</ref>
# [[Kita-ku, Kobe|Kita-ku]]: Kita-ku is the largest ward by area and contains the Rokko Mountain Range, including [[Mount Rokkō]] and [[Mount Maya]]. The area is well known for its rugged landscape and hiking trails. The [[onsen]] resort town of [[Arima Onsen|Arima]] also lies within Kita-ku.
# [[Tarumi-ku, Kobe|Tarumi-ku]]: Tarumi-ku is a mostly residential area. The second-longest suspension bridge in the world, the [[Akashi Kaikyō Bridge]], extends from Maiko in Tarumi-ku to [[Awaji Island]] to the south. A relatively new addition to Kobe, Tarumi-ku was not a part of the city until 1946.
# [[Suma-ku, Kobe|Suma-ku]]: Suma-ku is the site of Suma beach, attracting visitors during the summer months.
# [[Nagata-ku, Kobe|Nagata-ku]]: Nagata-ku is the site of [[Nagata jinja|Nagata Shrine]], one of the three "Great Shrines" in Kobe.
# [[Hyōgo-ku, Kobe|Hyōgo-ku]]: At various times known as Ōwada Anchorage or Hyōgo Port, this area is the historical heart of the city. [[Shinkaichi]] in Hyogo-ku was once the commercial center of Kobe, but was heavily damaged during [[World War II]], and since, Hyogo-ku has lost much of its former prominence.
# [[Chūō-ku, Kobe|Chūō-ku]]: {{nihongo|''Chūō''|中央}} literally means "central" and, as such, Chūō-ku is the commercial and entertainment center of Kobe. [[Sannomiya]], [[Motomachi, Kobe|Motomachi]] and [[Harborland]] make up the main entertainment areas in Kobe. Chūō-ku includes the city hall and [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo prefectural]] government offices. [[Port Island]] and [[Kobe Airport]] lie in the southern part of this ward.
# [[Nada-ku, Kobe|Nada-ku]]: The site of [[Oji Zoo]] and [[Kobe University]], Nada is known for [[Nada-Gogō|its sake]]. Along with [[Fushimi-ku, Kyoto|Fushimi]] in [[Kyoto]], it accounts for 45% of Japan's sake production.<ref>[http://www.kippo.or.jp/culture_e/syoku/sakejijo/sakejijo1.html Kansai Window] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619122900/http://www.kippo.or.jp/culture_e/syoku/sakejijo/sakejijo1.html |date=June 19, 2006 }}, "Japan's number one sake production". Retrieved February 6, 2007.</ref>
# [[Higashinada-ku, Kobe|Higashinada-ku]]: The easternmost area of Kobe, Higashinada-ku borders the city of [[Ashiya, Hyōgo|Ashiya]]. The man-made island of [[Rokko Island|Rokko]] makes up the southern part of this ward.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="810px"
! colspan="7" | Wards of Kobe
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Place Name
!
!
!
!Map of Kobe
|-
! style="width: 190px;" |[[Romanization of Japanese|Rōmaji]]
! style="width: 190px;" |[[Kanji]]
!Population
!''Land area in km<sup>2</sup>''
!Pop. density
per km2
!
|-
| style="text-align: center;" "width: 20px;" | 1
|[[Nishi-ku, Kobe|Nishi-ku]]
|西区
|240,386
|138.01
|1,742
| rowspan="9" |[[File:兵庫県神戸市区画図_番号.png|alt=|border|center|399x399px|A map of Kobe's Wards]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | 2
|[[Kita-ku, Kobe|Kita-ku]]
| 北区
|212,211
|240.29
|883
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | 3
|[[Tarumi-ku, Kobe|Tarumi-ku]]
| 垂水区
|216,337
|28.11
|7,696
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | 4
|[[Suma-ku, Kobe|Suma-ku]]
| 須磨区
|158,196
|28.93
|5,468
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | 5
|[[Nagata-ku, Kobe|Nagata-ku]]
| 長田区
|95,155
|11.36
|8,376
|-
|6
|[[Hyōgo-ku, Kobe|Hyōgo-ku]]
|兵庫区
|107,307
|14.68
|7,310
|-
|7
|[[Chūō-ku, Kobe|Chūō-ku]]
|中央区
|142,232
|28.97
|4,910
|-
|8
|[[Nada-ku, Kobe|Nada-ku]]
|灘区
|136,865
|32.66
|4,191
|-
|9
|[[Higashinada-ku, Kobe|Higashinada-ku]]
|東灘区
|214,255
|34.02
|6,298
|}

===Cityscape===
<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" heights="130" perrow="3" caption="Gallery">
File:Meriken-boat.jpg|View of MOSAIC and [[Meriken Park]] from ferry at dusk (2022)
File:Kobe unterwegs in Kobe 3.jpg|[[Meriken Park]] (2018)
File:151003 Port of Kobe Japan01s3.jpg|Skyline of Kobe from Kobe Bridge (2015)
File:Twilight view of Kobe, from a point near Shin-Kobe station.jpg|View of [[Sannomiya]] from [[Shin-Kobe Station]] (2009)
File:121208 Nunobiki Herb Garden Kobe Hyogo pref Japan09s3.jpg|[[Nunobiki Herb Garden]] (2012)
File:Kobe Kobe Port Tower Panoaramablick 03.jpg|Kobe [[central business district]] (2018)
File:Kobe Meriken Park area at night 2016-06-14.jpg|Kobe [[central business district]] at night (2016)
File:Kobe Chuo and Suma at night.jpeg|Downtown at night
File:View of Kikuseidai from Mount Maya Kobe.jpg|Night view from [[Kikuseidai]]
File:Views from Venus Bridge in Kobe 001.jpg|alt=|Sunset from Mt. Suwa (Suwayama) observation deck
File:Views from Venus Bridge in Kobe 003.jpg|Chūō-ku, seen by night from Mt. Suwa observation deck 
File:Views from Venus Bridge in Kobe 002.jpg|Panorama of Kobe from Mt. Suwa observation deck
</gallery>

===Climate===
Kobe has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') with hot summers and cool to cold winters. Precipitation is significantly higher in summer than in winter, though on the whole lower than most parts of Honshū, and there is no significant snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kobe is {{convert|17.0|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1277.8|mm}} with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{convert|28.6|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|6.2|C}}. The highest temperature ever recorded in Kobe was {{cvt|38.8|C}} on August 5, 1994; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-7.2|C}} on February 27, 1981.

{{Weather box
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|location = Kobe (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1896−present)
|Jan record high C = 19.2
|Feb record high C = 20.8
|Mar record high C = 23.7
|Apr record high C = 28.5
|May record high C = 31.9
|Jun record high C = 36.3
|Jul record high C = 37.7
|Aug record high C = 38.8
|Sep record high C = 35.9
|Oct record high C = 31.9
|Nov record high C = 26.3
|Dec record high C = 23.7
|Jan record low C = -6.4
|Feb record low C = -7.2
|Mar record low C = -5.0
|Apr record low C = -0.6
|May record low C = 3.9
|Jun record low C = 10.0
|Jul record low C = 14.5
|Aug record low C = 16.1
|Sep record low C = 10.5
|Oct record low C = 5.3
|Nov record low C = -0.2
|Dec record low C = -4.3
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 38.4
|Feb precipitation mm = 55.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 94.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 100.6
|May precipitation mm = 134.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 176.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 187.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 103.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 157.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 118.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 62.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 48.7
|year precipitation mm = 1277.8
|Jan mean C = 6.2
|Feb mean C = 6.5
|Mar mean C = 9.8
|Apr mean C = 15.0
|May mean C = 19.8
|Jun mean C = 23.4
|Jul mean C = 27.1
|Aug mean C = 28.6
|Sep mean C = 25.4
|Oct mean C = 19.8
|Nov mean C = 14.2
|Dec mean C = 8.8
|year mean C = 17.0
|Jan high C = 9.4
|Feb high C = 10.1
|Mar high C = 13.5
|Apr high C = 18.9
|May high C = 23.6
|Jun high C = 26.7
|Jul high C = 30.4
|Aug high C = 32.2
|Sep high C = 28.8
|Oct high C = 23.2
|Nov high C = 17.5
|Dec high C = 12.0
|year high C = 20.5
|Jan low C = 3.1
|Feb low C = 3.4
|Mar low C = 6.3
|Apr low C = 11.4
|May low C = 16.5
|Jun low C = 20.6
|Jul low C = 24.7
|Aug low C = 26.1
|Sep low C = 22.6
|Oct low C = 16.7
|Nov low C = 10.9
|Dec low C = 5.7
|year low C = 14.0
|Jan humidity = 62
|Feb humidity = 61
|Mar humidity = 61
|Apr humidity = 61
|May humidity = 64
|Jun humidity = 72
|Jul humidity = 74
|Aug humidity = 71
|Sep humidity = 67
|Oct humidity = 64
|Nov humidity = 63
|Dec humidity = 62
|year humidity = 65
|Jan sun = 145.8
|Feb sun = 142.4
|Mar sun = 175.8
|Apr sun = 194.8
|May sun = 202.6
|Jun sun = 164.0
|Jul sun = 189.4
|Aug sun = 229.6
|Sep sun = 163.9
|Oct sun = 169.8
|Nov sun = 152.2
|Dec sun = 153.2
|year sun = 2083.7
|Jan snow cm = 0
|Feb snow cm = 0
|Mar snow cm = 0
|Apr snow cm = 0
|May snow cm = 0
|Jun snow cm = 0
|Jul snow cm = 0
|Aug snow cm = 0
|Sep snow cm = 0
|Oct snow cm = 0
|Nov snow cm = 0
|Dec snow cm = 0
|year snow cm = 1
|unit precipitation days = 0.5 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 6.0
|Feb precipitation days = 7.1
|Mar precipitation days = 10.0
|Apr precipitation days = 10.1
|May precipitation days = 10.4
|Jun precipitation days = 12.1
|Jul precipitation days = 10.9
|Aug precipitation days = 7.4
|Sep precipitation days = 10.3
|Oct precipitation days = 8.8
|Nov precipitation days = 6.4
|Dec precipitation days = 6.8
|year precipitation days = 106.2
|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=63&block_no=47770&year=&month=12&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） 
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency]]
| access-date = May 19, 2021}}</ref>
}}
{{Weather box
|location = [[Kobe Airport]] (2006−2020 normals, extremes 2006−present)
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|Jan record high C = 17.2
|Feb record high C = 19.5
|Mar record high C = 22.9
|Apr record high C = 24.9
|May record high C = 30.2
|Jun record high C = 34.5
|Jul record high C = 36.2
|Aug record high C = 37.0
|Sep record high C = 36.2
|Oct record high C = 31.5
|Nov record high C = 25.6
|Dec record high C = 21.9
|Jan record low C = -3.6
|Feb record low C = -3.4
|Mar record low C = -1.5
|Apr record low C = 1.9
|May record low C = 7.0
|Jun record low C = 14.2
|Jul record low C = 19.4
|Aug record low C = 20.5
|Sep record low C = 14.7
|Oct record low C = 8.5
|Nov record low C = 2.7
|Dec record low C = -1.4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 33.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 54.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 83.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 83.7
|May precipitation mm = 117.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 164.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 186.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 84.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 135.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 106.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 52.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 49.3
|year precipitation mm = 1148.4
|Jan mean C = 5.9
|Feb mean C = 6.3
|Mar mean C = 9.2
|Apr mean C = 13.7
|May mean C = 18.5
|Jun mean C = 22.2
|Jul mean C = 25.9
|Aug mean C = 27.9
|Sep mean C = 24.9
|Oct mean C = 19.7
|Nov mean C = 14.0
|Dec mean C = 8.5
|year mean C = 16.4
|Jan high C = 9.3
|Feb high C = 9.7
|Mar high C = 12.8
|Apr high C = 17.3
|May high C = 22.2
|Jun high C = 25.2
|Jul high C = 28.6
|Aug high C = 31.1
|Sep high C = 28.1
|Oct high C = 23.0
|Nov high C = 17.3
|Dec high C = 11.9
|year high C = 19.7
|Jan low C = 2.4
|Feb low C = 2.6
|Mar low C = 5.3
|Apr low C = 9.9
|May low C = 15.1
|Jun low C = 19.8
|Jul low C = 23.9
|Aug low C = 25.6
|Sep low C = 22.1
|Oct low C = 16.7
|Nov low C = 10.7
|Dec low C = 5.1
|year low C = 13.2
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 4.6
|Feb precipitation days = 6.6
|Mar precipitation days = 8.3
|Apr precipitation days = 8.8
|May precipitation days = 8.6
|Jun precipitation days = 9.8
|Jul precipitation days = 10.2
|Aug precipitation days = 6.0
|Sep precipitation days = 8.8
|Oct precipitation days = 7.9
|Nov precipitation days = 5.7
|Dec precipitation days = 5.8
|year precipitation days = 91.1
|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=63&block_no=1587&year=&month=&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
| access-date = February 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=63&block_no=1587&year=&month=&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） 
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
| access-date = February 26, 2022}}</ref>
}}