No visit to Kobe is complete without tasting the city’s most famous export. Kobe beef, a strictly certified grade of Tajima wagyu, is prized for its intense marbling and melt-in-the-mouth texture. Around it, central Kobe offers some of Japan’s most rewarding eating.

Tasting Kobe Beef

The classic way to try it is teppanyaki, where a chef grills the beef on an iron plate before you. Lunch sets are far cheaper than dinner and a smart way to sample top-grade beef without the highest price. Look for restaurants displaying official certification of authentic Kobe beef.

Nankinmachi Chinatown

A few minutes from Motomachi, the compact Nankinmachi is one of Japan’s three great Chinatowns. Its lantern-lined lanes are packed with street-food stalls selling steamed buns, dumplings and other snacks, making it a fun, budget-friendly contrast to a high-end beef dinner.

Getting There

Most beef restaurants cluster around Sannomiya and Motomachi, both central stations a short walk apart. Nankinmachi sits between them, so you can easily combine an afternoon of street food with an evening splurge on wagyu.

Food is at the heart of Kobe’s appeal. Whether you go all-out on certified beef or graze through Chinatown, the city rewards a healthy appetite.

More Kobe Travel Guides

• Kitano Ijinkan: Kobe’s Historic Foreign Quarter
• Kobe Harborland and Meriken Park
• Mount Rokko and Kobe’s Famous Night View

See our Kobe Travel Guide for the full overview. Planning the whole trip? Visit The Complete Kobe Guide for every guide and hotel in one place.