10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Hyogo

Kobe as a city is something of a playground for grown-ups. The Sannomiya area, for example, has countless long-running bars where you can enjoy a quiet drink. THE BAR J.W. Hart is one such location that we recommend for its stunning views at night. And over at the bar on the 17th floor of Kobe's Oriental Hotel, there's enough space - with counter seating, seats for couples, sofas, and an open terrace - for anyone to find their own place. Actually, the food here is also great, so you might want to stay for dinner. And then there's the Savoy Kitanozaka bar. An authentic bar also located in Sannomiya, it's here that the popular "Sol Cubano" cocktail was created.

An international city, Kobe is a top destination for club lovers who want to enjoy music from around the world. You'll find a wide range of clubs, including clubs that mainly use guest DJs and others where all of the staff are from other countries. Kobe's clubs are a rich melting pot, with plenty of clubbers from Japan and abroad. The Sannomiya area is a good place to start, and the most popular club here is the international CLUB 007 KOBE. As well as typical club nights it also hosts events, parties, live performances and dance competitions, and covers a wide range of music including EDM, hip hop, eurobeat, house and techno. Admission is free for both men and women if you enter by 11 pm on weekdays or by 10 pm on weekends. To get here, take the train to Sannomiya Station and then walk for about 5 minutes.

Meriken Park is the place to be for night views of Kobe Port. On the north side there's a huge carp monument titled "Fish Dance" by world-famous architect Frank Gehry, and now there's also a new monument called "BE KOBE" that's just recently been installed. Shots of these monuments together with the illuminated Port Tower are always big hits on Instagram. In fact, many people come here at night purely to take spectacular photos. Meriken Park also has one of the largest Starbucks in western Japan, and you can kick back and enjoy a cup while admiring the beautiful harbour from the second floor. This is the perfect spot for a walk at night to appreciate the uniqueness of Kobe as a port city. To get here, take the train to JR/Hanshin Motomachi Station and then walk for about 15 minutes.

One of Japan's three major Chinatowns, Nankinmachi is perfect for supper followed by a stroll. The town shuts down surprisingly early at night, but some restaurants remain open until around 9 to 10 pm. If you're still hungry after an dinner, the port-style Gunai Café has some delicious options such as mango pudding, yum cha (tea with dim sum), and egg tarts. You can also choose from several types of Chinese tea, such as Tieguanyin oolong tea. Nankinmachi sometimes hosts Chinese New Year celebrations and spectacular illuminations, so it's a good idea to check the schedule on the Nankinmachi website for details ahead of your visit. To get here, take the train to JR/Hanshin Motomachi Station and then walk for about 5 minutes.

Nunobiki Herb Gardens is a botanical garden located in the heart of Kobe City. It stretches from the Kazenooka Intermediate Station to the Herbal Garden Mountaintop Station on the Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway. You only have to pay to get into the "Scented Garden" of herbs such as lavender, and the rest of the facilities can be enjoyed free of charge. The Observation Plaza, modelled on the Germany's old Wartburg Castle, is a popular site for night views of Kobe Port. In summertime there's a Kobe Garden Terrace Bar where you enjoy a drink while watching city at night. There are also unmissable events such as the "Forest of Light" and "Christmas Tower" where the herb garden itself is beautifully illuminated. The only way to get here is via the Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway, and you'll need to board at the Nunobiki Herb Garden Ropeway Bottom Station.

Kobe is full of cafés that are open until late at night where you can relax with a cup of tea. These welcoming cafés mean the night can be enjoyed by all. Many of these late-night cafés are located near Sannomiya or Motomachi, which are really easy to get to. The oddly-named parlor HOPE Dress Shop is located just a stone's throw away from Motomachi Station, and from the outside it looks like a café concealed in a normal residential home. Here you can enjoy original blends and cakes while sitting in a comfortable chair and reading a book in what is actually a stylishly renovated old Japanese-style house. Other highlights include the night cafés forum Forum Kobe Sannomiya, Café Picasso, and Bora Bora.

Kobe is a city of music that continues to produce many famous artists. The likes of Tortoise Matsumoto, Kuroneko Chelsea and GaGaGa SP all become famous after performing at small venues in Kobe. If you visit some of these venues, you could find yourself watching the next big thing! The Taiyo To Tora venue is managed by the chairman of "COMING KOBE", which is Japan's largest free charity festival, and countless professional musicians have learned their trade here. Elsewhere, the Art House venue in Nakayamatedori is said to be frequently visited by leading musicians. Make sure you check the live schedule and plan your itinerary accordingly.

The factories here look surprisingly impressive when seen at night. An area full of chemical factories and steel factories, the Harima Seaside Industrial Zone around Himeji City is one of Japan's most prominent industrial parks. If you're touring Hyogo Prefecture by car, this is definitely somewhere to add to your list of sites. One of the highlights is Eco Park Aboshi View Hill, from which you can look at the factories lighting up the night. The contrast between the factories and the port of Himeji makes this is a popular destination for people looking for interesting night views. There's nowhere else quite like this in Japan. The car park is close to the observation area, and it's well lit too, so don't hesitate to drop by.

Luminous Kobe 2 is one of the largest restaurant ships in Japan and provides a "million dollar night view" of Kobe. Inside the ship, which was created in the image of the French luxury liner the SS Normandie, there are as many as 7 restaurants on each deck. One of the best options is a dinner cruise that departs from Kobe Port at 7 pm, overlooks Port Island and Kobe Airport, and passes under the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. Looking up at the illuminated Akashi Kaikyo Bridge as the ship passes below is an unforgettable experience. Dinner options include everything from Kobe beef and French kaiseki cuisine to children's menus. Of course, you can also choose to simply take a journey on the boat without dinner. The journey takes 2 hours 20 minutes.

Nijigen No Mori in Hyogo Prefectural Awaji Island Park is a Japanese anime park where you can experience the world of 2D anime and manga with all of your senses. The park is popular with families during the day, but it's equally interesting at night. On the "Night Walk Phoenix" course provided when the forest is surrounded by darkness, you'll take a 1.2-kilometre journey through a fantasy space interwoven with projection mapping and music. In the world of Osamu Tezuka's "Phoenix" manga, huge fireworks and books appear in the forest, making it feel as if you're in outer space. This walk takes about 60 to 90 minutes to complete. The easiest way of getting here is to take the free shuttle bus from Iwaya Port on Awaji Island.