Best Time to Visit Kobe

Spring and autumn are the sweet spots

November is our top pick for Kobe. Days are mild, the air feels dry compared with summer, and it rains on only about eight days. Maple leaves turn red on the slopes of Mount Rokko, and the walk up from Shin-Kobe through the Nunobiki herb garden area is lovely. Evenings are cool enough for a jacket along the harbour at Meriken Park.

April and May are also good. It's warm without being sticky, and the rain is lighter than in summer. May is a nice time for a day trip to Himeji Castle, which is easy to reach by train. October is similar, though it's still a bit wet. Golden Week, the string of national holidays at the start of May, is busy. Trains and hotels fill up, so go before or after if you can.

Summer is hot, sticky and wet

June is the start of the rainy season, called tsuyu. It's grey and damp, with sun at its lowest of the warm months. July is the wettest month and August is the hottest, at 30°C by day and 25°C at night. Nights stay warm and the air feels heavy.

Is it worth going? If you do, plan indoor stops: the Kobe Port Tower area, Nankinmachi (Chinatown), and the sake breweries of Nada, which you can tour. Arima Onsen, a hot spring town in the hills, is a better winter choice. September is still wet and can bring typhoons, so keep your plans flexible.

The Minato Kobe Fireworks Festival is held in summer and draws big crowds to the waterfront. Book a room early if you're coming for it.

Winter is quiet and crisp

December to February is the calmest stretch. Highs sit around 9 to 11°C, skies are often clear, and it's among the drier times of year. Snow is rare in the city but common in the hills above it.

This is the time for long lunches. Try Kobe beef at a teppanyaki restaurant, or warm up with a bowl of noodles in Motomachi. The Kobe Luminarie in early December lights up the old foreign settlement of Kyu-Kyoryuchi in memory of the 1995 earthquake. It's moving, and it's busy in the evenings.

If you hate crowds, January and February are your best bet. Hotels are easier to find and the sights are quiet. Just expect cold wind off the bay.