KYOTO-KOBE
467
SHIMADZU & Co., LTD., Makers of Scientific TSUJI BOSHOKU Co., LTD., Makers of
Kawara-machi, Nijo
Instruments
Sagaru
TAKASHIMAYA, Carpet Exporters-Karasu-
maru-dori, Takatsuji Sagaru
TAKATA & CO., Raw Silk Exporters-
Muromachi-dori, Sanjo-kita-iru
TAMBA ISINGLASS CO. Honume-maru,
Minansi-kuwata-gun, Kyoto-fu
TOYO KATANITO CO., LTD., Makers of
Sewing Cotton-Ichiyo Senbon
Cotton Goods and Raw Silk Exporters
-Mibu Hanai-cho
VACUUM OIL CO., LTD.- 100, Sanjo-dori,
Shirakawa-bashi, Nishi-iru
VENDRELL, MUSTAROS & Co., Exporters-
32, Hon-machi, 5-chome
YAMANAKA & Co., Curio Dealers-Sanjo
Awata-guchi
YAOMARA RESTAURANT-Shijo
KOBE
1
Kobe was until 1892 the foreign port of the adjoining town of Hyogo and was opened to foreign trade in 1868, but in 1889 the two towns were incorporated under the title of Kobe City, when the City Municipal Law was put into force. The reclamation of the bed of the Minatogawa River in 1910 and the extension of the tram- way service have resulted in the disappearance of the old boundary line between Kobe and Hyogo. Hyogo, therefore, is now merely one of the administrative sections of Kobe. The port is finely situated on the Idzumi-nada, at the gate of the far-famed Inland Sea. Water supply is the only undertaking Kobe conducts on its own resources, electric lighting, urban tramways and gas works being all left to private enterprise, while the reconstruction of the harbour is a state undertaking to which the city has been obliged to contribute about Y.3,000,000. The harbour is good and affords safe anchorage for vessels of almost any size, but to extend the facilities for loading and discharging an extensive scheme of harbour improvement was begun in 1907. The harbour now has four quays with berths for 19 ships of 3 to 20 thousand tons at the same time. An ambitious scheme to reclaim a big stretch of water front is now in progress and upon its completion the harbour will have capacity for 15 more steamers of large size. The Kawasaki Shipbuilding Yard situated at Hyogo is one of the largest in Japan. The Mitsubishi Co., also, have a dockyard at the Western extremity of the port.
The town faces the land-locked water covered with white sails, while behind, at a distance of about a mile, rises a range of picturesque and lofty hills, some of which attain an altitude of about 3,000 feet, and the steep sides of which are partly covered with pines. On one of these hills, Rokkosan, are a number of foreign residences, the place having become a favourite summer resort. The summit of this hill has been well prepared for the purpose, several miles of excellent paths making walking on the hills easy and enjoyable. Among the attractions of Rokkosan are excellent golf links. Kobe stretches for some five miles along the strip of land between the hills and the water, and is rapidly extending in the direction of Osaka, which is connected with Kobe by rail and three electric tramways. Within the last few years the Japanese have bought many of the lots in the former Foreign Settlement and erected large offices of five or six stories, which have greatly improved the city. The railway terminus is at the other end of Kobe, where it meets Hyogo, and there are extensive carriage works adjoining the station, but the foreign section of the city is best reached from Sannomiya Station.
There are several Clubs-the Kobe Club (including members of all nationalities), the Masonic Club, the Indian Club, the Club Concordia (German), and the Kobe Regatta and Athletic Club (international). At Mirume the K. R. & A. C. have a fine boathouse and