Kobe Modern Architecture Festival” to be Held Ahead of the 30th Anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

　The “Kobe Modern Architecture Festival,” a city-walking event, will be held from November 22 to 24 in and around Kobe City.

The guest room of the Kobe Customs Office to be specially opened to the public.

　This event was planned to rediscover the charm and value of “modern architecture,” which inherits the history of the port city of Kobe and the memory of the earthquake, and to encourage people to become attached to it.

　This year’s event, the second of its kind, will be held in Hyogo, Nada, and Higashinada Wards, as well as in Chuo Ward, Kobe City, and will be expanded to the Hanshin area.

　Since next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the earthquake, the event’s executive committee has increased the number of events from 31 last year to 73 in an effort to let people across the country know “what Kobe is today, a city that has carefully preserved its historical buildings while undergoing reconstruction.

　The buildings to be opened to the public include the Kobe Muslim Mosque, Japan’s first Muslim mosque built in 1935, architect Tadao Ando’s early work “Rose Garden,” the “Republic of China Overseas Chinese Association in Kobe,” and the “Guest Room” of the Kobe Customs Office. A guided tour of the buildings (advance reservation required) is also planned, allowing visitors to experience not only the charm of modern architecture, but also the cityscape and history of Kobe.

　Mr. Eiki Matsubara, the executive committee chairman, says, “There are many historical buildings in Kobe that are a fusion of Japanese and foreign cultures. We hope that visitors will take this opportunity to visit places they have always been curious about but have never been to, and experience the charm of Kobe anew. We hope that the simultaneous opening of various architectural structures to the public will allow visitors to enjoy a tour of architecture and at the same time discover new stores and attractive places.

　The event will be held from 10:00 to 17:00. The participation fee is 3,000 yen for online payment and 3,500 yen for payment at Seven-Eleven stores. The passport can be exchanged at the reception desk.