[Image] NHK Morning Drama “Omusubi”～Locations in Kobe～vol.1 Kawachikuni

NHK’s TV drama series “Omusubi,” which began airing on September 30, 2024, tells the story of the main character Yui Yoneda (played by Kanna Hashimoto), who experienced the earthquake, and her family ties before January 17, 2025, which marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

The story will move to Kobe from week 8 “Sayonara Itoshima Tadaima Kobe” starting November 18, and Kiss PRESS will explore the “locations in Kobe” that appeared in the “Omusubi” story. This time, we went to “Kawachikunitama Shrine” in Nada Ward, which first appeared in the fourth week of “Uchi to Sis-chan”.

Back numbers of this article are here.

Kawachi Kunitama Shrine

Kawachikunitama Shrine, located in Kunitama-dori 3-chome, is an old shrine that was mentioned in the Engishiki, a ceremony compiled in the Heian period (794-1185), and is thought to have a history of at least 1,000 years.

Passing through the magnificent stone torii gate, visitors will soon arrive at the shrine building as they walk straight ahead along the approach.

In the play, the shrine appears in Yui’s reminiscence scene, and it is the scene where the father of Yui and her sister Ayumi (Riisa Naka and Sakiki Takamatsu), Seito (Yukiya Kitamura), and the father of Ayumi’s best friend Maki (Miyu Oshima) (Naoto Ogata), have become bitter over the installation of an arcade in the “Sakura Shopping Arcade” where the Yoneda family once operated a barber store, “Barber Yoneda,” when the family used to live in Kobe. The scene was filmed where Yui, who thinks “I don’t want everyone to fight,” goes to ask God for a favor in response to the fact that the two friends (Ayumi and Maki) have turned nasty.

By the way, here is the view from the precincts of the shrine. The straight downhill slope provides a clear view, and on a clear day, you can even see the sea of Kobe.

Gourmet information around the filming location

Gelateria Monction” (gelato specialty store)
★About 7 minutes walk from the location

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Italian restaurant “Italian Ohmachi Shoten”
★About 14 minutes walk from the location

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Bakery Run” (fried bread specialty store)
★About 17 min. walk from the location

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Detailed information

Location

Kawachi Kunitama Shrine
(3-6-5 Kunitama-dori, Nada-ku, Kobe)
Google Map

Access

17 min. walk from Hankyu Oji-Koen Stn.
25 min. walk from Hankyu Rokko Stn.
★If using a bus, get off at Hankyu Rokko → Gokotenjin and walk about 2 min.
38 min. walk from JR Maya Stn.
28 min. walk from JR Rokko-michi Stn.

• Related article｜NHK morning drama “Omusubi” -Introducing Kobe’s filming locations – vol. 2, Suidosuji shopping street https://kisspress.jp/articles/52950/
• NHK morning drama “Omusubi” official website https://www.nhk.jp/p/omusubi/ts/NJ1W7VQ6W9/
• Kunitama no Kai Kawachi Kunitama Shrine introduction page http://kunitama.jp/kameisya/s625_kawkunit
• Kobe Film Office official Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kobe_filmoffice/