Kobe Chinatown/Motomachi Food Walking Map 2023 Edition. 14 carefully selected gourmet restaurants!

*Prices and sales conditions may be subject to change.

Kobe Chinatown and Motomachi Food Walking Map

From classic dim sum to the latest hot spots! Food to eat on the go!

[Xiaolong Tangbao] Full of gravy! The best value dim sum "Taiwan Tangbao"

If you want to eat juicy Xiaolongbao, we highly recommend the Xiaolong Tangbao from Taiwan Tangbao. A reasonable 500 yen (tax included) for 6 pieces, this item is very popular with tourists and locals alike.

The restaurant is located right next to the square in the center of Chinatown, and the landmarks are the large signs saying "Xiaolong Tangbao" and the many steamers lined up in front of the store. You can sit and eat inside the store or in the square in front of the store.

"Xiaolong Tangbao" is the signature dish purchased by 90% of customers. You can tell the difference from regular Xiaolongbao with just one bite. The moment you put it in your mouth, the piping hot soup full of flavor spreads in your mouth.

The "tang" in "xiaolongtangbao" means soup, and as the name suggests, the soup is tightly sealed inside the skin. Other than the soup, the satisfying coarsely ground pork and crispy skin are also key to its deliciousness.

If you take it home, you can warm it up in the microwave for one minute and it will be delicious. You can enjoy it fresh on the spot, or take it home as a souvenir. Experience the juicy taste for yourself.

Daidouko Taiwan Tanpao Nankinmachi store

[Baked Xiaolongbao] The crispy and fragrant texture is addictive at "YUNYUN"

Speaking of Xiaolongbao, you should also try the baked version. Next, we would like to introduce the Baked Xiaolongbao (6 pieces, 800 yen including tax) from YUNYUN, which is known for having a long line of customers.

Once inside the store, you'll find a glass-walled open kitchen. The sight of a large number of baked xiaolongbao lined up in a pot and the staff quickly wrapping them up is well worth seeing, so you can observe the cooking process while waiting in line, and the time will fly by.

The chewy yet fragrant skin of the "baked xiaolongbao" is filled with plenty of meat juice soup. And the crispy texture of the skin is a deliciousness unique to baked xiaolongbao. Be careful, as the hot soup will overflow when it is freshly made. If you are eating on the go alone, the three-piece set (400 yen including tax) is a satisfying volume.

The perfect accompaniment to the baked Xiaolongbao is the "Fukuken Baked Rice Vermicelli" (400 yen including tax). This is a traditional flavor that has been loved since the restaurant first opened. In fact, the restaurant is also an antenna shop for "Kenmin Foods," a company famous for its rice vermicelli, so this kind of menu is also available.

The fragrant and delicious flavor of their homemade rice noodles, as well as the generous amount of meat and vegetables, make this slightly strongly seasoned dish addictive enough that you won't be able to stop eating.

There are seats on the second floor of the restaurant, so if you want to rest your feet, you can sit down and enjoy your meal. The two signature dishes, baked xiaolongbao and rice vermicelli, are best enjoyed as a set.

Kobe Nankinmachi YUNYUN

[Kakuni Bun] "Kouran" is filled with plenty of tender, melt-in-your-mouth braised pork

If you want to enjoy a hearty and filling meal, head to "Kouran" located near the Seianmon Gate in Motomachi. The shop's most popular item is the "Kobe Beef Bun," which has won numerous awards, but we would like to introduce the "Tender Pork Kakuni Bun" (400 yen including tax), a favorite among locals.

The fluffy and chewy dough is filled with large chunks of braised pork and vegetables, making it very satisfying to eat. As the product name suggests, the braised pork is soft and melts in your mouth, and the texture that crumbles into pieces while spreading its delicious flavor in your mouth is irresistible. It contains authentic homemade braised pork, so it is extremely satisfying.

The dough is soaked in the sauce from the braised pork, so even though it's quite filling, you can eat it all in one go.

The store also sells pork buns and xiaolongbao dumplings that you can eat on the go, as well as souvenirs. It tends to get crowded during the lunch hours, so it's best to go in the morning or evening, especially on weekends.

Kouran Main Store

[Peking Duck] "Hua Feng" - a spectacular performance of butchering a whole chicken right in front of you

Peking duck is a representative Chinese dish in which a whole duck is roasted and eaten. It may seem like a high-end ingredient, but at the golden, authentic Peking duck specialty store "Kahou," you can casually enjoy a mini-sized Peking duck at the stall in front of the store.

In addition to Peking duck, the restaurant serves Chinese cuisine unique to Kobe and dishes using seasonal vegetables. What catches your eye is the sight of the meat being grilled while rotating on the oven in front of the store. Many customers find themselves stopping in their tracks to take in this unique sight that can't be seen anywhere else.

When you order "Peking Duck" at this food stall, the grilled meat is laid out on a chopping board in front of the stall and then cut up. It's an exciting experience to watch this rare cooking process.

Then you are handed a "Peking Duck" (500 yen including tax) wrapped in paper with a cute duck design. It's the perfect size to fit in one hand and eat on the go.

The savory aroma will have you taking a bite, and the contrast between the crispy skin and the tender meat will be irresistible. The secret to its deliciousness is the meat grilled over binchotan charcoal and the homemade sweet sauce. It's a dish that is both visually pleasing and delicious to eat.

Enjoy the luxury of eating freshly cooked, piping hot food made with high-quality ingredients for just 500 yen.

Kaho

[Shark Fin Ramen] You can eat shark fin so cheaply!? "Samemenya"

If you're looking for a ramen that's unique to Kobe Chinatown, try Samemen-ya's "Sugata-ni Shark Fin Ramen" (500 yen including tax). At this restaurant, you can enjoy ramen with the luxury ingredient sugata-ni shark fin for just 500 yen.

In Kobe Chinatown, the restaurant with the most eye-catching yellow exterior is "Samemen-ya." The striking sign with a shark jumping out makes it immediately clear that this is a shark fin ramen restaurant.

This ramen shop has been in business for over 30 years and is extremely popular with tourists! On the day of the large-scale illumination event "Kobe Luminarie," huge queues form and thousands of bowls of ramen are served.

The "Sugatani Shark Fin Ramen" contains a whole sugatani shark fin. Even though it is a take-out ramen, it is surprising that you can get shark fin for just 500 yen. The thick soup is rich and mixes well with the thin noodles. There are few restaurants where you can eat shark fin while walking around, so please give it a try.

Samemenya

[Beef Croquette] Popular gourmet food "Kobe Croquette" made with carefully selected potatoes

If you want to eat croquettes in Motomachi, this is the place to go! Kobe Croquette was established with the desire to bring safe, secure and truly delicious croquettes to the dining table, and is a croquette specialty store that has been loved for over 30 years since it opened.

The shop's landmark is an illustration of the official mascot, the maneki-neko (beckoning cat). It's popular with families, couples, and school trip students. It tends to be crowded between 12 and 4 p.m., so it's best to visit at opening time or in the evening.

The store specializes in croquettes such as "Snow Crab Cream Croquettes," but also has fried foods such as "Melty Cheese Chicken Cutlet" and "Shrimp and Scallop Cutlet." In addition to eating on the go, many people buy them to take home as a side dish for dinner.

The most recommended menu item is the "Japanese Black Beef Croquette" (216 yen including tax), a popular item that combines the delicious flavor of Japanese Black Beef with the sweetness of potatoes and a crunchy texture.

The black beef used is coarsely ground beef that has been fried to condense the flavor, and sliced beef that has been simmered in bouillon. It is a proud product that combines the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with Danshaku potatoes. The fact that you can enjoy this croquette freshly fried is an attraction that can only be enjoyed while eating on the go.

Kobe Croquette Motomachi Main Branch

[Da Ji Pai] Motomachi Yatai: Enjoy Taiwanese fried chicken bigger than your face!

Taiwanese cuisine has been a hot topic in recent years. Its popularity is also growing in Kobe, with one dish that is garnering particular attention being the "Da Ji Pai" (730 yen including tax) from "Motomachi Yatai."

The restaurant is located right outside the east exit of JR Motomachi Station. You'll be able to find it easily thanks to its flashy exterior, including lanterns reminiscent of Taiwanese food stalls.

When you order "Da Ji Pai," the chicken breasts are prepared by hand, one by one. If the meat breaks off during the process, it will not be possible to make large pieces of fried chicken, so they are opened with careful craftsmanship.

Next, the chicken is pressed and coated with flour. The secret to the crispy texture of the daijipai is in this flour, and the coarse cassava flour is used to create the crispy texture.

Spices are sprinkled on the freshly fried large chicken platter to finish it off. You can choose from four types of spices: "jiaoyangfen," "hot," "cheese," and "curry." The recommended one is "jiaoyangfen," which is also Taiwanese salt and pepper.

The big ji pai is bigger than your face, so it's crunchy and satisfying to eat! It's also great for taking pictures on social media, so the best way to enjoy the big ji pai is to take a picture of it next to your face before eating it.

Motomachi food stalls

Perfect for photos! For dessert, try some snacks to go on the go!

[Sesame dumplings] Perfect for eating on the go. The king of Chinese sweets, "Pengei"

When it comes to Chinese sweets that you can eat on the go, the classic is sesame dango. In Motomachi, we recommend the sesame dango (1 skewer, 200 yen including tax) from Houei.

Located about 30 seconds west of the central square of Kobe Chinatown, this shop offers a wide range of products lined up on its porch, including juicy "xiaolongbao" (baked dumplings), "kakuni burgers," and cute "piyoman" (baked chicken buns) shaped like chicks. With so many products perfect for eating on the go, you'll definitely have a hard time deciding which one to choose.

The customers and store clerks are close, and conversations flow easily starting with the question, "Where are you from?" This casual communication with the store clerks is also one of the charms of Kobe Chinatown.

Among the many foods on the menu, we would like to introduce "sesame dumplings." We recommend purchasing them on a skewer when eating on the go.

It seems that many people purchase the packs as souvenirs from Kobe, and they are sold in packs of 5 (500 yen including tax), 8 (800 yen including tax), and 12 (1,200 yen including tax).

The sesame dango is a smooth bean paste type that is popular among women. According to the shop staff, it is made with smooth bean paste so that "the skin of the azuki beans does not get stuck in your teeth when you go on a food tour date..." The moderate sweetness of the bean paste and the fragrant sesame are a perfect match.

Also, if you bring a pack home, frying it in a frying pan will give the sesame a fragrant flavor and double the flavor.

It tends to get crowded between 12:00 and 15:00, so you'll have no trouble purchasing if you go in the morning or after the evening.

Hoei

[Douhua & Pearl Milk Tea] Enjoy the mildly sweet Taiwanese sweets while walking around! "Tenfu Mingcha"

The first Japanese store of the world-famous Chinese tea specialty store "Tenfu Mingcha" is actually located in Motomachi. After enjoying gourmet food such as Xiaolongbao and Peking duck, why not try the lightly sweet Taiwanese sweets "Douhua" and "Pearl Milk Tea"?

The store sells takeaway desserts and drinks at the front of the store, and you can also enjoy delicious Chinese tea at the Chinese tea cafe on the second floor.

On the first floor, they not only sell Chinese tea, but also Chinese and Taiwanese tea utensils. Some tea utensils can only be found here, and some customers come from far away just to buy them.

"Pearl Milk Tea" is a type of tapioca milk tea. The most popular among them is "Taiwanese Assam Milk Tea" (500 yen including tax). It is lightly sweet and refreshing, so you can enjoy the flavor of the carefully selected tea and the natural deliciousness of the tapioca. If you like it too sweet, they will adjust it for you, so just ask when ordering.

When it comes to Taiwanese sweets, you can't forget about "douhua." It's a healthy dessert made with 100% soy milk. "Yatou Zhenzhu Douhua" (680 yen including tax) is a smooth and soft douhua topped with plenty of tapioca and taro. Like Zhenzhu Milk Tea, it is not too sweet, and you can enjoy the flavor of douhua and the natural sweetness of taro.

Other popular items include "Herbal Milk" with herbal jelly and "Shaved Ice" available only in summer. It tends to get crowded after 2pm on weekends, so it's best to go a little later.

Tenpuku Mingcha

[Panda Choux] Panda sweets "Est Royal" that never sell out

Speaking of cute sweets that look great on social media, there's the "Panda Choux" (389 yen including tax) from "Est Royal." Speaking of Chinatown, this animal sweet has an adorable panda sandwiched between two choux pastries.

Est Royal has an impressive pink exterior and sells a variety of Western confectioneries, including the most popular "Choux a la Crème," the cookie dough cream puff "Vanille," and chocolates.

"Panda Choux" has been a big hit since it went on sale in March 2022. This product, which was created with Tintin at Kobe Oji Zoo in mind, has been so popular that it has even been featured in the media. Just the sight of the many pandas lined up in the showcase is adorable.

These cream puffs are so delicious you'll feel sad eating them. The crispy cookie dough is filled with vanilla bean custard cream and fresh cream! A must-have for cream lovers.

The product is sold in limited quantities every day from around noon and will end when it is sold out. Reservations are possible, so if you definitely want to try the Panda Choux, make sure to make a reservation in advance.

Est Royal Nankinmachi Main Store

[Shaved Ice] Crunchy shaved ice made with whole strawberries! "Zhu Bajie"

If you're craving a cool dessert, how about trying Zhu Bajie's Strawberry Milk (500 yen including tax)? This popular shaved ice is made from shaved whole frozen fruit. It comes in four flavors: strawberry milk, mango, pineapple, and strawberry & mango + tapioca.

Located in front of the Chinatown Square, this restaurant is popular for its courses and sets that can be eaten for around 1,000 yen, and many customers stop by during lunch and dinner time. In addition to the eat-in option, the restaurant also has a wide variety of items on the menu for eating on the go, available for purchase in front of the store.

Among the many menu items, the shaved ice sold in the summer is extremely popular as a snack to eat while walking around.

Large frozen strawberries are shaved right before your eyes, making a loud noise. The strawberries are then arranged in a cup, looking as beautiful as colorful flower petals. A generous amount of snow-like condensed milk is poured over them, and the cup is complete.

The shaved ice is filled with chunks of strawberry that are still large even after being shaved, making it very satisfying to eat. The sourness of the strawberry and the sweetness of the condensed milk go perfectly together, soothing your body and mind after a long walk.

Zhu Bajie

[Baked sweet potato brulee] The sweet potato sweets specialty shop that is also popular on social media, "Imo Kuri Parlor Burikitotan"

If you want to try trendy potato sweets, head to "Imo Kuri Parlour Burikitotan." You can enjoy potato and chestnut sweets any time of the year.

The interior of the shop has a relaxing wooden interior, and takeaways and souvenirs are sold on the first floor. There is also an eat-in cafe space on the second floor, so we recommend sitting down and enjoying a coffee break.

You'll be spoilt for choice with the many sweet potato and chestnut desserts available, including "chilled roasted sweet potato," "roasted sweet potato brulee," and freshly squeezed "Mont Blanc cake," all made with the most delicious sweet potatoes at the time.

The most popular item is the "Kiriage" (500 yen including tax), which is covered in sparkling honey. Thinly sliced potatoes are deep-fried until crispy and coated with honey candy. The texture is addictive, and once you start eating it, you won't be able to stop.

A popular snack to eat on the go is the "Yakiimo Brulee" (650 yen including tax). It's so heavy that you'll exclaim, "It's heavy!" the moment you receive it. A large potato is cut in half, and then a generous amount of custard cream is spread all over the potato and bruléed (the surface is charred with a burner).

If you add ice cream (topping: 100 yen including tax) to it, the sight of the ice cream melting is said to be a great photo spot for social media.

The bitter caramel and the sweetness of the moist potato go perfectly together! It's voluminous and extremely satisfying.

Imo Kuri Parlor Brick Totan Kobe Main Store

[Crepes] Hysteric Jam, a Kobe butter crepe specialty store that started in a back alley

Speaking of sweets to eat on the go, crepes are a must. If you leave the east exit of JR Motomachi Station and walk along the elevated tracks towards Sannomiya, you will see a shop called "Hysteric Jam" with a large illustration of a panda on the wall.

The shop originally opened in a back alley in Motomachi, Kobe in 2010. Word of mouth spread one after another among customers, and now it is one of Motomachi's leading crepe shops.

The crepes were created from the owner's desire to make truly delicious crepes. There are many points of particular attention to detail, such as the dough made with Hokkaido Yotsuba butter, rich Ranno eggs, and 100% raw milk from cows raised at the foot of Mount Aso. In addition, instead of using a chocolate sauce, they use authentic couverture chocolate that is melted in a pan, and the fruits are also carefully sourced from specialty shops.

From the many options available, I chose the "Strawberry Ice Cream Oreo Chocolate Mint" (756 yen including tax). The contrast between the pink and blue is cute, and the refreshing taste of the chocolate mint is perfect for the hot weather. It's a satisfying product filled with plenty of crunchy Oreos.

Hysteric Jam Motomachi Main Branch

[Mini Latte & Smoothie] Take a break with a photogenic drink that changes with the season at "HANAZONO CAFE"

The northern area of Motomachi is a spot lined with stylish cafes and shops, so why not take a break at a cafe after walking around Chinatown?

Hanazono Cafe has been a popular cafe in Motomachi for over 10 years. The cafe offers a lineup of "mini series" drinks, as well as seasonally changing menu items such as "seasonal parfaits" and "smoothies."

The interior of the store is spacious and filled with sunlight. In addition to cafe menu items, they also offer lunch and dinner menu items, making it suitable for a variety of occasions.

Among the cafe's menu items, the one that has become a hot topic on social media is the mini series latte. "Mini" means "cute" in French, and the drink comes with a cute dessert on top.

The sweets change four to five times a year, and so far they have included toppings such as chocolate gateau and doughnuts. This time, we tried the "mini Latte Choux Gelato (Oreo Chocolate)" and "mini Latte Choux Gelato (Strawberry)" (both 980 yen including tax), which are cream puffs topped with gelato and plenty of fresh cream. This series can be enjoyed as both a drink and a sweet.

Smoothies made with seasonal fruits are also popular. In the past, they have offered smoothies made with seasonal fruits such as strawberries, mangoes, Shine Muscat grapes, and La France. The "Peach Smoothie" (960 yen including tax) is a cup filled with fresh and juicy peaches. It's also recommended as a way to end a meal on your tour.

HANAZONO CAFE

From Chinese dim sum to photogenic sweets and refreshing drinks, the appeal of Kobe's Chinatown and Motomachi area is that you can sample a variety of exquisite gourmet foods as you walk around. If you want to fully enjoy the best part of traveling - food - why not visit this area? Enjoy a gourmet tour while feeling the unique exotic atmosphere!

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