Published on Nov, 2024
A MUST-do if on a tight timeline!! History of Kobe, culture, & beef!
My partner is very interested in Kobe beef, but with such a tight timeline in Japan - I didnāt think Kobe for a whole day was feasible. I found this tour as I was trying to maximize efficiency on our stop. I was not expecting to learn so much and have such an incredible experience.
We met Sumile at the train station, just like she confirmed the night before. She greeted us with a smile and made sure we were comfortable before we started. Because my partner is a beef-aficionado, on our way to the first shrine, she taught us many things about beef. Then we went to on our tour, which highlighted the diverse religious aspect of Kobe. Aunty knew everyone! For the first time I went into a mosque, visited a Catholic Church, went past a Jian Temple and Synagogue and got to meditate near a shrine! We also visited a beautiful French-inspired home with an incredible view.
You work up an appetite for your meal. She let us visit a jerky factory and store - which was an excellent treat. The store owners were very gracious and let us watch him prepare the kobe jerky. They also had other offerings (like pork and coffee). At lunch, we had a great chef, and we were so thankful she was there to help translate so we learned about the chefās history and beef!
We finished the tour with 8 minutes to spare so she made sure we headed to our next destination carefully.
We knew so little about Kobe before the tour and in the 4 hours we felt like we hit a lot of the spots. I wish she gave more tours!! She happily takes photos, and is willing to help with recommendations. She told my partner about the best knife shop in Kyoto!