Sannomiya is the heart of central Kobe — a dense commercial district around the intersection of three railway lines, packed with department stores, restaurants, bars, and clubs. The Flower Road (Hana Michi) running south from Sannomiya station toward the waterfront is the main thoroughfare, lined with fountains and trees.
The bar scene in Sannomiya ranges from standing bars in narrow alleys near the station to jazz clubs, craft beer pubs, and whisky bars in the streets east of Center-gai. The nightlife here is among the best in the Kansai region — Kobe has always been more international and cosmopolitan in its drinking culture than Osaka or Kyoto, and the result is a bar scene with more character and variety than you might expect from a city of 1.5 million people.