Kitanocho

Kitanocho sits on the lower slopes of the Rokko range in Kobe, where foreign merchants built their grand residences after the city opened as a treaty port in the late 19th century. About 20 of these Western-style mansions survive and are open to the public as house museums, ranging in style from English Tudor to French Provincial to ornate Chinese-influenced buildings. Each one has a different character inside, and admission fees are modest. The streets connecting them are steep and narrow, with cafes and small galleries tucked between the properties. The climb from Sannomiya Station takes about 15 minutes, and the views of Kobe's harbor from the upper streets are worth the effort even if you skip the interiors entirely.