Venue

 

ICOTA7 will be held in Kobe International Conference Center located in the city of Kobe, Japan. Kobe is known as a city having an exotic atmosphere with a beautiful port and mountains. It has the largest port in Kansai area, and has been open to many foreign countries since a long time ago. You can see beutiful mountains, port, beach, zoo, aquarium, China town (second largest in Japan), European style old houses, Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake memorial, modern bridge (Akashi), winery, sake brewery, rope way and herb garden, hot spring, and many others.

The detail of Kobe can be seen at the web sites of Kobe City Office and Kobe Tourist Information, where you can get a rich information of Kobe, transportation, weather, etc.

 

How to Come to Kobe from Foreign Countries

 

I. via Kansai International Airport (KIX)

Kobe is 25 km west from Osaka. The nearest convenient international airport is Kansai International Airport (KIX).
This airport is called "Kansai Kuuko (ｴﾘﾀｾｶﾁ)" or "Kanku (ｴﾘｶ�)" in Japanese. Kansai International Airport is situated 50 km south from the center of Osaka city.

From Kansai Airport, there are several ways to come to Kobe.

(1) Airport Limousine (recommended)

You can take a limousine (shuttle bus) to Kobe (Sannomiya) directly without stopping in Osaka. Here is a large map where limousines' destinations are shown. "Sannomiya (ｻｰｵﾜ)" is the name of the area of the center of Kobe. There may be one stop on the way, but please do not get off before the terminal.

At Kansai Airport, bus stops are located outside the International Arrivals floor of the Passenger Terminal Building (1st floor center). Take a bus from No.6 stop (you can see the detail of the bus here).
Tickets (JPY 1,800 for one way) can be purchased from the ticket vending machines located outside the Passenger Terminal Building on the 1st floor.

(2) High-Speed Ferry

The High-Speed Ferry connects Kansai airport and Kobe airport. There is a bus service from the bus terminal of Kansai airport to the pier of the ferry. Ferry leaves for Kobe Airport every 45-60 minutes. The ride time is about 30 minutes. At Kobe Airport, take Port-Liner (light rail system in Port island) to get to the conference velue or Sannomiya in about 10-20 minutes. The detail can be found at the site.

(3) JR Trains

There are two train stations in Kansai Airport, i.e. JR (West Japan Railway Company) and Nankai Electric Railway. We don't recommend to take Nankai trains because you will have to change trains several times, and maybe too much complicated for foreigners. We will simply show you how to take JR trains to come to Sannomiya.

Kansai Airport is the terminal of Express Train "Haruka ｡ﾊ､ﾏ､�､ｫ｡ﾋ", which leaves at every 20 minutes in the day time. Take Haruka and change trains at "Shin Osaka (ｿｷﾂ郤�)". From Shin Osaka, take a local train toward Kobe direction, and get off at Sannomiya Station. It will take more time and more money than taking a limousine. Unless you have a JR pass with which you could go anywhere in Japan by taking JR trains (incl. Shinkansen), we don't recommend you to take JR trains to come to Sannomiya.

You can buy tickets at the station ticket office or by a ticket machine.

(4) Omnibus Service "Skygateshuttle"

You need to make a reservation by 5 p.m. Japan standard time 2 days before. but it is convenient with a low fee (2300 Yen between Kansai Airport and your hotel in Tyuuou-ku (including Sannomiya and the conference center).

 

Caution. There are two other airports in Kansai (Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe) area, namely,Itami (Osaka) airport and Kobe airport. Kobe airport is very close to the conference site. However, if you come from a foreign country, you might reach there after a transit.

 

II. via Narita (Tokyo) International Airport (NRT)

 

If there are no flights to Kansai Airport directly from your place, you would come to Narita (Tokyo) airport. From Narita airport, there will be some alternatives:

  • Transit to another flight to Kansai Airport or Itami (Osaka) Airport.
  • Go to Tokyo Station (by bus or train) and then take Shinkansen train (JR) to Shin-Kobe, which is 1.5 km north from Sannomiya.
  • Go to Haneda Airport by bus, and then take a domestic flight to Itami (Osaka) airport or Kobe airport. From Itami airport, you might take a bus to Sannomiya. From Kobe airport, you can take Port Liner (train). Kobe Airport might be more convenient.

 

III. via Fukuoka International Airport

 

Asian people may be convenient to come to Fukuoka International Airport. Take a train or a bus to go to Hakata Station (airport is not very far from Hakata Station), and take a Shinkansen train to Shin-Kobe. From Shin-Kobe, you might take a taxi to your hotel, or the subway to Sannomiya and take a Port Liner.

 

 

Where is the Conference Site (Kobe International Conference Center)

 

The public transportation from Sannomiya to the conference site is "Port Liner" and get off at "Shimin Hiroba (ｻﾔﾌｱｹｭｾ�)" stop (see the map). Also see the Google Map below.


Click for a large map.

 

If you are going to stay in Portopia hotel, there will be courtesy shuttle buses of this hotel from Shin-Kobe station and Sannomiya.

 

Please note that Port Liner is always very much crowded in the morning.

 

 

 

Banquet site (Portopia Hotel)

This hotel is connected directly to Kobe International Conference Center by the roofed pedestrian walkway. There are versatile 37 banquet and meeting rooms including Portopia Hall with 1,700 seats. If you are coming to the banquet directly from Shin-Kobe or Sannomiya, remember the shuttle bus of this hotel.

 

Some Photos of Kobe

 

Luminarie

During the conference, the "Luminarie" will be held (6 Dec.-17 Dec.), where millions of illuminations are exhibited on the streets. It began after the great earthquake of 1995 as the requiem, and it has been held every year since then.

 

 

European style old house

 

European style old house

 

Akashi bridge between Akashi and Awaji Island


Interesting Places near Kobe

Kansai region has been developed since a long time ago. Nara, Kyoto were old capitals of Japan. If you take a local train, you can visit many interesting places, including world heritages shown below. They are all within a distance of one day (or half day) trip.

Kyoto (Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

Heian Jingu (shrine)

 

Kiyomizu-dera (temple)

 

Himeji-jo (one of the most beautiful castles in Japan, national treasure)

Himeji-jo (Castle)

 

Inside the castle (Senhime: wife of the lord. imitation of good old days)

 

Inside the castle (a museum). You can walk up to the top.

 

Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area