CONFERENCE VENUE

Kobe Convention Center

Where in Japan

Kobe is located in Hyogo Prefecture, one of several prefectures in the mid-west of Japan that, together, are known as the Kansai Region. This is Japan premier tourism area for overseas visitors making Kobe an ideal base city for visiting world heritage sites, both to the east and to the west. The Port of Kobe and its man-made islands are located on the north shore of the Osaka Bay.

Easy Access

As a port city, built on a history of transportation, and with its own airport and Shinkansen station(Shin-Kobe), Kobe offers easy access for both domestic and overseas travelers.

Convention Venues

Closer to the airport than any other convention centers in Japan! Kobe Convention Center (the International Conference Center, International Exhibition Halls and other key venues) are located on Port Island, about 10 minutes from downtown Kobe (Sannomiya) and only 8 minutes from Kobe Airport.

International Flight (Arriving Kansai Int'l Airport)

Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the closest international gateway for Kobe and located around the Osaka Bay along a fast coastal highway. To transfer from KIX to Kobe:

  • Transfer by Taxi: About 70 minutes (KIX to downtown Kobe, Sannomiya).
  • Transfer by Limousine Bus: 65 minutes (KIX to downtown Kobe, Sannomiya) (Operations every 10~20 minutes between 06:20 ~ 23:00).

International Flight (Arriving Tokyo Narita)

  • Transfer by Domestic Air (Narita to Osaka Itami Airport): Narita is an international airport with some domestic flights to Osaka Itami Airport. Flight time between Narita and Osaka Itami is about 60 minutes.
  • Transfer by Domestic Air (Haneda to Kobe Airport): Narita arrivals should first transfer to Tokyo domestic airport Haneda for flights to Kobe. Bus transfers between Narita and Haneda take 75 minutes. Flight time between Haneda and Kobe is about 60 minutes. (There are also flights to Osaka Itami if Kobe flights are full).
  • Domestic Rail Transfer: See below for Shinkansen transfers from Tokyo to Kobe. Trains from Narita to Tokyo (Shinkansen) Station take about 60 minutes (by the Narita Express train). Buses from Narita to Tokyo take 80~110 minutes (depending on traffic conditions).

International Flight (Arriving Nagoya Centrair)

Nagoya international airport (Central Japan) is called Centrair.

Transfer by train: For Kobe, first take a train (Meitetsu Tokoname Line) to Meitetsu Nagoya Station which takes about 30 minutes. Then cross over to JR Nagoya Station (about 5 min. walk). Shinkansen trains to Shin-Kobe take about 70 minutes.

Domestic Flight (Arriving Kobe Airport)

Location of Kobe Airport / Marine Air Island: Kobe Airport connects by road or rail to downtown Kobe (Sannomiya) through adjacent Port Island and its Convention Center.

  • Transfer by Port Liner (Automated Guideway Transit): 18 minutes to downtown Kobe Sannomiya or 8 minutes to Port Island convention hotels.
  • Transfer by Taxi: Approx. 20 minutes to downtown or 10 minutes to hotels on Port Island.

Domestic Flight (Arriving Osaka Itami)

  • Transfer by Taxi: Approx. 30 minutes (to downtown Kobe, Sannomiya) or 50 minutes directly to hotels on Port Island.
  • Transfer by Limousine Bus: Bound for Sannomiya Station this bus takes 40 minutes with operations every 15~30 minutes.

JR Shinkansen (Bullet) Train (Arriving at Shin-Kobe Station)

Bullet Trains to Shin-Kobe from Tokyo take about 2 hrs 50 minutes. Trains run about every 20 minutes. The last train bound for Kobe is at 20:50 (arriving 23:38) the first at 06:00 am.
From Nagoya trains take 70 minutes. From Kyoto, about 30 minutes.

  • Transfer by Taxi: 5 minutes (to downtown Kobe, Sannomiya).
  • Transfer by City Subway: 2 minutes (to downtown Kobe, Sannomiya).

Local or Express Rail (Arriving at downtown Kobe, Sannomiya Station)

From Osaka trains take about 20 minutes by JR lines.
From Kyoto trains take about 50 minutes.

About Sannomiya & Getting to Port Island

Road & Rail Access to Port Island: Sannomiya connects to Kobe Airport through Port Island. The middle of Port Island is home to the Kobe Convention Center. Access is easy by either taxi or Port Liner overhead train.

Port Liner Trains: The Port Liner trains run approx. every 5 minutes between Kobe Airport and Sannomiya. All trains stop at the station next to the Convention Center, called Shimin-Hiroba. From Sannomiya to Shimin-Hiroba takes about 10 minutes either way. Coming from Kobe Airport takes 8 minutes.