Mt. Rokko lies to the north of Kobe, and to its south is the Seto Inland Sea. Kobe is protected from the cold north wind by Mt. Rokko, and the relatively high water temperature of the Seto Inland Sea combine to make for a mild winter. Strong winds blowing from Awaji and the Akashi Strait in the west work to eliminate the phenomenon of heat islands in the summer.

Also, the sunshine hours are long, and as the humidity is moderate, it creates an environment that is comfortable for sightseeing. The city center where Sannomiya is located has a well-developed public transportation system making access by train, subway, and bus easy, so there are plenty of places where you can enjoy yourself even in slightly bad weather.

June is called the “rainy season” because there is so much rain then.

In Kobe, the first half of the month enjoys many sunny days but during the latter half it rains for days on end and it becomes hot and humid.

The average temperature is 23.2°C. The average minimum temperature is 20.4°C and the average maximum temperature is 28.6°C.

On sunny days during the rainy season, the sunlight is strong and the temperature gets up to about 30°C.

In June you can get by with light clothing, such as T-shirts, blouses, and polo shirts. Even so, most facilities and means of transportation are air-conditioned, so to guard against the sharp temperature differences you may also want to have something you can easily put on and take off, such as a long-sleeve shirt or hoodie.

Also, since there are many rainy days, it is advisable to bring along shoes that are waterproof or rain shoes to keep your feet dry.

● Clothing items
Top: (men and women) T-shirts, polo shirts
Bottom: (men and women) Jeans, (women) skirts
Footwear: (men and women) sneakers, sandals, rain shoes
Accessories: (men and women) folding umbrella

Kobe has many shopping arcades and commercial facilities where you can enjoy yourself on rainy days, but we recommend the Kobe Animal Kingdom, a theme park where you can interact with animals and flowers. This is an all-weather facility where you can see the animals indoors.

Located on Port Island, which is accessible by the Port Liner from Sannomiya, the facility houses over 100 species of animals. You can interact with capybaras and kangaroos, and enjoy bird performance shows and dog performance shows. You can easily and leisurely spend the entire day here as there is a restaurant, too.

The end of the rainy season in early July marks the beginning of summer. The average minimum temperature is 24.4°C, the average maximum temperature is 30.0°C, and the average temperature is 26.8°C, however the number of days when the maximum temperature exceeds 30°C increases in midsummer.

Yet, compared to Kyoto and Osaka which are also in the Kansai area, there are not so many hot days exceeding 35°C due to the closeness of the mountains and the strong winds from the sea. Still, you must take care to protect yourself from the strong midday sun.

If you choose a short sleeve or sleeveless top that has a cotton or linen blend for the material, it will look and feel more comfortable and cool. Loosely fitting clothes rather than tight-fitting ones are more comfortable.

Wearing a hoodie is recommended to avoid the strong sunshine and as a measure against the coolness of indoor air conditioning. For footwear, sandals are more comfortable than sneakers. When walking outdoors try to protect yourself from the strong sunlight by wearing a hat or using a parasol.

● Clothing items
Top: (men and women) T-shirts, polo shirts
Bottoms: (men and women) cotton slacks（women) skirts
Footwear: (men and women) sandals
Accessories: (men and women) hats, sunglasses, parasols

How about going to Kobe Port on a day when the sky is clear? From the Port Tower, the symbol of the port town Kobe, you can see the entire city with Mt. Rokko in the background.

SAKE TARU LOUNGE is on the 3rd floor of the Port Tower and the entire floor slowly rotates 360 degrees in about 20 minutes. Here you can spend a wonderful time admiring Kobe city and the sea while drinking local Kobe and Nada sake.

The weather in August is almost the same as in July, with summer days exceeding 30°C every day. The nights are tropical because the temperature does not drop, so air conditioners need to be used even throughout the night.

One thing you do need to watch out for are sudden torrential downpours in the evenings. These sudden downpours can also be accompanied by thunderstorms, so if one does occur when you are out, go inside immediately.

It's also the typhoon season, so check the weather forecast and typhoon information to make sure that your travel and sightseeing plans are not affected.

As in July, short sleeves, sleeveless, loose-fitting dresses, and sandals without socks are comfortable. When walking outside, wear a light hoodie or jacket to protect your skin from the sun.

Also, if you have an umbrella that can be used for both sun and rain, and which are sold almost everywhere in Japan, you can protect yourself from the strong sunlight as well as sudden rain.

● Clothing items
Top: (men and women) T-shirts, (women) dresses
Bottoms: (men and women) cotton slacks（women) skirts
Footwear: (men and women) sandals
Accessories: (men and women) hats, sunglasses, parasols

In the hot season, it's a good idea to take a stroll through shaded and air-conditioned spots. There a many commercial complexes in Kobe. Among them, the Kobe Sannomiya Center Gai, a shopping arcade that connects Flower Road and Koikawasuji to the east and west, has a variety of specialty shops.

In addition, there is a unique row of shops in the Motomachi Elevated Shopping Street, which connects JR Hanshin Motomachi Station and Kobe Station, and among them there are those selling old games, books, records and CDs. This is a fun place to look for interesting items as if you were on a treasure hunt.


Even though the heat is not as bad as that in Osaka and Kyoto, the summer in Kobe is still hot. However, Kobe is a compact city, so if you combine indoor leisure facilities with shopping spots, you should be able to beat the heat. The air-conditioning in trains, buses, and taxis is rather strong, so it is advisable to carry something you can put on to avoid becoming too cold and to ensure that your time in Kobe will be a happy one.

Written by Medium KK