Japan VII

As I wrote in the previous post I made some 1 day trips from Osaka to Himeji, Kobe and Nara. Himeji Castle was the most impressive and most beautiful castle I saw. Not only because of it's size. It has a very special atmosphere. Undescribable... No wonder, the castle is designated both, a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site.

Kobe, located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, is considered one of Japan's most attractive cities. In January 1995, Kobe was hit by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, which killed over 5000 people and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings. A decade later, the city is completely rebuilt, and few signs of the terrible event are left, except for the Earthquake Memorial at the waterfront.