10 days in Japan - 10/29/2022 to 11/7/2022

Day 6- Nankimachi-China town, Kobe-11/3/22

Nankinmachi is a compact Chinatown in central Kobe and a center of the Chinese community in the Kansai Region. The area was developed by Chinese merchants who settled near Kobe Port after the port was opened to foreign trade in 1868. As the Chinatown developed, it became known as Nankinmachi after Nanjing, the former Chinese capital.

Welcome plaque!

Nankinmachi is a popular tourist attraction and shopping and dining district. Two main streets run through the district, meeting each other at a small plaza in the center. They are packed with shops, restaurants and food stands that sell popular items such as steamed buns (manju), ramen, tapioca drinks and various other Chinese dishes, many of which have been Japanized to a certain degree.

Known as one of Japan's 2nd largest Chinatown in Japan after the Yokohama's Chinatown and it is the place to go for Chinese ingredients, food, and all sorts of Chinese goods.

This is the North entrance of Nankinmachi which is connected with the Motomachi Shopping Street, a fully covered shopping arcade lined with over 300 shops and restaurants, including shops that are centuries old. 

A food stand.

We noticed a long line and we were wondering what people are lining up for.

This is the back of line, wrapping around the square.

There is even a TV crew filming the scene.

Turned out Rosyoki, a famous store specializing in butaman, a Chinese savory steamed pork-filled bun. The store is easily identified by the line outside the door.

TV Crew filming.

Apparently Rosyoki has been in business since 1915.  When it first opened as a place for Chinese sailors to hang out and relax having their home town food.

Butaman (pork buns were created by the founder of the shop and for local Kobe people it is known as Kobe's pork bun shop.

We asked this couple if we could take a few pictures of the famous steamed pork filled bun.

Looks delicious but we did not want to stay in line to buy the pork buns.

Lots of people staying in line in front of the store.

A food stand selling the famous roasted Peking duck and lots of other yummy dishes.

A portion of the Peking duck sells for about $2.50 which is a steel.

Another stall selling Peking duck on a bun.

This is one of the 4 main streets in China town that is lined up with restaurants and food stalls.

Most of the restaurants in this area served Chinese food like dim sum, dumplings and buns.

Hoa wanted a snack so we stopped by a stall selling sesame balls.

The balls are freshly made and still piping hot!  Really good, they are just like the Vietnamese version.

I like this picture of the guy jogging with a Chinese traditional straw hat in the middle of the street.

There are also lots of Japanese students roaming the streets in Chinatown in search of some yummy snacks.

NEXT.... Day 6-Walk to Kobe Harbor and Lunch