Kobe blessed with nature beauty such as Mt. Rokko and Seto Inland Sea is known as the gourmet street (Kobe beef, Nada Japanese sake, wine and sweets), as well as the fashion street with the sophisticated image. This city is located almost in the center in Japan. The average yearly temperature is 16.8℃ (max. 34.5℃/min. -3.5℃ in 2003). Annual rainfall amount is 1,538.0 mm in 2003. It means that it is very comfortable namely, warm in winter and cool in summer relatively in Japan where the four seasons are very distinct.
Its population is about 1,520,000, which is the 6th-largest in Japan. Over 44,500 foreigners and over 1,800 students from 117 countries including South Korea, North Korea, China , U.S.A., and Vietnam live here. It has been flourished as a representative trading port of Japan with the internationality.It is conveniently located, for example it takes about three hours from Tokyo. The Kobe Airport will be open in Feb. 2006 to fly to various cities in Japan.