Kobe, officially known as Kobe City, is the capital city of Japan's Hyōgo Prefecture. Located in the Kansai region on the north shore of Osaka Bay, it is situated on the southern side of the main island of Honshū. The city serves as a major component of the Keihanshin metropolitan area alongside Osaka and Kyoto.
With a population of approximately 1.5 million people, Kobe is ranked as Japan's seventh-largest city. It is recognized as the third-largest port city in the country, following Tokyo and Yokohama. The city center is positioned roughly 35 km west of Osaka and 70 km southwest of Kyoto.