Kobe Kotsu Center Building

The Kobe Kotsu Center Building is a transportation hub in Sannomiya-chō that combines buses, trains, and transit services within a unified downtown facility. The structure spreads across multiple levels with ticket windows, information desks, and waiting zones organized to handle daily passenger flow.

The Nikken Sekkei architectural firm completed this transportation center in October 1965 during Japan's rapid post-war reconstruction period. The building emerged as part of Kobe's broader effort to modernize its urban infrastructure after decades of wartime damage.

The station plaza draws people from all parts of Kobe and surrounding areas, making it a natural meeting point where locals and visitors converge throughout the day. This gathering function has shaped how the neighborhood feels and functions as a social crossroads.

Multiple railway lines converge at the adjacent Sannomiya Station, offering direct access to various districts within Kobe and neighboring cities. The central location makes it straightforward to walk to the building and navigate between different transit services.

The building was designed following a principle of functional simplicity that shaped much of Japanese architecture in the 1960s. This clean, purposeful aesthetic remains visible today and distinguishes it from more contemporary construction styles.