Really beautiful place, everything you can expect from a traditional japanese garden. Entrance fees is only 300 ¥, the visit last about 1h or more if you want to relax and enjoy the views. Beautiful park, perfectly cultivated, clean, with lots of undescribable beautiful fish and turtles swimming in the park lake. Park also contains a couple of interesting buildings. Definitely a must see in Kobe.

Beautiful Japanese style garden. We were on a tour and unfortunately only had limited time.

Great little in town garden. Admission of ¥300 also gets you into the old house on site. On the weekend we were there a wagashi stand was set up selling hot tea for ¥50 (with free refill) and sweets, this is not there all the time though. It was a neat park to walk thru.

Beautiful Japanese garden. Had a special dinner event there, and it is the perfect location for it!

Photogenic Japanese garden which costs 300 yen to enter. It's slightly hilly for those who want to know but it also allows for good views. Best visited during fall colours and other flower seasons. This is not one of the premier gardens in Japan

I love all the things about this place. It is easy tovreach not far from the main street, yet it is so calm. All the picture and video i took is almost like magical. I will definitely visit again. This place is so good to calm your mind. Also a great place for barefoot-ing.

35 years of visiting Kobe and only today found this fabulous small garden park. Located north of Sannomiya Station. About a 15 minute walk. It's gem is an amazing Japanese garden. Fall is a perfect time but also Azaleas are also popular in season. We skipped the overlooking upscale restaurant and Cafe on the property but looked very nice. A mere 300¥ entrance for a beautiful experience.

Xiangyuan Garden (そうらくえん) is located in Chuo District, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The park area is about 20,000 square meters. The garden is the first registered monument under Japan's Cultural Properties Protection Act and is a famous spot in Japan for viewing azaleas. This is a Japanese-style garden called "pond sea-style", where visitors can enjoy a garden with grass bridges, pine and cypress trees, clear running water, koi carps, and waterfalls. There are many important cultural properties in the park. There are important cultural properties such as the "Old Hassan House", a Japanese-Western fusion building designed by the British, and the "Fune-shaped" built using part of the Himeji Domain Lord's pleasure boat.

Quiet and nice garden. It would be more beautiful if you come here in Fall or Spring

Although only a part of the garden is under reconstruction, the traditional garden, "Sorakuen" with wedding halls is well worth visiting and enjoying at any rate. There is no shortage of locations for pre-wedding photos by professional workers. Of particular note is the pleasure boat built during the Edo period for the exclusive use of the Himeji castle lord, called "Funayakata" ! The only surviving gold-plated boat, one of the important national cultural property, has been relocated to the shore of a pond and is now permanently displayed. It may be worth visiting more than Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji Temple, where you can see things like this only here. To get to Sorakuen from the nearest subway station, you have to climb a slope, and there are ups and downs from the gate to the garden, which must be difficult for wheelchair users. There are toilet rest area and a drink vending machine. Free of charge for Hyogo prefecture residents, 300 yen for outsiders.

Splendid Japanese garden with several water falls, a lake with koi carps, and historical buildings. A perfect place for photography, or just to relax.

Beautiful garden. Filled with various historical architecture and pond filled with adorable koi fish. Pictures are blurry. But it was a nice walk.

It was really nice beautiful, the flower and medaka fish ..

It is autumn and many leaves have already turned red. There are a lot of locals going in and out, and many are doing photoshoot wearing yukata as the scenery was breathtaking. It was healing and calming.

Beautiful Japanese garden. Not very big but very beautiful views. Quiet, restful, not crowded place. Good to visit all four seasons.

A pretty garden with some interesting historical buildings inside. The Japanese garden portion is especially nice. I wouldn’t make a special trip to visit (similar buildings can be seen in Kitano ward, and there are many more historical gardens elsewhere), but if you are in Kobe and need an escape from the city, this is the spot for you.

If you are a first timer traveler in Japan like me, make sure you visit many historical places in Japan as many as possible. Besides its authentic vibes, it will give you more insight. For example, this garden, Sorakuen. I came to this place in the early November so we still can see many green leaves there. However, it's kind of astonishing place for me since this location is in the city center and off course that's very rare. It has a historical sense once you get in and very attractive everywhere you are looking at. Enjoy your moment in this place just by spending less than 500 yen or free for those recident who have memory pass card. About this free pass, you can ask your university officer or ward office. You can reach this place by using bus or train and continue by walking. Nevertheless, if you carry older family member, i recommend taxi regardless its more higher fare. Go to the ticket locket and get some information about this beautiful garden, sometimes it has event and it also held ceremonial tea (with reservation). You can check before on the sorakuen website because there will be days for private event, which you should avoid to come on this date.

Lovely Japanese garden. 300y entrance fee

4th Dec. This is a beautiful garden, I have seen in Japan.

A pleasant spot to spend an hour or two. Beautiful red leaves in early December.

Nice Japanese garden in the city. Get a 20% discount coupon from the tourism office. Expect to see a lot of couples taking their wedding shots there. Very relaxing garden. Can spend an hour there just walking around the pond. 240 Yen entry after discount.

Such a beautiful garden to visit. If you're in the area, treat yourself to a relaxing walk and enjoy a quiet bento in the pavilion 🥰

Beautiful garden with a nice scenery around the area. The garden has a lake where you can see koi fish, as well different houses that are part of the experience.

Beautiful gardens in the center of Kobe. Only a few hundred yen to enter and really worth it. Spent about ½ an hour walking around nice break from the hustle and bustle.