The story leading up to the opening

The Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel's origins date back to 1992.
Based on the concept of "creating a new waterfront where people can enjoy the sea and boats",In addition to its terminal function,Construction of the hotel was carried out as a complex where people could gather, with the aim of developing and revitalizing the area.

On January 17, 1995, as the hotel was preparing to open, the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake occurred.
Fortunately, the hotel building itself was equipped with liquefaction countermeasures and was earthquake-resistant, so it suffered little damage, but large areas of the cliffs around the hotel collapsed, completely changing the scenery from what it once was.

The earthquake dealt a major blow to Kobe, and everyone was close to giving up on the planned opening. However, driven by a strong desire to "bring light of recovery to the damaged city of Kobe as quickly as possible," the opening was completed on July 15, 1995.

Photo: Kobe Port and Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel

Prior to the opening, an opening reception was held on July 7, 1995, with the lighting ceremony taking place at 7:07 pm. As the red and green lights slowly rotated, ships moored in the port blew their whistles and 777 fireworks were launched in celebration of the souls of those who died in the earthquake and for Kobe's recovery.

Ever since that day, Japan's only hotel lighthouse has been an official lighthouse approved by the Japan Coast Guard, watching over the safety of ships passing through Kobe Port.

Photo: The lighthouse at Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel lit up at night

Design in harmony with nature

The hotel's exterior features a gentle, streamlined design inspired by white waves rising from the ocean.
Considering that it is an integral part of the Kobe Port Tower, a symbol of Kobe, and the Kobe Maritime Museum, it has been designed as a low-rise structure that harmonizes with the gently curving design.
This is how a unique form was born that is elegant yet befitting a port city, blending seamlessly into the scenery.

Picture: The Kobe Oriental Hotel, Kobe Maritime Museum, and Kobe Port Tower are all harmonious, forming gentle curves.

Figure: Kobe Oriental Hotel is 59.5 meters tall, Kobe Maritime Museum is 45 meters tall, and Kobe Port Tower is 108 meters tall

Photo: Looking up at Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel from below
Photo: Kobe Port at night
Photo: Kobe Port at night seen from the sea side

Photo: Kobe Port at night seen from the sea side

The lighting for the hotel exterior was designed by Mikiko Ishii, a lighting designer active both in Japan and abroad.
This exterior lighting was designed with the hope that the entire hotel would become a lighthouse for the city of Kobe.
The red of the Kobe Port Tower and the white of the Kobe Maritime Museum will be combined to create a tricolor.In addition, the color "emerald blue" was adopted to create a gentle light that would bring healing to the city of Kobe and its people, who were hurt by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

Mikiko Ishii Lighting Designer

A lighting designer active both in Japan and overseas, working on a wide range of projects from urban lighting to light objects and light performances. His major works include the illumination of Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Station, Rainbow Bridge, and other locations, as well as the landscape lighting of Hakodate and Nagasaki, and the moonlight lighting of Hida Shirakawa-go. He has received numerous awards both in Japan and overseas, including the Japan Lighting Award and the Tokyo Cultural Award. In the fall of 2000, he was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon for his contributions to lighting design.

"Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel"History of architectural awards

・1996 Kansai Lighting Technology Promotion Association Award /
10th and 11th Kobe Scenic Points Awards
・1997 38th Building Industry Association Award /
6th Refreshing Town Development Award

Japan's only hotel lighthouse

In 1964, the first lighthouse in Japan was installed on the roof of the former Oriental Hotel, which opened in Kobe Kyomachi, as a symbol of the port city of Kobe.

In 1995, the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake occurred, and the old Oriental Hotel was completely destroyed and forced to close. The hotel lighthouse also went out for a time, but the lighthouse was passed on to the Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel, which was under construction as a sister hotel to the Oriental Hotel.

Photo: Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel lighthouse and the evening sky
Photo: Lighthouse and restaurant at Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel at night
Photo: Lighthouse and night sky at Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel

Luxury cruise ship docked at this hotel

Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel is a very unusual hotel, as it has a terminal where cruise ships arrive and depart on the second floor.

Luxury cruise ships such as the global cruise liner "Asuka II" and "The World," the world's first floating condominium, sometimes arrive here, making this a location where you can experience the port town of Kobe.

Photo: A luxury cruise ship docked at Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel

You'll often have the opportunity to see large foreign cruise ships and sailing ships, and hear the powerful sound of ship whistles that will get you in the mood for a trip.
Not only can you enjoy the unique experiences of a port city like Kobe, but you can also enjoy the luxurious time that only a seaside hotel built on a port that connects to the world can provide.

The cruise ship arrival schedule for Kobe Port, including Nakatotsuzumi, can be found on the Kobe City Port Bureau website.

Provided by: Kobe City Port Bureau * Cruise ships arriving at Nakatotte Passenger Terminal (2nd floor of the hotel): Asuka II / SILVER SHADOW / THE WORLD

Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel

5-6 Hatobacho, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, 650-0042

TEL: +81-78-325-8111 / FAX: +81-78-325-8106

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Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel

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