A Day in Kobe, Japan | Adorable Animals & Must-Eat Kobe Beef! | Japan Travel

A Day in Kobe, Japan | Adorable Animals & Must-Eat Kobe Beef! | Japan Travel

A short 22 minute train ride away from Osaka is another one of the largest cities in Japan the port city of Kobe This city located between the sea and Mt. Rokko is known for its Kobe beef, the most well-known wagyu in the world We’ll be trying some later tonight but first we’re taking a train ride to the Kobe Animal Kingdom which is one of the most interactive zoos in Japan Once we arrived at Sannomiya Station which is the main transportation hub located in the city center we boarded the Port Liner towards the zoo We have front row seats on the train which is the perfect spot to enjoy the view Have you noticed anything unique about this train? Hint: Who is usually at the front to accelerate the train and accurately stop at each station? So where’s the train driver?! To answer that, the Port Liner is the world’s first automated unmanned railway that started operating in 1981 This explains why the track is elevated away from the roads so that people and vehicles won’t cross or enter the track given that there is no one to stop the train in time to prevent an accident We finally made it to the zoo! The admission fee to the zoo is relatively affordable and if you buy tickets at the Sannomiya train station you can get roundtrip tickets on the Port Liner included for free These are rock hyraxes, also known as rock rabbits They live in colonies of up to 50 individuals and start each day by sunbathing together for several hours Looks like its feeding time Looks like a pretty healthy diet That tongue is getting quite the workout Hey, who’s tail is that? You can buy pellets from a vending machine to feed the ducks and the fish There’s a show involving the lemurs going on Let’s go take a look! Oh it looks like it’s feeding time for the lemurs as well. There are over 100 lemur species and this particular one is the ring-tailed lemur which are common in zoos Lemurs are only found in Madagascar in the wild They live in social groups that are led by a dominant female who decide when and where the group is going We ran out of food for the ducks so we are playing around a bit by pretending to feed them I think this one has had enough You may get some crumbs in your hair if you’re not careful as you are walking around Red pandas! These small mammals native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China are called lesser pandas in Japan The lesser naming is due to its comparison to a similar species that is based on size Since the red panda is smaller than the giant panda it is named lesser but this is kind of an odd naming since the red panda is actually closer to a raccoon genetically than a giant panda and the giant panda is actually a bear besides, isn’t it kind of insulting to call an animal “lesser” Anyways, these red pandas are super cute This is a binturong that is native to South and Southeast Asia They usually sleep during the day and move around at night so you won’t see much action from them at the zoo I wonder why this hippo is trying to eat the grass floating in the water that’s moving about rather than the easy ones on land Oh there we go This is our favorite part of this zoo Who doesn’t love capybaras!? Capybaras are the largest living rodent in the world and are native to South America Because they are calm and caring animals that don’t eat meat and are super sociable not only do people love them but other animals can be found hanging out with them as well Capybaras are actually really good swimmers and can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes Such beautiful eyelashes Did you notice the ears wiggling? They do this to keep bug aways or if they feel dirt or water on them While they enjoy head and back rubs their favorite massage spot is actually on their butts! Random story time So we’ve been to this zoo multiple times in recent years and every time we’ve been here, this man has been by the capybaras giving them endless massages Who is this man? Is he their professional massage therapist? Is he the capybara whisperer?! Unless someone knows, I guess this will forever remain a mystery Anyways, if you love capybaras, we highly recommend coming to this zoo Oh this little guy seems energetic Did you know that kangaroos are the only large mammal that moves around by hopping? You can buy pellets from a vending machine to feed the kangaroos and deer here as well Kangaroos don’t eat meat Instead they feed on plants such as grass This one got a little too excited and has to be given a time-out You have to be careful petting the alpacas because they may bite or spit Alpacas are supposedly able to spit up to 10 feet (3 meters) Originally from South America They are very similar to llamas but are shorter and bred for their wool You can feed the alpacas as well Must be quite hungry Please don’t spit on us That’s a nice howl These raccoons are from North America and are intelligent animals that can remember solutions to tasks for at least three years They are easily recognized by the black fur on their faces making them look like bandits Beavers are the second-largest living rodents after capybaras and these ones are from North America They are also excellent swimmers that can hold their breath underwater for up to 15 minutes Looks like this beaver is working on building a home Oops did I get you wet? Did you know beavers groom and wash themselves frequently throughout the day? They’re not just really into cleanliness this grooming actually helps distribute oils across their fur to keep themselves waterproof and insulated Fun fact the oils actually come out from a gland near their butthole I think it’s time to go it kind of feels like we’re watching a private moment Meanwhile this one is a bit busy eating The prairie dog is a ground squirrel from North America that digs holes underground to live in They are very social animals that live in large colonies This one looks like its been getting fed really well Look at all that food Prairie dogs mainly eat plants, but also sometimes insects Prairie dogs are known for their barks which sound like high-pitched squeaks They make these noises to warn of trespassers from other family groups of prairie dogs or to warn for any approaching danger but they also have specific call outs for other things Recent research has indicated that their barks can communicate incredibly descriptive details Let’s test it out Looks like we caught its attention, but not enough to set off an alarm Let’s try again Oh wow they are really alert How about another try to make sure? That is crazy I think they’re just expressing their concern for our health Nothing says bully like kicking dirt in another’s face Taking a quick break Mmm nothing like hot corn soup from a can This cute sloth is taking a nap Sloths are from Central and South America They are famous for moving slowly not because they are lazy but because they burn calories at a slow rate and eat leaves that are low in energy and nutrients that take a long time to digest So they have to move slow to conserve energy Since they are slow, they rely on their fur to provide camouflage and avoid any predators The Patagonian mara is a rabbit-like animal from Argentina I don’t think they like being pet for too long There’s also giant tortoise here that you can pet Note that their shells are a living, sensitive part of their body that have nerve endings so they can feel you touching their shell so it’s important to rub gently This South American armadillo appears to be running around in circles This is one of the few species of armadillos that can actually roll into a ball if threatened to protect itself This southern tamandua can really climb these branches It is a species of anteater than has really strong arms This tiny monkey is a common marmoset Look at how round this bird is! These fishing cats prove that some cats do like water They mainly eat fish and will dive underwater to hunt I wonder if this one knows how to talk There’s also a dogs and cats area near the entrance which usually has a line to enter So fluffy! This one is dressed so cute It’s easy to see why this a popular area in the zoo There’s also rabbits in a separate area that you can line up to enter and pet or feed Oh hi there This is an English Angora rabbit Its eyes are red due to it being an albino Its fur is extremely soft to touch like cashmere wool The dogs line up at the end of the day to get called in one by one by name This big dog has been patiently waiting from the beginning What a gentlemen! Finally off work! We’re on our way back to Sannomiya Station for dinner It was a wonderful trip to the zoo Having the chance to get so close with all the animals makes it really hard to leave It’s finally time to experience what Kobe is known for though This is a highly rated Japanese barbecue restaurant with a menu that contains different cuts of Kobe beef to try We are lucky to get a table without a reservation One big plus about this place is that they use a charcoal grill which provides a rich, smoky flavor to the meat with an incredible sear due to the high heat of the charcoal We start off with some beef tongue, which is amazing Look at that marbling Kobe beef is known for its evenly distributed marbling that melts on the tongue Normally it’s hard to eat a lot of Japanese wagyu due to the high fat content but this place is so good we could eat here all day Cold noodles are the perfect side dish to complement the fattiness of the wagyu These scallops are also incredibly plump and juicy Thank you for joining us on our trip to Kobe We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did and please subscribe if you want to join in on more adventures

Kobe is a city in Japan known for its beef, but there’s also an incredibly unique and interactive zoo there where you can touch, feed, and play with the animals. Join us for a daytrip to visit the Kobe Animal Kingdom, a magical place where we can get up close with the capybaras, red pandas, lemurs, rock rabbits, sloths, kangaroos, alpacas, and more. We’ll end the day experiencing Kobe beef in an incredible Japanese yakiniku restaurant.

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Timestamps:
00:00 Kobe Introduction
00:29 Train Ride to Zoo
01:42 Kobe Animal Kingdom
03:21 Lemurs
04:25 Red Pandas
05:36 Capybaras Petting
07:13 Kangaroos
08:27 Alpacas
09:38 Beavers
10:39 Prairie Dogs
12:26 Sloth
13:44 Tamandua
14:40 Dogs and Cats Petting
15:50 Rabbits
17:12 Kobe Beef Yakiniku

Places Visited:
Kobe Animal Kingdom
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xb81geLUm4Htwn4w6
Sumi Yakiniku Ishidaya Main Shop
https://maps.app.goo.gl/r1DnLcjWnsYcEsAS7

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