During our last trip to mainland Japan back in June 2018, we visited 7 cities including Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Himeji, Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Fukuoka. On our third day, we headed to Kobe, 40 minutes away by train from Osaka. We strolled towards the Harborland, a shopping center in between the JR Kobe Station and the port area.
Afterward, we ate lunch at Café Freundlieb, a cafe located inside the former Kobe Union Church. The historical building goes back to the opening of the port of Kobe back in 1870 when the clergies and Christian believers started offering services under the name Union Church. The gothic style church was built back in 1929 and designed by W.M. Vories, an American architect.
Scroll down to read more about this amazing place.
^ this would be a great place to visit with kids! Anpanman Children’s Museum ^
Really wanted to ride the ferris wheel or go up the Kobe Tower, they always have the best view, but my husband hates heights. We were already planning on doing the cable car at Nunobiki Herb Garden so we skipped these this time around.
^^ was craving a cold drink and this place delivered, even if it was tiny like always ^^
^ we took the KobeCityLoop bus so we could see more of the city ^
^^ excuse all the manhole cover pictures, they’re all just so cute ^^
Café Freundlieb
Heinrich Freundlieb, the founder and master baker, came to Japan as a prisoner of war during WWI, he married a Japanese woman, settled down and opened his own bakery in 1924. The store was gravely damaged during the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. The third generation owner moved the shop to the former church in 1997 since it did not suffer many damages. The bakery is on the first floor and the cafe up on the second floor.
Café Freundlieb is incredibly charming with the vaulted ceilings, arched windows, chandeliers and the large stained glass window on the smaller third floor (which I’m guessing housed the choir back in the day). We didn’t see many tourists lunching there, but it seems to be a very popular place for the locals to catch up with friends.
Café Freundlieb
Address:
4 Chome-6-15 Ikutacho, Chuo Ward,
Kobe, Hyogo 651-0092, Japan
Hours: 10AM – 7PM (Closed Wednesdays)
Website
See more from our trip: Dotonbori Street | Kiyomizudera Temple | Nunobiki Herb Garden | Ikuta Shrine | Himeji Castle | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park | Hiroshima Castle + Gokoku Shrine | Miyajima Pt. 1 | Miyajima Pt. 2 | Fukuoka Castle Ruins + Ohori Park | Nanzoin Temple + Tochoji Temple + Kushida Shrine |