Kobe is one of Japan's historic international ports and a major cruise gateway for the Kansai region, including access to Osaka, Kyoto and the wider western Japan tourism market.
The city's two principal cruise facilities are Kobe Port Terminal at Shinko Pier No. 4 and Naka Pier Passenger Terminal. Kobe's official 2026 cruise schedule identifies the active cruise positions as S-4Q1/Q2 on the east side of Kobe Port Terminal, S-4O1/O2 on the west side and NAKA-BC at Naka Pier.
Kobe Port Terminal is a substantial international passenger facility with customs, immigration and quarantine infrastructure and direct access to the Port Liner. City material describes multiple physical berth sections around the pier and water depth reaching approximately 12m. Deck7 groups those sections into the active cruise positions used by the City's current schedule rather than inflating the cruise-berth count.
Naka Pier sits directly on Kobe's central waterfront beside Meriken Park. Its B/C cruise face is approximately 305m long and 9m deep, following an extension using mooring dolphins. The terminal is particularly convenient for independent visitors, with Harborland, Meriken Park and central Kobe close by.
Kobe supports both turnaround and port-of-call operations. The City's 2026 programme confirms regular international cruise activity at both terminals, making Kobe one of Japan's most established cruise ports.