[Kobe City] Not just a power spot where your wishes come true! "Yamate Hachibankan"

• Table of Contents
• Characteristic Tudor-style mansion “Yamate Hachibankan”
• Saturn's chair that makes your wishes come true
• Don't miss it! The charm of Yamate Hachibankan
• There are many exhibits on the second floor that will make you want to pray.
• Makonde sculptures influenced Picasso
• great value bus tickets
• Let's go to Yamate Hachibankan by city loop bus!
• basic information

Characteristic Tudor-style mansion “Yamate Hachibankan”

Yamate Hachibankan, operated by the Ijinkan Uroko Group, is located at the highest point in Kobe's Ijinkan district. First of all, I would like to point out that you will be climbing quite a hill, but along with the neighboring Kitano foreign visitors Club and Ijinkan on the Slope, we are basically only open on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.

For more information, please check the Ijinkan Uroko Group official website to avoid making any mistakes.

Yamate Hachibankan (formerly Sansen House) was built in the late Meiji period. The building features a series of windows called overhangs facing south, overlooking the port, and uses a half-timbered architectural style in which the wooden framework, including pillars, beams, and braces, is exposed to the outside and the spaces between them are filled with plaster and brick.

The first floor is made of brick, and the area around the entrance is a stately structure with stones piled up in an arch shape. The Nio statue at the entrance may seem out of proportion, but by the time you see the exhibits inside the museum and leave, you'll no longer feel out of place.

When you walk through the door and turn around, you will see beautiful stained glass. The detailed and delicate paintings make you want to take a closer look.

Saturn's chair that makes your wishes come true

The room on the left as you enter the building is the room that approximately 70% of people who visit Yamate Hachibankan come to.

Yes, this is the room with the Saturn Chair, which is said to make wishes come true. "Saturn's Chair" has been visited by many people since the day after it was introduced as a power spot on a TV program, and at peak times, 2,000 people lined up in one day.

Currently, it is not so crowded, with only a few people lining up in the afternoon, but there are many people who come from far away to seek help. It's a good time to go in the morning as it's relatively empty.

Now, what exactly is the "Saturn Chair"? Saturn is the Roman god of fertility, Saturn. He is identified with Cronus in Greek mythology.

This chair is said to have been made around the 19th century, and was originally in a church in Italy. Because it has a carving of Saturn on it, it is said to be the ``chair that makes your wishes come true,'' named after the god of fertility.

It is unclear how long this mysterious pair of chairs has been here. All I could tell was that it was a chair that could make wishes come true.

The one on the left is for men, and the one on the right is for women. There is no particular etiquette for announcing your wishes. If I had to dare to say it, I would say that you should be honest with yourself and strongly believe that your wish will come true. Even if you have many wishes, try to be willing to give in and give in during busy times.

It is said that it is a good idea to take a photo and set it as your wallpaper. Everyone wonders, ``Will wishes really come true?'' But as far as I can tell, there are stories of people who had trouble with their feet being able to walk again, and people who wanted to find a life partner for the same amount of time. There are many people who come to express their gratitude, such as stories of how they bonded with the person who was lining up.

There are probably some amazing stories that can't be told.

It's difficult to see when it's crowded, but we recommend viewing it as a work of art. You will be amazed by the skillful carvings. Comparing the decorations on the two chairs, there is a slight difference in the child-like carvings under the armrests.

Photo provided by: Ijinkan Uroko Group

A souvenir is a miniature Saturn chair charm. This is a popular item and may be sold out. You can also purchase it at the official online shop, so if you want it, check the official SNS etc. for sales information.

Don't miss it! The charm of Yamate Hachibankan

Many people visit Yamate Hachibankan for the Saturn Chair, but there are many other things to see. In the room where the Saturn Chair is located, a bronze statue by Renoir from his later years is on display.

There are many sculptures displayed within the museum. What's more, there are masterpieces by the three great sculpture masters such as Rodin, Bourdelle, and Bernard. With the exception of a few, they are not housed in glass cases, but are displayed so that you can experience them up close.

There are also many exhibits of prints and paintings by Rembrandt, Dürer, and others.

In the back room hangs a series of paintings by William Hogarth, ``The Chronicles of a Prostitute,'' which was said to be better read than seen.

There are many exhibits on the second floor that will make you want to pray.

The exhibits on the second floor are also impressive and surprising.

The room titled ``Buddha Statues and Reliefs of Gandhara'' is lined with old Buddhist statues from Gandhara and Thailand, which are said to be the origins of Buddhism. The presence of the seated Buddha statue in front. You will be surprised by his handsome and handsome face.

There are also many other precious Buddha statues and heads, each with different facial features and expressions. The appearance of the Nio statue is also included, and the more you look at it, the more interesting the exhibit becomes.

There are also exhibits that give a glimpse into the lives of the residents. Ijinkan, which stands on a high place, was built in a relatively new era and was developed by successful merchants. Therefore, it has a luxurious design including the interior.

There is now a building blocking the view to the port, but when Mr. Sansen lived there, you would have been able to see straight to the port. The reason why they set up a mansion on a hill was partly because the settlement area was limited, but it was also because they wanted to make sure that the ship carrying their cargo had arrived, and there was also a sense of nostalgia. That's probably true.

Makonde sculptures influenced Picasso

There is also an exhibition on the first floor, opposite the room where Saturn's chair is located, with carvings from the Makonde people of East Africa lined up throughout the room.

Legend has it that the first Makonde man made a doll out of ebony wood, which was brought to life by the morning sun and became the first Makonde woman, so the ebony tree has a sacred and powerful meaning. Masu.

Although ebony is very hard and cannot be carved easily, unique techniques have been developed over 300 years ago to create wood for rituals and festivals. It is still made as a folk craft.

If you look closely, it has a very unique and strange appearance. Doesn't it have an atmosphere similar to Picasso's ``Guernica''? Picasso was influenced by Makonde's sculptures and created his own unique style of Picasso art.

great value bus tickets

Kobe 1-day bus ticket

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Let's go to Yamate Hachibankan by city loop bus!

Yamate Hachibankan is famous for its Saturn chair, which makes wishes come true, but here you can also find seemingly disparate items such as Buddha statues from Gandhara and Thailand, sculptures with prayers from the Makonde tribe, and works by famous artists. When you look at it, you'll notice that the calm, uniform interior and historic furniture and furnishings coexist seamlessly.

I'm sure even those who visit with worries will feel lighter by the time they leave.

You cannot go directly to Yamate Hachibankan by car. There is no private parking lot, so you will have to use a nearby coin parking lot, but please note that the road is narrow and there are many tourists. We recommend using the City Loop bus, a convenient form of public transportation.

Shinki Bus CITYLOOP

Get off at the Kitano Ijinkan bus stop, and the Ijinkan Uroko Group Visitor Center is a 1-minute walk away. We distribute surrounding tourist guide maps, have an information center, and sell admission tickets.

Advantageous set tickets such as Kitano 7 Museum Tour Pass and Yamanote 4 Museum Pass are also available for admission tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket plaza and at each museum. Yamate Hachibankan is about a 7-minute walk from the visitor center. It's always uphill, but the experience is worth the effort.

(Writer Takashi Tsukamoto)

*This article is information as of June 2023. Prices include tax. Product contents and prices may change.

basic information

Yamate Hachibankan

Address: 2-20-7 Kitanocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe City

Phone number: 0120-888-581

Business hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (Please check the official website as there are seasonal changes)

Closed: Weekdays (Open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays; please check the official website as there are seasonal changes)

Price: Single building ticket Adults (junior high school students and older) 550 yen, Elementary school students 100 yen, Infants free Kitano 7 building

Tour pass Adults (junior high school students and older) 3,000 yen, Elementary school students 800 yen, Infants free

Yamanote 4-kan pass Adults (junior high school students and older) 2,100 yen, Elementary school students 500 yen, Infants free

Access: ・To Ijinkan Uroko Group Visitor Center: Approximately 15 minutes walk from JR Sannomiya Station (West Exit), Hankyu Kobe Line “Sannomiya” Station East Exit, Hanshin Main Line “Kobe Sannomiya” Station East Exit 5, get off at City Loop “Kitano Ijinkan” and walk. Approximately 1 minute walk from the visitor center to Yamate Hachibankan

Parking: None

Official website: https://kobe-ijinkan.net

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