Kobe Guesthouse Minato Hütte, Your Home Away From Home

The guesthouse Minato Hütte is located in central Kobe, about four or five minutes away from all of the Sannomiya stations on foot. The unusual name combines Hütte, German for “mountain hut,” with Minato, the Japanese word for “port.” The name reflects the personalities of the Hashimotos, the couple who own the guesthouse - mountain enthusiast Kenji and his sea-loving wife Yuki. The combination of mountains and the sea is very Kobe-esque.

Not Just a Place to Stay! Enjoy Delicious Drinks and Conversations with Locals

The first floor bar primarily stocks domestic craft beer and Japanese sake. You can enjoy delicious beverages, and the guesthouse is popular as a place to mingle with locals, not just guests.

The craft beers that Kenji recommends are served from taps you can see on the back wall.

The beer in the photo is Berries Sparkling from Iwami Bakushu, which is based in Yuki’s hometown of Gottsu in Shimane. The company uses locally grown strawberries for a fruity sparkling beer. A small size is 500 yen, and a large is 700 yen. There are innumerable other well-known brands, as well, and the available beers change from day to day. You can look forward to finding out what beer will be on the menu during your next visit.

Yuki is fondly known by the locals as the guesthouse’s okami. An okami is the proprietress of a Japanese inn or restaurant.

The bar stocks 25-30 bottles of sake from famous brands, chosen by the sake connoisseur okami. On this day, the lineup contained Bunkajin from Kochi prefecture. A cup is 500 to 900 yen. If you don’t know what brand to choose, tell Yuki what sort of sake you want to drink, and she will pick something for you. Other than craft beer and sake, the bar stocks wine, Kobe highballs, whiskey, tequila, awamori, shochu, various cocktails and more, so you can choose from an alcohol menu that will add some excitement to your night during your trip.