Kobe Hankyu Department Store – Main Building

Kobe Hankyu is a major department store in the central Sannomiya district of Kobe and is well-known for its wide selection of fashion, beauty products and food. This location was previously home to the Sogo Kobe department store but it became a Hankyu store in October 2019.

Kobe Hankyu occupies two buildings: the “Honkan” or Main Building and an annex called the “Shinkan” or New Building. Both buildings have nine floors and one basement level and they are connected by passageways at the B1 basement level and the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th floors. In this article we will introduce the highlights of the Main Building. For information on the wing building please see our article: Kobe Hankyu Department Store – New Building.

Food

Kobe Hankyu’s food section is in the B1 basement level. Here you will find confectionery, alcohol, a bakery, a delicatessen, Japanese pickles and bento lunch boxes. This level is also directly connected to the basement of the New Building which has daily groceries such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.

International Boutiques and Accessories

Famous international brands such as Tiffany, Burberry, Gucci, Sergio Rossi and Saint Laurent all have boutiques on the 1st floor. This is also the floor for women’s jewelry and accessories with brands such as AHKAH and Swarovski.

Cosmetics

Cosmetics are concentrated on the 2nd floor. Here you can find Nars, Jill Stuart, Cosme Decorté, Givenchy, Lancôme and Kanebo.

Women’s Shoes & Bags

Shoes and bags for women are on the 3rd floor. Here you can find bags by the American brand Coach and the Italian brand Furla as well as shoes and bags by Ginza Kanematsu.

Women’s Fashion

Women’s fashion can be found from the 3rd floor to the 6th floor and also on the 8th floor.

Currently, clothes by Blue Label Crestbridge are on the 3rd floor, while Lauren Ralph Lauren and Weekend Max Mara are on the 4th floor, Jocomomola is on the 5th floor and MacGregor New York can be found on the 8th floor.

These are just a selection of the many brands of ladies’ fashion that can be found in Kobe Hankyu.

The location of these boutiques is subject to change, so please refer to the on-site store guide when you visit the store.

Children’s Clothes and Toys

Children’s clothes and toys are currently located on the 5th floor.

Children’s clothing brands in Kobe Hankyu include Miki House, Shirley Temple and baby clothes by Polo Ralph Lauren.

Men’s Clothing, Shoes, Bags and Accessories

Goods for men are concentrated on the 7th floor. Here you can find clothing by Takeo Kikuchi and Polo Ralph Lauren and bags by Paul Smith. Travel-related goods are also currently on this floor.

Event Hall

There is an Event Hall on the 9th floor which is often used for temporary displays of select goods based on changing themes.

Services

There is an Information Center on the B1 basement level of the Main Building, where you can pick up a floor guide for both Kobe Hankyu buildings.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout both Kobe Hankyu buildings.

Wheelchairs and strollers are available to borrow from the B1 Information Center or the Service Counter on the 1st Floor.

Tax Refunds at Kobe Hankyu

Foreign visitors are entitled to a tax-refund on goods purchased at Kobe Hankyu if they claim their refund on the day of purchase. To claim your refund take your purchased goods to the Tax Refund Counter on the 9th floor. You will also need to bring your receipts, your passport and the credit card you used to make your purchase.

Location

Kobe Hankyu’s Main Building is located to the south of JR Sannomiya Station and can be accessed from there via footbridges. It is also directly connected to Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station at the basement level. Although it is not directly connected to Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station this department store is only a 5-minute walk from there. Here is a map showing its location.

Open: 10.00 – 20.00

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.