# Kobe Kaientai Monument (The Kobe Moai)

> A row of five moai-like stone statues facing Kobe's harbor in Meriken Park, dedicated to the young cadets of the 1860s Kobe Naval Training Center founded by Katsu Kaishu and Sakamoto Ryoma. It is a quirky, free photo spot near the Oriental Hotel.

- Prefecture: Hyogo
- Type: Landmark
- Address: Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
- Admission: Free

Tucked along the waterfront in Meriken Park, beside the Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel, stand five weathered stone statues that look unmistakably like the moai of Easter Island, and locals call them "the Kobe Moai." Their official name is the Kobe Kaientai Monument (Kobe Kaientai no Hi). The carvings honour the young trainees of the Kobe Naval Training Center (Kobe Kaigun Soren-jo), a short-lived naval academy established along this shore between 1863 and 1865 under Katsu Kaishu, the naval reformer, with the reformist samurai Sakamoto Ryoma among its students. Each of the five figures is a slightly different size with its own facial expression, gazing steadily out toward the sea the cadets once trained on. The monument has become a popular and slightly offbeat photo spot; the statues are often dressed up in seasonal costumes by locals (Santa hats in December, and so on), and they can be admired from both the sea side and the park side. Because it sits right among Meriken Park's main sights, Kobe Port Tower, the Maritime Museum, and the BE KOBE monument, it costs nothing to visit and fits easily into any harbor stroll.

## FAQ

### Why are there moai statues in Kobe?

They aren't moai; they just look like them. The five stone figures form the Kobe Kaientai Monument, dedicated to the young cadets of the Kobe Naval Training Center, a naval academy set up on this shore in 1863-1865 by Katsu Kaishu, with Sakamoto Ryoma among the trainees. The statues face the sea the cadets once trained on. Their resemblance to Easter Island's moai earned them the local nickname 'the Kobe Moai.'

### Where exactly are the Kobe Moai and how do I get there?

They stand along the waterfront in Meriken Park, right beside the Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel at the park's tip. From JR Motomachi Station it's about a 12-15 minute walk south through Nankinmachi (Chinatown); the Kobe Subway Kaigan Line's Minato-Motomachi Station is about 5 minutes away. Look for the statues on the harbor edge past the Port Tower and BE KOBE monument.

### Is it free, and what else can I see nearby?

Yes, the monument is free and accessible any time as part of the open waterfront. It pairs naturally with the rest of Meriken Park: the red Kobe Port Tower, the Kobe Maritime Museum, the BE KOBE photo monument, and the Earthquake Memorial Park. Kobe Harborland's shopping and dining is a 5-10 minute walk across the harbor, making it an easy add-on to a half-day port stroll.

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Source: Kobe Kaientai Monument (The Kobe Moai) — Japan Voyage