Photo Gallery
Hyogo Prefectural Guest House : Things to See & Do
Designed by Hanroku Yamaguchi, construction began in 1899 and the building opened in 1902 as Hyogo’s fourth prefectural office. Air raids in 1945 gutted the interior, leaving only the outer walls, and it was restored after the war. Converted into a guest house in 1985 and named the Hyogo Prefectural Guest House, it won the first Public Building Award in 1988 and became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2003. After interior works from January 2025, it reopened to visitors in 2026.
South entrance (the embassy in HERO)
The entrance filmed as the Neustria embassy in the 2015 film HERO starring Takuya Kimura, with semicircular arched windows and Meiji-era owl talisman stones on the walls. Being outside, it can be seen from the garden on any day
Guest of Honour Room
Ceiling and walls are finished in solid zelkova; furniture, lighting and fittings throughout follow the Renaissance style
Ryohei Koiso tapestry
In the 3rd-floor lobby, the former main hall. Works by Hyogo-linked artists such as Koiso and Kaii Higashiyama hang throughout
Film-location rooms and stairs
It played Tsuruki Trading in My Happy Marriage and the Prime Minister’s conference room in The Emperor in August; the staircase was used for a Hinatazaka46 dance video
Hyogo Prefectural Guest House : Photo Spots & Tips
Best Shots
- — The south entrance and arched windows framed by trees (the embassy shot from HERO)
- — Wet paving and stone walls on a rainy day
- — The staircase and handrail details inside
Best Timing
- — Inside: the 2nd and 4th Saturday open days
- — Garden and exterior: any day during garden hours
- — Autumn colour in the trees around November
Photography inside is for personal records only: no reflectors or lights, no long sessions, and no shots aimed solely at the artworks. Professional shoots, model sessions and photos for sale are not allowed.
Access
About 5 min walk north from the west exit of JR/Hanshin Motomachi Station; right by Exit East-2 of Kenchomae Station (Kobe Municipal Subway)
Note
[What you can see] - The guest-house rooms on the 1st and part of the 3rd floor. The 2nd-floor prefectural archives closed in January 2025 - Some rooms you cannot enter can still be viewed from the doorway on open days, and staff explain how they are used - Furniture in the meeting and waiting rooms may not be touched or sat on; corridor chairs and sofas are fine. No eating or drinking inside [Group tours] - Groups of 10+ can join a staff-guided weekday tour (about 30 min; booking required, accepted from one month ahead)
