Daimaru Kobe is holding the popular "Kobe-ichi (こうべいち)" market, bringing together local flavors, goods, and culture from Kobe and the wider Hyogo region, from Wednesday, September 9 through Monday, September 14, 2026. Now in its 13th edition, this installment brings nostalgic yet new Kobe flavors, including old-fashioned traditional sweets from the Kobe Senbei Association and products made with "Revived Red Bean Paste," a recreation of a flavor long loved by Kobe locals. The event also marks 130 years since the first movie screening in Japan, held in Kobe, with movie merchandise for sale and exhibits tied to films connected to the city — a chance to experience Kobe's culture as well as its food. More than 60 brands, centered on gourmet food and miscellaneous goods and including 14 making their first appearance, gather under one roof for six days celebrating the appeal of Kobe and Hyogo through all five senses.
Kobe Senbei Association Collection
Kobe's kawara senbei (roof-tile-shaped rice crackers) are said to date back to around the time Kobe's port first opened, born as a confection that generously used sugar and eggs — precious ingredients at the time — and stamped with a design connected to Minatogawa Shrine. The Kobe Senbei Association, which has kept this tradition and quality alive ever since, brings a taste of old-fashioned Kobe to Kobe-ichi.
Kawara Senbei
Said to have emerged alongside the opening of Kobe's port, these traditional Kobe sweets earned popularity as "haikara senbei" — fashionable, Western-style crackers — for their novel flavor reminiscent of Western confectionery.
Toraya Yoshisue (御菓子司 虎屋吉末)
Kameido Sohonten (亀井堂総本店)
Jujido (十字堂)
Baseball Castella
Bite-sized, adorable castella cakes shaped like baseball gear — gloves, bats, and more — made and sold by kawara senbei shops.
Emirido (えみり堂)
Sales days: September 9 (Wed) and 12 (Sat) — limited quantities each day, with purchase limits per customer.
Yagi Shingetsudo (八木新月堂)
Sales days: September 9 (Wed) and 11 (Fri) — limited quantities each day, with purchase limits per customer.
Morimotoya (もりもとや)
Sales days: September 10 (Thu) and 13 (Sun) — limited quantities each day, with purchase limits per customer.
A Nostalgic Kobe Flavor, Revived
Matsubara Seianjo (松原製餡所)
[Live Demonstration] Kaitenyaki (Chunky Red Bean / Milk Bean Paste)
1 piece: ¥120 (tax included); 6 pieces: ¥600 (tax included)
The nostalgic red bean paste once loved in the "Revived Daimaru Manju," a recreation released 20 years ago, now returns in kaitenyaki form — a griddle-baked, filled sweet.
[First Appearance] Kometani Shoten (米谷商店)
"Fermentation Power Sake Lees Pickling Bed MINI" (for pickling vegetables)
500g: ¥518 (tax included)
Selected as one of Hyogo Prefecture's certified specialty products under the "Five-Star Hyogo" program. Made with sake lees from Hakutsuru Sake Brewery, and sold in a stand pouch that doubles as its own storage container.
More Hyogo and Kobe Gourmet Favorites
Fukushindo (福進堂) [Live Demonstration] "Fig Daifuku"
Hara Shoten (原商店) "Silk Atsuage (Fried Tofu)" — available each day while supplies last.
Mais Doré (マイス・ドレ) "Premium Caramel Popcorn" / "Premium Custard Soft Serve" — both items limited in quantity each day.
[First Appearance] LE SHIMIKI, a cheesecake specialty shop — "Basque Cheesecake" — available each day while supplies last.
[First Appearance] Kobe Roman (神戸浪漫) "Custard Pie"
Yuge Farm (弓削牧場) "Cadette Baked Cheesecake" / "Whey Cordial Drink (Plain or Herb, lightly sparkling lactic acid drink)" — both items limited in quantity each day.
[First Appearance] Sho Uchu Shokudo (小宇宙食堂) "Taiwanese Hu Jiao Bing (Black Pepper Bun)"
Maneki Shokuhin (まねき食品) ★ Eat-in "Maneki's Eki Soba (with Tempura)" — limited quantity each day.
For details on limited quantities and sales days for each item, check the Daimaru Kobe official website.
Kobe Meets the Movies
Japan's First Movie Screening Took Place in Kobe
Kobe's connection to the movies began on November 25, 1896 (Meiji 29), when Japan's first motion pictures — Kinetoscopes — were shown to the public at the Shinko Club in Hanakuma. Rather than projecting images onto a screen, the Kinetoscope let viewers peer through a small window to watch film move inside a wooden box.
The Cinema Memorial Monument in Meriken Park was erected in 1987 (Showa 62) by the Association to Build the Cinema Memorial Monument. The stone monument has a square cutout at its center meant to resemble a movie screen, with stones arranged in front of it like theater seats.
To mark 130 years since the first movie screening in Japan, held in Kobe, this year's Kobe-ichi features a movie-themed zone and related merchandise.
Assorted movie pamphlets — from ¥770 (tax included); photo is a representative example.
[First Appearance] Cinema Ink (シネマインク)
A movie merchandise specialty shop that has operated a storefront in Kobe since 1997, offering a wide range of film-related items centered on movie pamphlets and star bromide photographs.
Photo: display from a past event.
Even That Movie Was Shot in Kobe — Kobe Location Poster Exhibition
The Kobe Film Office was established in September 2000 as the city's official film commission, supporting location shoots and other aspects of movie production in Kobe. This exhibit showcases posters from notable films the office has supported over the past 26 years, with a focus on titles that filmed extensively on location in Kobe.
Cooperation: Kobe Film Office
The "DeLorean" Time Machine Comes to Daimaru Kobe
Date/Time: September 12 (Sat) and 13 (Sun), 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day
Location: 1F, Tor Road entrance
The DeLorean, made famous worldwide through a world-famous film, makes an appearance. On display is a privately built replica car that has been recognized as "the one true time machine." Other iconic movie props are also on display on the 9th-floor Event Hall.
Movie-Themed Kobe Souvenirs, Too
GoodThings — Kobe Souvenirs (神戸のおみやげGoodThings)
"KOBE Theater Signboard Collection" (LED Keychain, A5 Flyer Folder, Sticker)
¥2,200 (tax included)
A shop offering a wide range of Kobe souvenirs, including original Kobe goods. Marking 130 years since movies first arrived in Kobe, this commemorative collection lets visitors enjoy the atmosphere of an old-fashioned movie theater.
More Recommended Goods
Asahiya Glass (旭屋ガラス店) "Showa-Era Glass Plates"
KOBE SHOIN POP UP SHOP — "Kobe Yoshoku Restaurant Demi-Glace Curry," "Kobe Shoin Original Coffee," and "Kobe Shoin Tartan Card Case" (limited quantities available)
Event Details
- Dates: Wednesday, September 9 – Monday, September 14, 2026
- Venue: Daimaru Kobe
- Official Website: https://www.daimaru.co.jp/kobe/topics/20260824_kobeichi.html
