Kobe International Club - Platform

11/05/2026

20/04/2026

(English translation below; see original post for Japanese and Spanish)

With the coming of warm spring sunshine, Easter celebrations have been taking place all around the world. This year, children in both Barcelona and Kobe had a wonderful chance to experience this tradition in their own ways.

Here in Barcelona, children participated in a workshop to make “Mona de Pascua”, a local traditional sweet. It was impressive to see the kids so focused, carefully decorating their cakes with chocolate and eggs to make their own unique sweet treat.

Meanwhile, in Kobe, there was a similar workshop at the patio stage in the Hankyu Department Store. In the department store’s refined and elegant setting, you can just imagine the kids smiling as they created Easter bunnies and egg-themed crafts—probably the same kind of joyful, hopeful atmosphere we saw here in Barcelona.

Though countries and customs may differ, the spirit of celebration and gathering around symbols of life and renewal (such as rabbits and eggs) to welcome the arrival of spring seems to be a shared sentiment. Activities and events that center on passing down traditions while embracing other cultures help to enrich children’s sensibilities. This event too, was one of those heartwarming springtime moments that reminds us of how universal this kind of joy really is.

国境を越えて響き合う春の鼓舞、バルセロナと神戸のイースター

暖かな春の陽光とともに、世界各地で イースター（復活祭） の祝祭が行われました。今年は、バルセロナと神戸という二つの地で、子供たちがこの伝統に触れる貴重な機会がありました。

バルセロナでは、地元の伝統菓子である「モナ・デ・パスクア」を手作りするワークショップに参加。子供たちが真剣な表情でチョコレートや卵の装飾を施し、自分だけの特別なケーキを仕上げていく姿が印象的でした。

一方、神戸では、神戸阪急のパティオステージにて開催されたワークショップが開催されたようです。洗練された空間の中で、イースターバニーやエッグをモチーフにした創作を楽しむ子供たちの笑顔は、バルセロナで見た光景と同じく、希望に満ち溢れてたでしょう。

国や形式は違えど、生命の躍動を象徴するウサギや卵を囲み、春の訪れを祝う心は世界共通です。伝統を受け継ぎ、異文化を慈しむ体験が、子供たちの感性を豊かに育んでいく。そんな普遍的な喜びを再確認した、心温まる春のひとときとなりました。

Barcelona y Kobe Semana Santa

El pulso de la primavera resuena más allá de las fronteras: Semana Santa en Barcelona y Kobe.
Con el cálido sol primaveral, las celebraciones de *Pascua* tuvieron lugar en todo el mundo. Este año, los niños tuvieron la rara oportunidad de vivir esta tradición en dos lugares: Barcelona y Kobe.
En Barcelona, participaron en un taller en el que elaboraron su propia "mona de pascua", un pastel tradicional de la zona. Fue impresionante ver a los niños decorar con esmero los adornos de chocolate y huevos para crear su propia tarta especial.
Mientras tanto, en Kobe, el taller se celebró al parecer en el Patio Stage de Kobe Hankyu. Las sonrisas de los niños mientras disfrutaban creando motivos de conejos y huevos de Pascua en este sofisticado espacio debían de estar tan llenas de ilusión como la escena que vimos en Barcelona.
A pesar de las diferencias de país y forma, el espíritu de celebrar la llegada de la primavera en torno a conejos y huevos, símbolos de la vitalidad de la vida, es el mismo en todo el mundo. La experiencia de heredar tradiciones y cuidar de culturas diferentes alimenta la sensibilidad de los niños de forma enriquecedora. Fue una experiencia primaveral reconfortante que reafirmó esa alegría universal.

08/04/2026

(English translation below; see original post for Japanese and Spanish)

Hello everyone! Nice to meet you all.
I’m originally from Kobe, having lived in Tarumi Ward until fourth grade, then in Nishi Ward until I graduated from university.
I left Kobe when I started working, but thanks to a recent job transfer, I ended up moving to Barcelona this past summer. I never expected to stay connected to my hometown in this way, so it’s been a pleasant surprise. Back in Tarumi, I lived just a three-minute walk from the sea, so being in a coastal city again after so long feels very nostalgic.

When you think of Kobe, you may think of how the city is nestled between the mountains and the sea. At the Daimaru department store in Motomachi, the floor maps are labeled not “north” and “south,” but “mountain side” and “sea side”, respectively. This actually made the rounds on social media for a while, so even people who’ve never lived in Kobe may have heard about it. When I lived there—especially when I used to wander around Motomachi and Sannomiya—I always oriented myself based on the direction of the mountains and sea.

Recently, I realized I have the same sense of direction here in Barcelona.
Like Kobe, Barcelona is also bordered by mountains and the sea. What’s more, even areas that look flat actually slope gently toward the mountains. Even though I’m still a newcomer to the city, the slopes make it easy to tell which direction is uphill (toward the mountains) or downhill (toward the sea), which is surprisingly helpful when I come out of a metro station and don’t know which way to go.
Another thing I love is how many bakeries there are in Barcelona (perhaps because of my Kobe roots). I have a feeling that the longer I stay, the more similarities there may be between Kobe and Barcelona, just waiting to be discovered.

Spring is just around the corner in Barcelona. It’s still a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings, but lately more people have been spending time relaxing on the beach during the day. Next time, I’m thinking of picking up some bread from my favorite bakery and enjoying lunch on the sand.

26/02/2026

(English translation below; see original post for Japanese and Spanish)

This February, we received news of snowfall from across Japan, and in Kobe’s Chuo Ward, more than one centimeter of snow accumulated for the first time in several years. Barcelona, on the other hand, has enjoyed uncharacteristically warm days, with temperatures rising above 20°C on some days. Last week, however, Barcelona was hit with powerful winds exceeding 100 kilometers an hour, forcing schools to close. In a manner of speaking, one might wonder whether it was a rather dramatic version of what we in Japanese would call “haru ichiban”, the first southern gale of spring.

Amid the mixed seasonal weather, the Kobe International Club Barcelona branch held its New Year’s party. Our members shared news and life updates, and reflected on the year over delicious Chinese food and a relaxed, warm atmosphere.
We were also delighted to welcome new members on this occasion, further expanding our group network. With these new connections, we will strive to continue to hold activities that connect Kobe and Barcelona.

今年の２月は日本各地で雪の便りが届き、神戸市中央区でも数年ぶりに1センチ以上の雪が積もったそうです。一方、バルセロナでは例年に比べて暖かな日が続き、日によっては気温が20度を超えることもありました。先日は時速１００キロを超える強風が街を襲い、学校も休校になりましたが、あれは激しめの「春一番」だったのでしょうか。

そんな中、コウベ・インターナショナル・クラブ バルセロナ支部では新年会を開催いたしました。
美味しい中華料理を囲みながら、近況報告に花を咲かせ、和やかな時間を過ごしました。今回は新しいメンバーも加わり、交流の輪がさらに広がったことを嬉しく思います。

新たなご縁とともに、これからも神戸とバルセロナをつなぐ活動を大切にしていきます。

Este febrero, se han recibido noticias de nevadas en distintas partes de Japón, y según parece, en el distrito central de Kobe (Chuo-ku) se acumuló más de 1 centímetro de nieve por primera vez en varios años.
Barcelona, en cambio, ha disfrutado de días más cálidos de lo habitual, con temperaturas que en algunos momentos superaron los 20 grados. Hace unos días, la ciudad fue azotada por fuertes vientos de más de 100 km/h que llegaron a provocar el cierre de los colegios — ¿sería acaso un "Haruichiban" particularmente intenso? (el primer viento fuerte del sur que anuncia la llegada de la primavera en Japón).

En este contexto, la Sección de Barcelona del Kobe International Club celebró su fiesta de Año Nuevo. Reunidos alrededor de una deliciosa cena china, compartimos novedades y disfrutamos de un tiempo distendido y cálido. Nos alegra especialmente que en esta ocasión se hayan sumado nuevos miembros, ampliando aún más nuestra red de relaciones. Con estos nuevos lazos, seguiremos cultivando las actividades que unen Kobe y Barcelona.

09/02/2026

Did you know that Kobe has its own brand for lumber and wood, called "Kobe Wood"?🪵

This brand was created to promote the sustainable use of natural resources within Kobe, tackling overgrown/undermaintained forests and protecting our biodiversity ecosystems!🌳

Wondering what sort of items are being made using this locally sourced wood?🤔
Look no further!
This week, there will be a pop-up at Kobe City Hall displaying some of the unique and high-quality products!🌱

📅 Thursday, February 12 ~ Friday, February 13
12:00PM ~ 4:00PM

📍 Kobe City Hall, 1F Lobby
6 Chome-5-1 Kanocho, Chuo Ward, 650-8570

💸 Free admission!

🔎 https://event.city.kobe.lg.jp/event/VFxxT2WKgqTUmCpJIW39
🔎 More on Kobe Wood: https://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/a36279/kobewood.html
🔎 Kobe Satoyama Biodiversity Strategy:
https://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/a66324/kurashi/recycle/biodiversity/satoyamaenglish.html

22/01/2026

(English translation below; see original post for Japanese and Spanish)

It’s now 2026.

This year marks 100 years since the passing of Antoni Gaudí, the architect behind Barcelona’s most iconic landmark, the Sagrada Família. With this milestone, Barcelona's name is likely to come up more often in Japan throughout the year.

This year as well, we hope to continue to host many activities that help the people of Barcelona get to know its sister city, Kobe.

2026年になりました。
バルセロナで一番有名な建築物サグラダファミリアの建築家ガウディが亡くなって100年。今年は日本でバルセロナのことが話題にのぼる機会も多いことでしょう。
そして、バルセロナでは姉妹都市である神戸のことを知ってもらうための活動を、今年もたくさん催すことができればと思います。

Ya estamos en 2026. Este año se cumplen 100 años de la muerte de Gaudí, el arquitecto del edificio más famoso de Barcelona, ​​la Sagrada Familia. Probablemente durante este año se tratará en muchas ocasiones temas relacionadas sobre Gaudi y Barcelona en Japón.
Y espero que en Barcelona podamos organizar muchas actividades este año para dar a conocer su ciudad hermana, Kobe.

14/01/2026

Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Vigil –31 years–

Almost 31 years have passed since the devastating earthquake that hit Kobe and the greater Hanshin area at 5:46AM on January 17, 1995.
In memory of all those who lost their lives in the disaster – as well as to pass down to the next generations the importance of connections, support, kindness, and thoughtfulness learned after the disaster – a gathering will be held this week as follows:

Date: Friday, January 16, 5PM to Saturday, January 17, 8PM (all night)
Moment of silence will be held at the following times:
January 16, 5:46PM
January 17, 5:46AM, 5:46PM

Venue: Higashi Yuenchi Park
Lanterns and candles will be set up starting 3PM, then lit on 5PM on the 16th, and 5AM and 4:30PM on the 17th.

Website: https://117notsudoi.jp
Event Info: https://event.city.kobe.lg.jp/event/Qf5YuETZyYAHnSIjaQHM

06/01/2026

👈しあわせの村の最新情報を発信中！
お正月、のんびり過ごせてますか？🎍
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半年後の予定なんて分からない、という方も 『とりあえず押さえる』のがキャンプ成功の秘訣ですよ！

予約開始日時：2026年1月5日（月）9：00～
予約方法：電話　078-743-8000
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ご予約お待ちしております。

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