Forest of Books (Honnomori) children’s library
An inspirational children’s library in central Kobe, designed by architect Tadao Ando.
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An inspirational children’s library in central Kobe, designed by architect Tadao Ando.
Kobe Children’s Book Forest (こども本の森 神戸) is a book-filled cultural space for children set inside Higashiyuenchi Park, designed and partly funded by renowned architect Tadao Ando. It’s designed as a place where kids can freely interact with books—picture books, illustrated guides, literature, art books, and foreign-language titles—without being boxed in by age or reading level.
Opened in March 2022, the facility was conceived around five ideas: learning the importance of life and passing on the lessons of the 1995 earthquake, nurturing curiosity through the park’s greenery, fostering creativity through free space and experience, encountering Kobe’s history and culture, and building intergenerational connections along the waterfront.
Inside, the signature experience is the “forest of books”: floor-to-ceiling shelves that make browsing feel like exploring. Covers are intentionally visible higher up to spark curiosity (“I want to read that!”), while duplicate copies are kept within reach so children can pick them up and read comfortably.
Architecture is part of the visit. Look for Ando’s characteristic light and concrete moments, especially the cylindrical, high-ceilinged “Rest Room” lounge lit from above, where a quiet, church-like atmosphere encourages slow reading and calm attention.
Because the building sits beside Kobe’s earthquake memorial area in the park, it also works as a gentle “city memory” stop: books, place, and the surrounding monuments together create a meaningful context for families (and adults, too) spending time in central Kobe.
Do note that you usually need a reservation to enter because it is a hugely popular venue. If you’re visiting the library from Sannomiya central station, it’s a pleasant 10-15 minute walk down the central Flower Road.
Kobe Children’s Book Forest is on the south side of Higashiyuenchi Park, a walkable area from central Sannomiya. It’s roughly a 10–15 minute walk from the major Sannomiya stations (JR/Hankyu/Hanshin), and about a 5–7 minute walk from Subway Kaigan Line’s Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae Station. Use the address “6-1-1 Kanocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe” or search “こども本の森 神戸” in your maps app for the most accurate route and entrance point.
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