Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 1

A view of Kobe in the early 1890s Robert Neff Collection

By Robert Neff

• Published Sep 3, 2022 11:00 AM KST
• Updated Sep 4, 2022 10:31 AM KST

By Robert Neff

Sometimes, while following the histories of Westerners residing in Korea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is easy to go down a rabbit hole. My rabbit hole this week was Kobe, Japan.

In 1880, Kobe (commonly referred to as Hiogo) was a bustling Japanese port city of more than 200,000 residents. It had a thriving foreign community of about 875 people. The largest groups were the Chinese (516), British (232), Germans (56), Americans (33) and Portuguese (17). There were several consulates ― including Hawaii ― along with a municipal council, a police force (two Western supervisors and 5 Chinese patrolmen), a post office, a newspaper, a customs office, banks and even a railroad station.

For respectable entertainment, there were two clubs (the Kobe Club and Kobe Regatta Athletics Club) and a “bowling saloon” ― the owner later added a billiard room making his establishment even more attractive.

Baser forms of entertainment were offered at dive bars and houses of ill repute with somewhat colorful names such as “Back of Beyond,” “China Dog” and “Happy Garden.” Of course, not everything that happened in these establishments stayed in the establishments, and patronage sometimes necessitated a visit to one of the port's doctors, hospitals or dispensaries. Occasionally medicine wasn't enough, but fortunately, there were several churches where sufferers could plead for divine intervention and the cleansing of one's sins.

Some of the more adventurous Westerners sought cleanliness in one of the spas or saunas. Perhaps it wasn't quite cleanliness they were after, but rather the experience of coed bathing. The local newspaper described the experiences of one gentleman “who was possessed of sufficient curiosity to explore one of the bath-houses” where “Western ideas of decency” were lacking. The curious gentleman was shocked to find himself “in a den about ten feet square,” where “there were packed 18 Japanese men, 3 women, 2 Chinamen, 1 white sailor, and 1 [Black sailor].” According to the account, the curious gentleman concluded “with a shudder, that the place was 'quite too-too.'”

I can't imagine many Western women patronizing the coed saunas but I imagine that “Kobe Hair Dressing Saloon” (owned by Prof. R. da Canha) was popular. Da Canha's credentials seem rather impressive but unwarranted as this was apparently the only advertised beauty shop in town.

Trading companies and merchants seem to have dominated the city's businesses and in later years would have some ties to Korea. There were also tailor shops, a paper manufacturer, ironworks, ship-builders, hotels and ― the reason for my interest in the city ― clock- and watchmakers.

The port enjoyed a large number of visitors ― many were tourists but there were also a large number of merchant marines and navy sailors ― and they all needed temporary accommodations. Perhaps one of the most popular hotels was Hiogo Hotel (Mrs. M.F. Green, proprietor) which boasted “New First-Class Billiard Tables … Bass and Lager Beer on Draught and Dinner at 7 p.m.” Of course, Hiogo Hotel wasn't without competition. Mr. B. Reymond operated Hotel de Colonies, and Kobe Hotel (owned by a Japanese man) was also fairly popular.

There were also smaller establishments like Oriental Inn and Prince of Wales' Inn whose proprietors were likely ex-sailors. It takes no great stretch of the imagination to assume that many, if not most, of their patrons, were sailors from the foreign warships that often visited the port.

Although my descent into the rabbit hole has not unearthed much material for my research, it has provided some interesting anecdotes of the mishaps of Western sailors visiting Kobe in the early 1880s ― subjects for the next article.

Note: The photographs are from the album of a young Englishwoman who lived in Kobe in the mid-1890s.

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.