Port Harbour or Marina: Shin Nishinomiya Marina, Kobe, Hyogo.
Latitude: 34 42' 31.31"N
Longitude: 135 19' 49.73"E
Major Attractions: This is arguably the best marina to leave a cruising yacht if one wishes to return home. The staff and members of both the marina and the Kansai Yacht Club (KYC) go out of their way to assist and ensure the safety of the vessel. Add to this the proximity of Kobe, Osaka and Kansai International airport and there are few better stopover/wintering choices in Japan. This is a good location from which one can explore Kyoto.
Nearest Port of Entry: Kobe
Formalities Arrival: The staff at the KYC will arrange for the visit of Customs. It is unlikely that this would be the entry port for a cruising yacht.
Formalities Departure: Advise Customs. If leaving for another country all formalities can be arranged as per the details below. KYC staff will assist.
Immigration: Office will advise if required. Address: Kobe Port District Bldg. 2nd Floor, 29, Kaigan-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe. Tel: +81-78-391-4747
Customs: Office will advise if required. Address: 12-1 Shinko-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe Tel: +81-78-333-3010
Coast Guard: Office will advise if required
Quarantine: Office will advise if required. Address: 1-1, Toyahama-cho, Hyogo-ku, Kobe. Tel: +81-78-672-9653
Harbour master: On arrival tie up to the 400m visitors pontoon that is in the middle of the marina and go to the office.
Berthing Mooring Options: Shin Nishinomiya Yacht Harbor, Nishinomiya Port, Hyogo Prefecture, Email: webmaster@sinnisi-yh.co.jp, Tel:0798 33 0651, Fax: 0798 33 2411.
Anchorage Options: None
Yacht Club Facilities: Extensive. Excellent showers with lockers (marina pass key) and toilets. 24 hour security and pass key for marina entry. There are three restaurants in the marina building, plus an owners' salon which supplies free wifi and live weather forecasts. An extensive library of local yachting and cruising magazines is also in the owners' salon as well as a book swapping facility (English). Haulout Facilities: There are two straddle Travelifts, each of 40 tons and a high pressure washdown. A barbecue area is available.
Trades: All trades are available at the boatyard. Woodworkers, electricians, electronics, fiberglass, welding, engineering workshop and a loft. Both water and gas plumbing are also available. A North Sails loft is on the premises, (Takumi Nakamura, GM, Email: takumi@jp.northsails.com, Tel: +81798267771). For specialized services (rigging, unusual electronics) contact Kousei Monda of One Three Five Degrees East on 81-798 32 1350, Email: info@135-e.com.
Websites: www.sinnisi-yh.co.jp, http://www.nishi.or.jp/homepage/foreign/index-e.html
Japanese Small Ships Guide: H803W
Charts: Japanese W101A, W101B,W1103, W1107, H138W
Sailing Directions: Japan Pilot Vol.III
Water: At the berth. Special hose fitting available at marina office
Fuel: A 20mt re-fuelling pontoon providing both diesel and petrol is in the marina enclosure.
LPG: Available, however, non Japanese tanks are difficult to refill due to Government safety regulations. Ocassionally, some gas resellers will fill your tank, especially if it is a small family owned establishment. KYC can arrange for an independent gas re-seller to visit your boat to check your system, but in the end they want to sellyou a new tank.
Marine Vendors: There are five small chandleries in the marina lobby. What they don't have, they'll get. West Marine orders dispatched from the US arrive in three to seven days. In the shopping centre across the road from the marina you'll find two more businesses that sell yacht rope. A visit to Tadahiko san, General Manager of Harken Japan may result in well priced equipment. Address: 2-42, Nishinomiyahama, Nishinomiya City, Bus: 81 798 22 2520, E-mail: harkenjp.com@wine.ocn.ne.jp
ATMs: As always the most efficient way to get money from your overseas account in Japan is through the Post Office system of ATMs. A Japan Post office is located in the shopping village immediately opposite the marina. ATMs are dotted throughout the Kobe/Osaka area.
Shops & Markets: The stretch between Kobe and Osaka which includes the marina has literall tens of thousands of store and many thousands of supermakets. Directly opposite the marina there is a small shopping complex that has a supermarket, dry cleaner, acapuncturist, hairdressers and restaurants whilst a 20 minute walk (5 min bus ride) brings you to Rinko-sen Street on which are located a MaxValue, Co-op, K and two other supermarkets, a huge hardware megastore and many other shops. At Nishinomiya Hanshin Station there is a Hanshin Department store.Half way between Shinnishinomiya and Osaka, in Amagasaki City, you'll also find a Costco (3-13-55 Tsugiya Amagasaki City), and a Carrefours (managed by AEON) store next door.
Postal Services: A Japan Post office is located in the shopping village immediately opposite the marina. There are numerous post offices throughout the area.
Hotels & Restaurants: The area has hotels for every budget and restaurants for all tastes. Within the marina complex you will find, the KYC Restaurant on the second floor, Buono, a café' and snack outlet on the ground floor and another restaurant on the third floor.
Internet/Phones: See "All about the Internet in Japan" on this Blog. International coin and card 'phones are available in the marina lobby. Free, rapid, wifi service is available in the owner's salon. There are literally dozens of Freespot locations in hotel lobbies, hair salons and café' throughout Nishinomiya.
Laundry Services: There is a small washing machine usually used by the housekeeping staff, available at the marina. Free. There is a laundry service store located just past the Hanshin Nishinomiya Station on Fudabasuji-sen Street.
Air/Sea/Road Transport: Immediately outside the marina complex there is a regular (say half hourly) bus service that connects with the JR Line, Hankyu Kobe Line, Hanshin Line that go to Kobe and Osaka and Limo Bus to Kansai International Airport (get off at Hanshin Nishinomiya Station, bus stop at the rear of the station just before hospital). Taxis can be called through the front office.
Special Notes: Note that there are strictly policed city ordinances that prohibit smoking in the streets of the central business district of Kobe.
Other Information: Nishinomiya is widely regarded as an ideal location, well situated between the major cities of Kobe and Osaka. Luxury neighborhoods are common in this city, especially in areas near Ashiya,a neighboring city known as a the Beverly hills of the Kansai area. The city in general is very accesible to its residents, with a large array of shopping options and parks. Some of the shopping malls in Nishinomiya are the Lalaport Koshien and the Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens

Disclaimer: The information made available herein is intended as purely a broad guideline for the intending cruising yachtsman. It is not intended as, nor should it be used for navigation. The authors accept no responsibility for its accuracy and therefore cannot be held liable for any consequences of its use.