Northstar

Destination Kobe 42 NOV-DEC 2018 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM gala venues, as the 754 delegates of the OCEANS'18 MTS/IEEE Kobe conference discovered. With the aquarium's main tank as the backdrop, guests experienced a traditional 'Kagami- biraki' sake barrel breaking ceremony, tea ceremony, and a traditional 'koto' ( Japanese harp) performance. Wining and dining Delegates who visit Kobe will no doubt be expecting a taste of Kobe's most famous export: Kobe beef. A truly local dining experience here involves counter seats at teppanyaki-style joints, where diners will be shown their choice of meat before the chef slices and grills it to perfection. Misono Kobe, one of the city's pioneer restaurants, says it has received many requests from Muslim guests who want to try Kobe beef. Catching on to this demand, it started oering a halal Kobe beef steak course late last year, with the option of a 150g sirloin at JPY 29,160 (US$260) or llet at JPY 41,040. Spirits connoisseurs will also appreciate a visit to the sake (rice wine) breweries in Kobe's Nada region, which is renowned for producing exceptional sake due to the local rice and water used. At the award-winning Kobe Sushinkan brewery, English and other foreign language group tours are readily available and participants can taste a range of Nada sake varieties and avours before choosing their favourites to take home as souvenirs. Finally, Kobe is the only place where one can claim to have soaked in the oldest hot springs in Japan. Arima Onsen, founded approximately 1,300 years ago, is famed for its "kinsen" (gold spring), which is rich in iron and salt, as well as carbonic "ginsen" (silver spring). For a post-conference party, planners can organise a gathering complete with geisha hostesses and kaiseki cuisine right within the onsen. Top: A sake barrel breaking ceremony at Suma Aqualife Park, for OCEANS'18 MTS-IEEE Kobe; Nada sake is one of Kobe's top exports. Learn from the experts Kobe is known for its "Ten-Million- Dollar Night View" from Mt. Rokko, but there's a more thrilling spot for groups to get a panoramic view: Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. Linking Kobe with nearby Awaji Island, this is the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world. A technical tour of the bridge, guided by locals who personally worked on the bridge's construction, promises to thrill with visits to walkways under the bridge as well as to the top of the 297m-high central towers. For a deeper understanding of Japanese carpentry and architecture, a visit to Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum provides insight into how famous buildings in Japan were constructed and restored. Delegates can also get hands-on experience crafting their own wooden toys, cutlery or even furniture at the museum's workshop as they experience Japan's culture of monozukuri, or "making things". "Japan is increasingly popular for incentive travel, especially for groups from Southeast Asia." ETSUKO KAWASAKI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JAPAN CONVENTION BUREAU. CONVENTION BUREAU.

• Cover