Today's Japan has changed greatly over the past two hundred years, and is now a highly technologically advanced country with a charming relaxed and very welcoming attitude to visitors. Yet here, beauty goes hand-in-hand with commerce, as the aptly-named Flower Street in the heart of the city shows.

Watch this video to get a glimpse of the city of Kobe (pronounced Ko-bay) which was our first taste of Japan.

Perhaps one of the most impressive things we noticed was the courtesy of the people. Even in the shopping streets, they walked slowly, in step with each other, without pushing or rushing. What's more the streets were spotless, graffiti unseen, the air unpolluted. A sense of gentle order and respect was noticeable - differing from many other Asian countries, and at odds with most Westen ones too.

But you mustn't think the Japanese don't know how to have fun. Remember this is the country that gave the world karaoke! At the Earthquake Recovery Park near the port where our ship had berthed we found these youngsters having fun. Many of them were letting off steam as they waited for a turn on the ramps in the adjoining skateboard arena.

And while many Japanese profess no religion, Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are in every city. Count yourself lucky if you get to witness a colourful Shinto wedding party walking along the street on their way to the ceremony. 

Although Japan may not be thought of as a sporting country, Kobe proudly claims it was the city to found marathon running in the country. Traditionally, sumo is considered Japan's national sport, and of course other martial arts – judo, karate and kendo – are also widely practiced. Japan hosted the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964, as well as the Winter Olympics twice: Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998. Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics, making Tokyo the first Asian city to host the Olympics twice.

The parks flanking Flower Street are cool and beautiful places to relax, but one part commemorates a sad event.

In 1995 a massive 7.2 Richter-scale earthquake demolished many buildings and killed 6,434 people, leaving a further 212,000 homeless and devastating much of the port area.

This statue was toppled and the clock stopped at the exact time of the quake, and has now been left as a memorial.

Today's Kobe has been rebuilt, revamped and restored into a classy first-world city.

Yet, it seems, in Japan tradition is never far from the surface. Women still wear elegant and stylish kimonos for special occasions and the garments are sold in boutiques throughout the city.

Padded sandal-slippers worn over white socks are a tradional accessory.

In fact shopping seems to be a national pastime and Kobe has several shopping precincts full of  shops, cafes, restaurants and department stores.

Dogs are much loved and trendy 'accessories' too, often being wheeled in prams or small trolleys and, as you would expect, they are impeccably behaved.

Motomachi is one of Kobe's precincts, and this mega-shopping centre stretches for a couple of blocks.

Just nearby, Kobe's Chinatown is as Chinese as anyone could wish and bustling, relaxed, noisy and full of magnificent smells of Chinese cooking.

However Japanese food is much more prominent, and small cafes serve cheap and cheerful meals such as this pumpkin, tempura prawn and udon noodle dish served with tempura crumbs and rice. The kitchen-hands prepare it in a cubbyhole kitchen...

...... but the tricky bit is the ordering. There are no waiters and diners must order and pay at this automated window  in the street outside. Easy if you can read Japanese! Luckily we found some locals who could help out.

Other places have full window displays of their dishes, all crafted from plastic and resin, and mouthwateringly realistic.

These baked goods are real though, and great hits with the locals who love all sorts of buns and pastries.

The creation of these plastic replica dishes is an important industry in Japan.

Suburban trains are as swift, clean and efficient as you would expect them to be in Kobe. The main sticking point may be figuring out how to buy tickets from the automated machines, but again, there is usually a polite and helpful assistant or local person who can come to your aid.

If you have time, take the steeply ascending cable car to the summit of Mount Rokko to the north of the city. This, despite its name is not a single mount but a 900m altitude range.

The 240-degree views stretch all the way to Osaka Bay, and in the cooler air, it is a place much loved by locals.

The train itself makes the journey worth doing.

Back at sea-level, where so much devastation took place in the earthquake, new buildings now stand, as well as a touching memorial wall showing pictures of the damage at the time.

New buildings include the Maritime Museum, the 108m Kobe Port Tower and a ferris wheel. There are even a couple of man-made islands.

From the tower's observation deck visitors have a stunning 360-degree view of the city and its backdrop of mountains and bay.

This ornate replica galleon is moored at the port in stark contrast with the elegant lines of the ultra-modern hotel behind.

But all good experiences have to finish....

Finally, after two days in this lovely port it was time to leave Kobe. Courteous and hospitable to the end, the locals turned out in force to farewell us with music and wave goodbye.

Understandably, it wasn't easy to leave such a lovely city which had introduced us to Japanese life and culture.