Kobe Fashion Museum is Japan’s first museum dedicated to fashion. Opened in 1997, it is located on Rokko Island, a man-made island in Higashinada Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. As a symbol of Kobe’s cultural creativity and fashion industry, the museum offers visitors a wide-ranging look at fashion through exhibitions, historical collections, research resources, and special events.
The museum is one of Kobe’s architectural landmarks, with a futuristic design that resembles a UFO. Its striking silhouette makes it instantly recognizable on Rokko Island. Designed by Showa Sekkei and Taisei Corporation, the four-story building was completed in 1997 and has a total floor area of approximately 17,000 square meters.
The museum galleries host both permanent and special exhibitions exploring fashion and related subjects. The adjacent Kobe City Koiso Memorial Museum also offers opportunities to discover the region’s artistic heritage, making the area an appealing destination for visitors interested in art and culture.
The library holds approximately 28,000 books covering art, fashion, and interior design. Its resources extend beyond printed publications to include classic films, audiovisual materials, and fabric samples. These collections provide valuable reference materials for students, researchers, designers, and anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of fashion history.
The Resource Center serves as an archive of fashion-related materials. It provides access to a wide variety of reference resources that help visitors explore the development of clothing, design, and fashion culture.
Orbis Hall is a multipurpose venue used for fashion shows, exhibitions, and other events. It hosts a range of programs, from local fashion presentations to international events, contributing to Kobe’s lively creative scene.
Kobe Fashion Museum preserves an extensive collection of fashion-related books, magazines, films, fabric samples, and other historical materials, including many items dating from the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century.
The collection includes historical publications about clothing and fashion, as well as back issues of internationally influential magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Life. These publications offer insight into changing styles, design trends, and the relationship between fashion and society.
The museum’s audiovisual holdings include all 21 films by the filmmaking duo Straub–Huillet, approximately 4,800 environmental films and documentaries, and around 2,400 recordings of fashion shows held in Paris, Milan, London, and Tokyo. These materials document fashion on the runway as well as broader cultural and visual trends.
The museum holds approximately 30,000 fabric samples from France and Italy dating from the 19th century through the first half of the 20th century. The collection allows visitors and researchers to study historical textiles, materials, patterns, and the craftsmanship behind fashion design.
One of the museum’s notable special collections is the Junko Ouchi Collection, which includes approximately 46,000 slides documenting leading fashion designers from the 1970s onward. This extensive visual archive provides a valuable record of influential designers and the evolution of international fashion.
Kobe Fashion Museum is approximately a two-minute walk from Island Center Station on the Rokko Liner, making it easy to reach by public transportation.
Rokko Island also offers several other attractions worth exploring, including Kobe City Koiso Memorial Museum, Kobe Fashion Mart, Kobe Fashion Plaza, River Mall, and Urban Gourmet Port. Visitors can combine a museum visit with shopping, dining, and a leisurely walk around the island.
Kobe Fashion Museum offers a distinctive cultural experience for anyone interested in clothing, design, art, and the history of modern fashion. Its striking architecture, extensive historical collections, and varied exhibition spaces make it more than a conventional museum. Whether you are a fashion enthusiast, a design student, or a curious traveler, the museum provides an opportunity to explore how fashion reflects changing tastes, cultures, and lifestyles.
10:00-18:00
Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)
Permanent Exhibition
Adults 200 yen
University students and seniors over 65: 100 yen
Free for high school students and younger
Special Exhibitions
Fees differ for each special exhibition.
Short walk from Island Center Station (Rokko Liner)