Lafcadio Hearn, also known as Koizumi Yakumo, has drawn renewed attention as the model for the main character in the NHK morning drama Bakébaké.
While Hearn is often associated with Matsue and Kumamoto, he and his wife also lived in Kobe for a period of time. Though their stay lasted only one year and nine months, traces of their life in the city remain quietly embedded in the urban landscape today.
Why Hearn Moved to Kobe
In 1894 (Meiji 27), Lafcadio Hearn moved to Kobe after being appointed a reporter for The Kobe Chronicle, an English-language newspaper for foreign residents.
Following the opening of the port, Kobe rapidly developed into an international city with strong overseas connections. For Hearn, it became a new base from which he continued his work of conveying language and culture.
Shimoyamate 4-chome: The Couple’s First Home in Kobe
The area around Shimo-Yamate 4-chome, where Yakumo first lived after moving to Kobe.
Hearn’s first residence in Kobe was located around what is now Shimoyamate 4-chome in Chuo Ward.
Close to the former foreign settlement, the area was already a blend of exotic atmosphere and modern urban planning at the time.
However, it is said that Hearn did not feel entirely comfortable with the city’s character.
Hearn’s Impression of “Modern Kobe”
The Kobe Church of the United Church of Christ in Japan, located near the Central Labor Center where Yakumo’s former residence once stood.
Hearn reportedly described Kobe as a city with an affected “British and American style,” and felt a certain sense of discomfort there.
The rapidly modernizing atmosphere may have felt distant to someone who was deeply drawn to Japan’s spiritual and cultural traditions. He may have visited the church located near his former residence during this period.
The Monument Marking the Former Residence of Koizumi Yakumo
The Central Labor Center, the site of Yakumo’s former residence in Kobe.
Although Hearn’s time in Kobe was brief—about one year and nine months—it was during this period that he submitted his application for Japanese naturalization.
Despite his unease with the city, his resolve to live as a Japanese national took shape during these Kobe years.
The monument marking the “Site of Lafcadio Hearn’s Former Residence,” erected in 1994 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Yakumo’s arrival in Kobe.
One of the former residential sites where Hearn lived is now marked by a monument reading “Site of the Former Residence of Koizumi Yakumo.”
The monument was erected in 1994, exactly 100 years after Hearn moved to Kobe, and is located on the grounds of the Central Labor Center.
An explanatory plaque in English is also installed at the site.
Inside the first-floor lobby of the Central Labor Center, visitors will also find a small Koizumi Yakumo Corner, introducing his connection to Kobe.
Though located in the heart of the city, it remains a quiet, lesser-known spot that gently conveys the footsteps of a literary figure.
Kobe is often spoken of as a glamorous port city. Yet it is also part of the city’s history that a writer from abroad lived here while grappling with feelings of unease and inner conflict.
Standing before the monument, one may find themselves imagining the “modern Kobe” that Hearn once saw—and walking through the city from a slightly different perspective.
Location Information
Central Labor Center
-
Address: 6-3-28 Shimoyamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe
-
Access: Approximately a 5-minute walk from Kencho-mae Station (Kobe Municipal Subway)
