Suma-ku, Kobe


Suma is one of 9 wards of Kobe City in Japan. As of February 1, 2012, it has an area of 30.0 km², and a population of 166,324, with 71,745 households.
There is a white sandy beach in this ward, which attracts tourists to the Kansai region for sun bathing and popular events during the summer season. The same beach has appeared in the classic epics Genji monogatari, Heike monogatari, and Ise monogatari. Thus Suma is often referred as an utamakura or meisho, referenced frequently in waka poetry, Noh theatre, kabuki and jōruri.

Places of interest