If it weren't for the museum dedicated to the devastating 1995 earthquake, you might never know that Kobe suffered a natural calamity. Today this Japanese port town is a thriving metropolitan city with an international feel. The sake brewing season runs from October through April and it's the best time to take a tour of a kura (the Japanese word for brewery) or visit the Hakutsure Sake Brewery Museum year-round. The nightlife is happening, and, of course, the Kobe beef is celebrated worldwide.