Suma-ku, Kobe

Suma (須磨区) is one of 9 wards of Kobe, Japan. As of February 1, 2012, it had 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 sunbathing and popular events during the summer. The beach is also a location in the Japanese literary classics Ise Monogatari, Genji Monogatari, and Heike Monogatari. Suma is often referred to as an utamakura or meisho, and is mentioned frequently in waka, and in Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku dramas. Nowadays, people mainly live in Myodani, Myohoji and other northern parts of the ward. Myōdani Station is a major station in western Kobe.



Places of interest

 * Suma Rikyu Park
 * Suma Aqualife Park

Notable people

 * Shintaro Ishihara - Governor of Tokyo
 * Yone Suzuki - businesswoman, lived in Suma-ku before 1927
 * Nobu Jo - social worker, founder of a suicide prevention campaign in Suma