is one of 9 wards of Kobe, 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 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.

Suma-ku, Kobe

Places of interest

Suma Rikyu Park

Suma Public Aquarium

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

See also

Japanese cruiser Suma

Japanese gunboat Suma

Kobe child murders

Myōdani Station

References

External links

Wards of Kobe

Suma-ku, Kobe