Heading to Kobe Harborland

Parking options for a Panamera can be limited. In the city, whether you’re in Osaka or Kobe, you often have to check before heading out: “Will I be able to park there? Is there a lot with spaces big enough for a car this size?” (If the parking spaces look too tight, I often end up changing my plans.)

With that in mind, umie in Kobe Harborland is a great option. It ticks all the right boxes:

・Covered parking
・Plenty of room in each space
・No wheel stops underneath

I checked the parking information to be sure: the listed limits are “Height: 2.10 m, length: 5.20 m, width: 2.00 m.” The Panamera measures 1,427 mm high, 5,049 mm long, and 1,937 mm wide, so it fits within all the limits!

Three hours of free parking on weekdays

The parking rates are another big plus. Parking is free for the first three hours on weekdays (two hours on weekends), and spend at least ¥2,000 at umie for an extra free hour. So if you’re just doing a little shopping, you can easily stay within the free-parking period. From what I’ve found, large parking spaces around Sannomiya Station that can accommodate a Panamera can cost ¥400 for 25 minutes, and some lots don’t even have a daily maximum. (The Daimaru parking garage is one option, though.)

If you absolutely have to go to Sannomiya, you may have no choice but to park nearby. But umie has Uniqlo, H&M, and Zara, and the Anpanman Children’s Museum is close by, so there’s often plenty to do without going elsewhere.

When I parked my Panamera there, it looked as though the spaces could fit cars even wider than two meters.

umie also has a lot of parking spaces. When I come back to my Panamera, I often find that one side is clear—maybe other drivers are giving it a little extra room. That makes it easy to load up the car or get the kids in without worrying about someone dinging the doors.

One last personal observation: H&M and Zara at umie seem to have a better selection than their stores in Umeda or Shinsaibashi, Osaka. (Though maybe that’s just me.) Anyway, if you’re heading to Kobe Harborland in a larger car, umie is my parking pick.