Kobe Mosque

{{Infobox religious building

| name = Kobe Mosque

| native_name = 神戸モスク

| native_name_lang = ja

| image = Kobe mosque01 2816.jpg

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| map_type = Japan Hyogo Prefecture

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| coordinates = {{Coord|34|41|46|N|135|11|16|E|type:landmark_region:JP|display=inline,title}}

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| religious_affiliation = Islam

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| location = 2-25-14 Nakayamate Dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Postal Code: 650-0004

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| architect = Jan Josef Švagr

| architecture_type = mosque

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| year_completed = 1935

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{{nihongo|Kobe Mosque|神戸モスク|Kōbe Mosuku}}, also known as {{nihongo|Kobe Muslim Mosque|神戸ムスリムモスク|Kōbe Musurimu Mosuku}}, was founded in October 1935 in Kobe and is Japan's first mosque introduced Islam to Kobe in 1935. Penn, M. "Islam in Japan," [http://www.asiaquarterly.com/content/view/168/ Harvard Asia Quarterly] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202212653/http://www.asiaquarterly.com/content/view/168/ |date=2007-02-02 }} Vol. 10, No. 1, Winter 2006., retrieved February 26, 2007 It is situated in the Hyōgo Prefecture city of Kobe. Established in October 1935, it holds historical significance as a symbol of the early presence of Islam in Japan.{{Cite journal |last=Ajar |first=Seno Budhi |date=2023-10-13 |title=The Impact of Historic Mosque Tourism Development on the Conservation of Historical Mosque Buildings in Japan and Indonesia |url=https://migrationletters.com/index.php/ml/article/view/4612 |journal=Migration Letters |language=en |volume=20 |issue=7 |pages=952–968 |doi=10.59670/ml.v20i7.4612 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |issn=1741-8992}} Its construction was funded by donations collected by the Islamic Committee of Kobe from 1928 until its opening in 1935.Agakhan third was a major contributor and then East Pakistan Prime Minister met Emperor of Japan to discuss the building of a mosque and Emperor was gracious enough to offer a land for its construction.[http://www.kobemosque.org/History%20English.htm Kobe Mosque Official Website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070120120052/http://www.kobemosque.org/History%20English.htm |date=2007-01-20 }} - "History", retrieved February 26, 2007 The mosque was confiscated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1943, survived airaids in 1945, and withstood the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995.{{Cite journal |last1=Gunardi |first1=Yudhi |last2=Barliana |first2=M. Syaom |date=2021-06-29 |title=Disaster Response Mosque: A Mosque as a Center for the Rescue of the Ummah |url=https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/JoDiE/article/view/35853 |journal=Journal of Development and Integrated Engineering |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=43–54 |doi=10.17509/jodie.v1i1.35853 |issn=2798-2165 |doi-access=free}} It is located in the Kitano-cho foreign district of Kobe, one of the city's best-known tourist areas which features many old western style buildings.

The mosque was built in traditional Indo-Islamic style by the Czech architect Jan Josef Švagr (1885–1969), the architect of a number of Western religious buildings throughout Japan.

In addition to its architectural and historical significance, the mosque serves as a focal point for Japan's Muslim community. Over the years, it has become one of more than 113 mosques across Japan.{{Cite web |title=Japan home to a growing Muslim presence as it embraces change {{!}} The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14903765 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=The Asahi Shimbun |language=en}}

History

The Kobe Mosque's construction, initiated by the Islamic Committee of Kobe in 1928, overcame financial and logistical hurdles. Confiscated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1943 during World War II, its restoration efforts epitomized resilience amidst wartime adversities, highlighting the community's commitment to their faith. Surviving the 1945 air raids largely unscathed, the Kobe Mosque emerged as a symbol of hope amidst devastation, showcasing its cultural and historical significance.{{Cite news |date=2024-03-29 |title=Retro Japan: Mosque in Kobe serves as spiritual center, symbol of multicultural coexistence |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240329/p2a/00m/0et/021000c |access-date=2024-03-31 |work=Mainichi Daily News |language=en}} Similarly, during the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995, though damaged, the mosque stood as a pillar of strength, continuing to serve as a vital center for worship, community, and resilience for Kobe's Muslim community and beyond.{{Cite journal |last1=Kotani |first1=Hitomu |last2=Okai |first2=Hirofumi |last3=Tamura |first3=Mari |date=2023-12-01 |title=Activities and roles of mosques in Japan after the recent major earthquakes: A comprehensive study |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061723000248 |journal=Progress in Disaster Science |volume=20 |pages=100297 |doi=10.1016/j.pdisas.2023.100297 |bibcode=2023PrDS...2000297K |issn=2590-0617|hdl=2433/285721 |hdl-access=free }} Its endurance through these trials has earned it the moniker of the "Miracle Mosque."{{Cite web |last=Alfarra |first=Jehan Alfarra |date=November 28, 2020 |title=Discover Kobe Mosque, Japan |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201128-discover-kobe-mosque-japan/}}

File:Kobe Mosque in 1936.jpg

Architecture

Constructed in 1935 by the Takenaka Corporation,{{Cite web |date=2023-04-24 |title=Islam in Japan: First Muslims and first mosque |url=https://www.amust.com.au/2023/04/islam-in-japan-first-muslims-and-first-mosque/ |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=AMUST |language=en-AU}} the mosque has a reinforced concrete structure. Its architectural style is a fusion of traditional Asian-Turkish influences. Designed by renowned architect Jan Josef Švagr, the mosque features intricate patterns, domes, and minarets, symbolizing the cultural exchange between Japan and the Islamic world.{{Cite book |last1=Acri |first1=Andrea |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DIDRDwAAQBAJ&dq=the+Kobe+Mosque+japan+Jan+Josef+%C5%A0vagr%2C&pg=PA334 |title=Imagining Asia(s): Networks, Actors, Sites |last2=Ghani |first2=Kashshaf |last3=Jha |first3=Murari K. |last4=Mukherjee |first4=Sraman |date=2019-10-23 |publisher=ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute |isbn=978-981-4818-86-5 |language=en}}

Located at 2 Nakayamate Douri, Chuo-Ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, the mosque spans three levels above ground and one underground level. Its roofing comprises a combination of flat roofs and domes with wooden structures and copper roofing. The walls are finished with exposed-aggregate, adding to the mosque's aesthetic appeal.{{Cite web |title=Al Fozan |url=https://mosqpedia.org/en/mosque/802 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=mosqpedia.org}}

File:Kobe Kobe-Moschee Innen Gebetsraum 1.jpg

Community impact

The Kobe Mosque stands as a center for the local Muslim community in Kobe, Japan. Apart from being a place for worship, it participates in various outreach programs and cultural events, reaching out to engage with the broader community.{{Cite book |last1=Yulita |first1=Irma |last2=Ong |first2=Susy |date=2019-11-19 |title=The Changing of Image of Islam in Japan: The Role of Civil Society in Disseminating Informations about Islam |url=https://eudl.eu/doi/10.4108/eai.24-10-2018.2289662 |doi=10.4108/eai.24-10-2018.2289662 |isbn=978-1-63190-205-5}} Through initiatives such as interfaith dialogues, language classes, and community service projects, it promotes understanding and collaboration among people of different cultural and religious backgrounds.

Moreover, the presence of the Kobe Mosque contributes significantly to the multicultural identity of Kobe. It serves as a symbol of diversity and inclusivity, bringing together individuals from various cultural and religious backgrounds.{{Cite journal |last1=Kotani |first1=Hitomu |last2=Okai |first2=Hirofumi |last3=Tamura |first3=Mari |date=2023-12-01 |title=Activities and roles of mosques in Japan after the recent major earthquakes: A comprehensive study |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061723000248 |journal=Progress in Disaster Science |volume=20 |pages=100297 |doi=10.1016/j.pdisas.2023.100297 |bibcode=2023PrDS...2000297K |issn=2590-0617|hdl=2433/285721 |hdl-access=free }}