Through its merger with Kobe University of Mercantile Marine, in 2003 Kobe University became one of the few comprehensive universities in Japan to have its own training ship. In 2015, it announced its Kobe University Vision 2015, in which it made “harmony between theory and reality” its guiding philosophy in its goal to become a world class education and research hub. This article introduces the initiatives being undertaken by Kobe University, a school located in the international port city of Kobe, as it seeks to revitalize the region bordered by the sea and advance marine education and research.