Kobe is a pleasant place. A stroll round the harbour is an enjoyable way to spend a spring afternoon especially if you can grab a taste of the beef for which the Japanese city is perhaps best-known for internationally.

Yet most tourists tend to go to Osaka instead, the country's vibrant second city is just 30 minutes away on the train. And something similar has happened in the football world over the years. Vissel Kobe have never come close to winning the J.League title with most excitement taking...