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I really would have like to visit Saka. I had no idea they were famous for producing samurai swords! Rokko just looks beautiful and of course I have to get back to Kobe. Great ideas here. Glad we could inspire a couple of future trip ideas Hallie! I am dying to visit a traditional Japanese tea ceremony! It is very high on my list of things to do when visiting Japan. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions as you get closer to taking your trip. Always happy to help :. Oh that park looks nothing short of gorgeous!
I would love to take part in a Japanese tea ceremony one day. Your pictures of Daisen Park are so beautiful — I think I could spend hours and hours exploring the paths and gardens. So much beauty! Mt Rokko looks right up my alley! And Daisen Park looks simply stunning. This is definitely on the list though! Thanks for sharing! Koyasan is a highland valley surrounded by eight mountains and has been the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Buddhism since 9th century.
The landscape up here is stunning and so peaceful. Grab yourself a Nankai Electric Railway All Line 2-Day Pass, leave Osaka in the morning, travel to and stay in the beautiful Koyasan for one night, before heading back to Osaka the following day. Thanks for the suggestion Rob, Koyasan sounds wonderful — will have to get back and include it on our next trip. Your email address will not be published.
Authored by Kim-Ling Richardson Osaka is a darling city, offering tourists plenty of attractions without the stressful crowds like that of its larger city counterparts. Share Tweet Pin 1K. Share 4.
Jim December 22, Meg Jerrard December 23, Happy travels! Sally December 22, Absolutely — Autumn in Japan is one of the most stunning months :. Katie from What's Katie Doing? Candy December 23, Cori December 23, Wow, Daisen Park is gorgeous! I love your photos! Hope you have the chance to get there soon! Thanks Cori :.
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Hallie December 23, Carmy December 23, Shane December 23, Meg Jerrard December 24, Hope you have the chance to travel in ! Happy holidays Shane :. Tara R Schatz December 24, Meg Jerrard December 27, Hope you have the chance to visit soon Tara! Merry Christmas :. Paige Wunder December 24, Hope you have the chance to visit in Paige : Japan really is stunning! Rob Dyer April 21, A really insightful post Kim-Ling — and a great bunch of recommendations. Meg Jerrard April 23, Thanks for the link! Post a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.
Then head to your very comfortable room with balcony views over the Kobe city skyline. It's a masterclass in how niche subject museums can present their subjects.
The Nunobiki Herb Garden on Mt. Rokko is definitely worth a visit when in Kobe. No visit to Kobe would be complete without visiting Mount Rokko. The Nunobiki waterfall which has important significance in Japanese literature and Japanese art is a short walk from Shin-Kobe train station. Looking up from here you can see the gondolas of the Shin-Kobe Ropeway.
Take the ropeway and ride the gondolas up the mountainside and head for Nunobiki Herb Garden. A restaurant with a veranda provides a pleasant spot to relax for a lunch made using the local herbs. Anyone interested in hiking should check out the marked routes up and down the mountain as invigorating alternatives to the admittedly delightful gondolas.
The annual Kobe Luminarie light festival , held every December in memory of the Great Hanshin earthquake of which accounted for more than 6, deaths, is a must-see.
Authorities close off several streets in the heart of the city creating a route of tree lights and intricate light arches spanning the roads beneath. If you're in Kobe in December then the Luminarie light festival is a must.
The route always finishes in Higashi Yuenchi Park park where the celebrations include dozens of street food stalls. The healing waters of Kin-no-yu Golden Hot Spring contain iron, calcium and salt. Technically part of Kobe, Arima Onsen is a centuries old spa town in Mount Rokko - 20km northeast of the city. The handmade doll brushes at Arima Ningyo Fude make ideal souvenirs. Private onsen at Gekkoen Korokan can be booked as part of a day experience or overnight stay.
One unforgettable way to indulge yourself for an afternoon is to head to hotel Gekkoen Korokan for a memorable onsen experience. Here you can book a private onsen, either for yourself alone if travelling solo, or large enough for a family of 4 or more. The multi-course kaiseki lunches at Gekko-en Korokan are served in private rooms.
And they're not all at the high-end either. Turn your day of indulgence into a luxurious overnight at the 5-star Gekkoen Korokan. They offer Japanese and western-styled rooms, including their 'Hollywood' room with open air bath. Tea Salon Douka-Tei - one of Arima's many independent stores. Access to Arima Onsen is easy, with train, road, bus and even ropeway via Mt.
Rokko means you have plenty of options. The Kansai region is easily accessible by plane, bus, car, local and shinkansen bullet trains.
A number of cruise ships also dock in Kobe as part of their itineraries. Kansai International Airport KIX operates hours and is the local international gateway to the region, seeing almost 8m foreign tourist arrivals per year. It is located 40km about 25 miles southwest of Osaka. From here to get to the heart of Osaka, jump on the Nankai Express Rapi:t Train which looks like a giant blue robot in train form. One of the major considerations with travelling in Japan is the inscrutable Japanese language.
This practical Guide and Workbook covers all the essential basics you need to ensure your first or next trip to Japan is as Amazing as you deserve it to be. Hopefully it has given you a some ideas as to where you will go in this richly diverse region and what to include in your own itinerary.