Got up early next day to go to Kobe and loop train was full because there was a delay. If you want to experience being in a sardine, get on a loop train in Japan between 7-9 and 5-7. When the train is packed, you get in by turning your back towards the train and pushing in. Most importantly, move your bag to your front to reduce space ie don't have your backpack on your back.
Took a train to Sannomiya station instead of Kobe because this was recommended according to what little research I did the night before. I had nothing planned and there are probably 29 possible day trips from Osaka but settled on Kobe the night before.
I think the torii gates were part of Ikuta shrine.
A lot of trees surrounding this small shrine.
Nice coloured leaves in the background with ema or wish cards in the foreground.
Must be nice looking in an apartment overlooking the shrine.
I am having deja vu with this Peanuts hotel. Where have I seen this before?
Next was Kitano which had a bunch of real old western houses.
Coming from a country with plenty of old western building this was not exciting for me.
Kitano was also very hilly but nice.
Give me cow statues and shrines any day.
The banner says exterminate epidemic. Must thank all the small kitsune statues.
All the houses cost a lot of money and it felt like a tourist trap.
I walked for maybe half an hour and finally found the ropeway. The way there was not very obvious and luckily I had google maps.
Cloudy day in Kobe and luckily no rain though it felt like it could have rained anytime.
Dam on the left as the ropeway is going up. I was conscious of not doing the mistake I did in Miyajima where I walked up and then used the ropeway down. Much easier to walk down and I only bought the ticket to go up.
Main reason getting on the ropeway was to reach the Kobe Nunobiki herb gardens.
Lots of herbs.
Fragrant garden with a mint smell.
Very nice miniatures in the perfume room.
Kobe black curry for 1500 yen limited to 30 a day. The last time I was so ripped off was when I went to this botakuri kyabakura long time ago with bframe. 1500 yen and hardly 100 grams of beef. wtf. Should have gone for the steak or sausage. You can't expect anything good from tourist places.
One obvious thing from this trip is prices going up at vending machines. What used to be 120 yen is now 160. What used to be 150 yen is now 180. Made me a lot hesitant to use vending machines and I brought my own water a lot more compared to the old days when I was happy to buy from vending machines everyday and try different drinks.
So I started walking down and came across the greenhouse.
It would be nicer to go to a greenhouse on a cold day but it was a decently warm day.
And soaked my feet in a herb footbath. There were towels next to the footbath where you get for 100 yen. (honour system)
You can see the view of Kobe in the background.
I think this was called the four seasons garden.
Looking up at the four seasons garden.
Hammocks at the top of the hill.
Reached the ropeway mid point.
Reached the end of herb garden and beginning of hiking trail.
Going down the hiking trail. While it is easier going downhill, the trail is also kind of steep and wet.
Looking at the map as I type this, I missed the dam course overlooking the gohonmatsu dam and must have gone on the shortcut course! The view overlooking the dam would have been beautiful.
Following the arrows to Shin Kobe Station. If you have never been to Japan, all the Shin (new) stations are for Shinkansen ie if you want to go to Osaka you stop in Shin Osaka Station and if you want to go Kobe you say you want a ticket to Shin Kobe station.
During the hiking trail I could hear the sounds of waterfalls and finally could see one.
The water from the waterfall was everywhere and you can see this viewing platform at the bottom. Some guy was trying to take a picture of the waterfall from the platform. I hightailed it down because I did not want to get all wet and the force and volume of water being splashed was a lot.
Finally gone past the viewing platform. That was a do not mess with mother nature moment. Water was everywhere and I did not want to slip.
Being so close to a crazy powerful waterfall was the most memorable part of this trip and the trail ended at Shin Kobe station.
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