Hiking near Kobe, Japan

Sumaura Park Viewpoint Plaza (日時計と青葉の笛広場) is a short climb up the mountain and easily accessible from Suma Station. The trail is mostly a dirt path reinforced with  logs for stairs and some sections turned into concrete path. I would say this was the easier option compared to the trails of Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地). It is a lovely hike although it is very much a city park feel with young trees and in a quite disturbed area.

Sumaura Park Viewpoint Plaza (日時計と青葉の笛広場)

Sumaura Park Viewpoint Plaza (日時計と青葉の笛広場)

Sumaura Park Viewpoint Plaza (日時計と青葉の笛広場)

 Up at the top of the viewpoint there is a lookout structure, benches and a groomed area of hedges and planted flowers. It was really not what I was expecting to get to after walking the dirt path up here.

Sumaura Park Viewpoint Plaza (日時計と青葉の笛広場)

Sumaura Park Viewpoint Plaza (日時計と青葉の笛広場)

 Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地) is just a short walk through a residential area in between there and Sumaura Park Viewpoint Plaza. The first stretch goes quite literally up a concrete staircase but provides amazing views of forest and city below as you get up to the ridge. 

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

 Although the only flowers blooming were exotic or planted there were definitely a lot of mushrooms in the understory bearking out of the soil and leaf litter.

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

 Standing up on the open rocks you get a view on either side of the mountain and can see the city and ocean sprawling out below.

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

The rock formations are beautiful contrast against the green and provide a gorgeous view of the open area below. From here Black-eared Kites soar at eye level  and coast over the mountains thermals.

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

Yokooshuhen Ryokuchi Park (横尾周辺緑地)

I was lucky enough to be in town for the Indian festival held at Kobe Waterfront. There isn't much to see in Kobe unless you like shopping so this was a nice excuse to go out to the waterfront and have some different types of food. There was music, dancing, shops and food stands. The food was amazing but still actually not very spicy. Although it was more spicy than some other places in Japan.  

Indian Festival at Kobe Waterfront

Kobe Waterfront

Mount Rokkō (六甲山) is one of the most famous areas to hike near Kobe/Osaka and the is easily accessible from Ashiya Station or Ashiya-gawa Station. Two trails split from Kōza Falls (高座の滝) and varry greatly in difficulty. The main trail is the one I hiked the previous time I visited Kobe and although it is still a large section of stairs uphill it is easier than the river trail that goes on an offshoot to the main trail, which I took this time with a local hiking group.

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

The rock garden trail goes up the river and has a gorgeous view of many small waterfalls as you wind up through the rocky riverbed. This does involve scaling a few of the larger rocks during the climb and can be difficult in some areas when they get slippery.

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

 Getting higher up you reach the 'rock garden' itself that provides a panoramic view of the city below and mountains above.

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

The trail in the rock garden is just dirt and rock and in some places requires a little bit of bouldering to climb up short distances. There are usually side trails that take a bit longer but avoid the harder sections. This trail was incredibly fun and stunningly beautiful,

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

 Looking back on the rock garden from above you can see the winding trail crossing the ridge of the 'garden'.

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

  Higher up is still rocks and dirt and this trail intersects with the main trail from the waterfall (good option for a shorter day hike) however we just crossed that to complete a longer figure eight taking a different trail up and circling back to the take that trail back down from the famous lunch spot at the power lines above the place where we crossed.

Mount Rokko - Rock Garden Trail

 On the hike down we actually saw wildlife including a Japanese Skink, Japanese Woodpecker and a group of young wild boar (Inoshishi).

Japanese Woodpecker

Wild Boar -Inoshishi

Wild Boar -Inoshishi

 The sunset was stunning that evening as we walked back though the city. The hike was the perfect day trip and we made it back just in perfect time for a relaxing dinner.

Sunset over Kobe

Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is the former imperial capitol of Japan and is famous for having a huge number of temples within the city, 1600 actually. You can pick from what tour guides, books or websites say or just wander the city and walk into any random temple you find. That is actually how I spent my first day in Kyoto. I wandered the city all afternoon and just walked into anything that looked interesting.  One that I walked into was Rokkakudō Temple 六角堂(頂法寺), which was a small quiet paradise in the middle of the city and had serene ponds and a lovely temple and shrine. A pair of swans and their baby swam around as they cleaned the ponds. 

Rokkakudō Temple 六角堂(頂法寺)

Rokkakudō Temple 六角堂(頂法寺)

Rokkakudō Temple 六角堂(頂法寺)

Wishes were hung from various surfaces so that even the willow tree in front of the temple was full of white papers.

Rokkakudō Temple 六角堂(頂法寺)

The Nishiki Market Shopping District (錦市場商店街) has a variety of shops from fresh fish or produce stands to shops selling gorgeous kimonos in a huge number of colours.  Its so easy to loose time in this small area of clustered stores.

Kyoto Beer Lab (京都ビアラボ) is a local brewpub that I would highly reccomend for a nice cold drink after a hot day walking around.

Heian Shrine (平安神宮) is a large shrine with a big gate and a garden. The shrine is free to visit but the garden costs money. 

Heian Shrine (平安神宮)

Heian Shrine (平安神宮)

Heian Shrine (平安神宮)

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (竹林の小径) is a very crowded place unless you go very very early in the morning. It is free to walk though but it is actually a quite small section of grove before you exit at a garden.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (竹林の小径)

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (竹林の小径)

The garden is quite nice and for 1000 yen you get to walk all the trails and get a cup of tea and treat at the end. It's not the nicest garden I have seen in Japan but it was lovely to go for a nice walk.

Mikami-jinja Shrine (御髪神社) is right beside the garden and if you go up the stairs to the left of the shrine there are some free walking trails up the mountain to a lovely view of the city. I am pretty sure it is called Sagaogurayamacho (嵯峨小倉山町).

I enjoyed this even more than the garden although the vegetation is a lot less lush. We actually walked this all the way down to Takiguchi-dera Temple (滝口寺) and Giouji Temple (祇王寺). Giouji Temple also known as the moss temple. The temple is small but the little mos garden is so lush green with Japanese maples above it. I bet it looks spectacular in the fall as well with the red and green contrast.

Giouji Temple (祇王寺)

Giouji Temple (祇王寺)

Danrinji Temple (檀林寺) is right beside Giouji and has a small museum in it and a little pond. Although it is a small temple as well it has a fair number of relics in it but no information is in English. There were some Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers on the property which are always an adorable treat to see. 

Danrinji Temple (檀林寺)

Danrinji Temple (檀林寺)

Daikakuji Temple (大覚寺) is a large temple with walkways and a set route visitors can travel along. The temple is one of the largest I have seen in Japan up to this point and has many buildings and yards of stone or lawn. 

Daikakuji Temple (大覚寺)

Daikakuji Temple (大覚寺)

Osawa-no-Ike Pond (大沢池) is beside Daikakuji Temple (大覚寺) and the entry fee gets you into both so don't miss a little walk by the pond and enjoy the view of lotus and waterbirds including grebes, herons and egrets. 

Grebe in Osawa-no-Ike Pond (大沢池)

Shingyo-Hoto Tower (大覚寺 心経宝塔) sits behind Hojo-ike pond (大覚寺 放生池) and is a lovely focal point behind the pond. 

Shingyo-Hoto Tower (大覚寺 心経宝塔) behind Hojo-ike pond (大覚寺 放生池)

Shingyo-Hoto Tower (大覚寺 心経宝塔)

Shingyo-Hoto Tower (大覚寺 心経宝塔)