Top 27 things to do in Hyogo according to TripAdvisor

Kobe city and Arima Hot Springs (Onsen) are famous places you can find in Hyogo Prefecture. But what else is there to see in Hyogo? There's actually a lot of places you can go sightseeing other than the aforementioned places, like Himeji castle or Kinosaki Hot Springs (Onsen).

You can see a list of the top 27 things below. A lot of them are in Kobe, but there are some that are further out the city as well if you want to go to the countryside for awhile.

Himeji Castle

A valuable castle that has survived since the early Edo Era. Himeji Castle is admired as the most beautiful castle in Japan. It is famous as one of the three great castles in the nation.

Mt. Maya　

The Rokko Mountain Range is the symbol of Kobe. Among them, there is the soaring peak of Mount Maya at 609 m. You can enjoy a glittering night view like that of a jewelry box from the observation point.

Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway

Reach the herb garden via a 10 minute ropeway ride with a view of the Kobe-Keihanshin area below you. You will then be welcomed by the flourishing herbs and flowers. You will also find a restaurant serving herb cuisine and a café with a wonderful view of the landscape below.

Mt. Rokko

The night view from Kikuseidai observation point on Mount Maya has been coined one of the Three Major Nightscapes of Japan. Mount Maya is one of the peaks of the Rokko Mountain Range that spans the cities of Kobe, Nishinomiya, and Takarazuka. There are also plenty of tourist facilities including a botanical garden and other leisure areas.

Arima Onsen

Arima Onsen, located on the north side of Mount Rokko at the base of Momiji Valley, has been held in esteem by the Imperial Family and the nobility since ancient times, as one of the most famous hot springs. It is Japan’s oldest “onsen”, located in the middle of Mother Nature.

Kinosaki Onsen

The appeal of this hot springs village is being able to not only relax in one “onsen”, but also being able to tour the town by visiting the 7 public baths. You will also get your fill of delicious meals and generous hospitality at the “ryokan” (Japanese style hotel).

Kitano-cho

This area has been recognized as an Important Preservation District of Historic Buildings. Western style houses which were built in the Meiji and Taisho Eras still stand alongside the new restaurants, cafés, and boutiques from many countries.

Takeda Castle

The remains of Takeda Castle are on the peak of Mount Gojo in the Tajima Region. The morning fog that appears from fall to winter creates a sea of clouds in which the magical castle floats. It is called Japan’s Machu Picchu.

Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park

Part of the Meriken Wharf (60m breakwater) that was damaged in the Great Hanshin Earthquake has been preserved since then. The park is a place which shows the magnitude of the quake through models, videos, and photographic panels.

Ikuta Shrine

The name Kobe was derived from the original name of Kanbe, the family protecting the god of Ikuta Shrine. The shrine is one of the three great shrines of Kobe beloved by its citizens. It is very popular as a shrine for matchmaking.

Nunobiki Falls

Nunobiki Falls is made up of four waterfalls: Ontaki, Mentaki, Meototaki, and Tsutsumigataki. Ontaki is the highest at 43m.

Izanagi-jingu Shinto shrine

According to “Kojiki” and “Nihon Shoki”, Japan’s oldest historical records, this is the nation’s oldest Shinto shrine. It enshrines “Izanagi-no-Mikoto” and “Izanami-no-Mikoto”, the deities who gave birth to the Japanese archipelago.

Nankinmachi (Chinatown)

Nankinmachi is a commercial area with over 100 shops, spanning 270m east to west and 110m north to south, within the district of Motomachi in the heart of Kobe. It ranks as one of the three great Chinatowns of Japan along with the one in Yokohama and Nagasaki.

Kobe Kitano Museum

The former American Consulate building erected in 1898 has been converted into an art museum which introduces the history and culture of Kitano Ijinkan-gai and the works of artists from Paris’ Montmartre district which has a friendship exchange agreement with this area in Kobe.

Kobe Animal Kingdom

A theme park where you can directly interact with a variety of animals including endangered species within a large glass house filled with blossoms and 2 outdoor areas.

Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlet

The outlet has been designed to resemble a city with an open feeling based on the exclusive residential district of Pasadena located in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Direct buses operating from Osaka and Sannomiya Stations are available.

Kobe Harborland

Everyone from children to adults will enjoy this amusement zone with facilities including the large shopping mall umie, the Anpanman Museum, the huge Ferris wheel, the brick warehouses and Gaslight Street.

Sannomiya Center Street

Sannomiya Center Street with its latest trends attracts 100,000 visitors on a holiday. It extends from east to west from Flower Road to Koikawa-suji Road. Because it is a covered arcade, it’s convenient even during rainy days.

Onokorojima Shrine

One of the largest “torii” gates in Japan is a highlight at this shrine, famous for providing good fortune in safe childbirth and matchmaking. Onokorojima Shrine is located in an area known for the myth of the gods creating this nation, according to the “Kojiki”, Japan’s oldest historical record.

Kobe Port Tower

There is a revolving café which makes a full rotation every 20 minutes so that you can enjoy the surrounding scenery along with a skywalk with a transparent floor. At night, you can also enjoy the $10 million night view of Kobe.

Kobe City Hall Observation Deck

From the observation deck facing Flower Road, enjoy both the views of Port Island on the sea and Meriken Park along with Kitano-cho and Mt. Rokko on the mountain side. There are also a café and a restaurant.

Meriken Park

There are attractive buildings including Kobe Port Tower, Kobe Maritime Museum – Kawasaki World and the Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel to enjoy the scenery that best symbolizes the port of Kobe.

Rokko Cable Car

The cable car goes up for approximately 1.7km for 10 minutes through an area decorated with flora from all four seasons. At Rokko Sanjo Station at the top, there is the Tenrandai observation deck from where you can get that panoramic view from Mt. Rokko. The night view from here is also spectacular.

Kobe Maritime Museum – Kawasaki World

A museum to learn and enjoy the wonders of technology and the importance of manufacturing. There are also attractions that you can actually touch and operate such as bikes, Bullet Trains and helicopters.

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum

The brewing process of traditional Japanese sake is displayed in an easy-to-understand manner as you sample for free freshly brewed and unrefined sake. You can also take a commemorative photo while putting on the happi coat that the store staff wear.

Kobe Suma Aqualife Park

There are plenty of programs where you can touch dolphins and seals and feed the penguins. And there is also an amusement park.

Kobe Oji Zoo

You can get close to approximately 140 species of animals and enjoy the popular events of feeding time, training time, polar bears swimming about and other fun activities.

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