Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
The world’s longest suspension bridge
Intro
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Hours & Fees
Hotels
Explore around Kobe
3.5
★★★★★
453 votes
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3 of 14
most visited in Kobe
The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (明石海峡大橋, Akashi Kaikyō Ōhashi) is, with a length of
almost four kilometers, the world's longest suspension bridge. Opened in
1998, it spans the Akashi Strait (Akashi Kaikyo) between Kobe and Awaji
Island and is part of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, one of
three expressways which connect Honshu with Shikoku.
An interesting way to experience the bridge up close is walking the Maiko
Marine Promenade, a circuit of observatory walkways under the bridge's
platform, about 50 meters above the water. Accessed by elevator from the
base of the bridge (Kobe side), the walkways offer unique views of the
bridge's interior, the Akashi Strait and Osaka Bay.
The Bridge Exhibition Center at the foot of the Kobe side of the bridge
provides well-presented information about the planning and construction of
the bridge and about other suspension bridges around the world, although the
detailed explanations are available in Japanese only.
View from Maiko Marine Promenade
Getting there and around
The Bridge Exhibition Center and the Maiko Marine Promenade are located a
short walk from Maiko Station on the JR Sanyo Line (25 minutes, 310 yen
from Sannomiya Station by local train) or Maiko-Koen Station on the Sanyo
Railway Main Line.
How to get to and around Kobe
Hours and Fees
Maiko Marine Promenade
Hours
9:00 to 18:00 (until 19:00 during summer holidays and Golden Week)
Admission ends 30 minutes before closing
Closed
Second Monday of the month from October to March (or following day if Monday is
a national holiday), December 29-31
Admission
250 yen (300 yen on weekends and national holidays)
Bridge Exhibition Center
Hours
9:15 to 17:00 (some seasonal variation)
Admission ends 30 minutes before closing
Closed
Mondays (or following day if Monday is a national holiday; no closing days from July
20 to August 31), December 29 to January 3
Admission
310 yen
Mount Rokko
Offering panoramic views of Kobe and Osaka
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3.8
★★★★★
397 votes
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most visited in Kobe
Mount Rokko (六甲山, Rokkōsan, 931 meters) is the highest peak in the Rokko
mountain range, which provides the pleasant green backdrop to the city
of Kobe. Panoramic views of the heavily urbanized Hanshin region
(Kobe and Osaka) can be enjoyed from the mountain and are particularly
spectacular around sunset.
Various small tourist attractions can be found on Mount Rokko, including a
botanical garden, a music box museum, a pasture with flowers and sheep,
Japan's first golf course and Rokko Garden Terrace, a tourist complex with a
few restaurants, shops and an observation deck.
A circular bus line (running in clockwise direction only) connects the various
attractions with the top stations of both the Rokko Cablecar (going to
central Kobe) and the Rokko Arima Ropeway (going to Arima Onsen).
Rokko Garden Terrace
Getting there and around
From central Kobe
From Sannomiya Station, take the Hankyu Kobe Line to Rokko Station (7
minutes, 190 yen), from where it is a ten minute bus ride on bus number 16 to
the base station of the Rokko Cablecar. Note that the same bus can also be
boarded at JR Rokkomichi Station (15 minutes) or Hanshin Mikage Station
(25 minutes) and costs 210 yen from any of the three stations. The cablecar
ride up the mountain takes 10 minutes and costs 600 yen one way or 1100
yen for a round trip ticket.
From Arima Onsen
The Rokko Arima Ropeway connects Arima Onsen with the top of Mount
Rokko. The one way trip takes 12 minutes and costs 1030 yen. A round trip
ticket costs 1850 yen.
How to get to and around Kobe
Questions? Ask in our forum.
Shin-Kobe Ropeway
Ropeway with great views over the city of Kobe
Intro
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Night view from the top station of the Shin-Kobe Ropeway
3.9
★★★★★
145 votes
#
12 of 14
most visited in Kobe
Shin-Kobe Ropeway (新神戸ロープウェー) is one of three services that lifts tourists up
the southern slopes of the Rokko mountain chain. The ropeway departs from
next to Shin-Kobe Station, Kobe's shinkansen station. As it ascends, it passes
by the Nunobiki Waterfall and the Nunobiki Herb Garden, giving a nice aerial
view of both. The highlight of the ride lies in the observation deck located just
beside the top station, which offers spectacular views of Kobe and is a
popular night view spot.
An alternative way to get to the top station is via a hiking trail from Shin-Kobe
Station. It is somewhat surprising that only a few steps north of the station are
forests shielded from the rumbles of the city. A 15-20 minute climb through the
woods takes you to the 43 meter tall Nunobiki Waterfall, whose name comes
from its draped cloth-like appearance. Five minutes east from here is the
Miharashi Observatory, which offers decent views of the city.
A further 20 minute scale up the mountain takes you to the middle station of
Shin-Kobe Ropeway and the lower entrance of Nunobiki Herb Garden, one
of Japan's largest herb gardens with hundreds of herb species and
seasonal flowers. A glasshouse in the garden makes growing flowers
and fruits such as guavas and papayas possible throughout the year.
Nunobiki Waterfall
At the upper entrance of the garden is the top station of Shin-Kobe Ropeway.
Here, in addition to the observation deck, is a rest house with a
cafe, restaurant and souvenir shop which sells many herbal and aromatic
products. There is also a "Rose Symphony Garden", where visitors can enjoy
viewing different varieties of roses during their blooming seasons while
listening to music.
For hikers who would rather skip the garden, the top station and observation
deck can be hiked to following a 30 minute trail that bypasses the garden on
its east. After reaching the ropeway's top station, the same trail continues on
to Mount Maya, one of the peaks of the Rokko mountain chain.
The ropeway climbs the mountain with the city behind it
