Kitano-cho, an Exotic Residential Area

House of Scales

Light Green Mansion

As you walk up the narrow winding roads of Kitano-cho, you will come across some 20 Western-style houses that were built in the Meiji period. The houses are made of stone or brick. Some have fish-scale siding boards, while others have weather-vanes on their roofs. Some are used as coffee shops and boutiques, while others are used as historic museums. ●A 15-20 minute walk from JR Sannomiya Station 　Kitano-cho, Kobe-shi

Nunobiki Waterfalls, an Oasis in the City These waterfalls are midway on the Ikuta River and rank in beauty with the Kegon and Nachi waterfalls. There are four waterfalls in the green valley--namely the Me (female), Tsudumi (drum), Meoto (couple), and O (male) waterfalls. Of the four, the O-waterfall is the most dynamic and beautiful with its 43-meter fall. The cave at the rear of the waterfall is said to be the Palace of the Dragon. ●A 15-minute walk from the Shin Kobe Subway Station 　Fukiai-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi

Ikuta Shrine, a Bright Red Colored Building Among the Trees This shrine stands in the midst of the Sannomiya shopping center and is known as a shrine for match-making and lengevity. It is said that the name Kobe comes from a wealthy sponsor of this shrine, who was called Kambe, which later became Kobe. The forest in back of this shrine was the site of the Battle of Ichinotani between the Heike and Genji clans several hundred years ago. The Genji won this battle through the heroic leadership of Minamoto Yoshitsune. ●7 minutes walk from JR Sannomiya Station 　1-2-1 Shimo-yamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi 　TEL：078-321-3851

Mount Rokko, the Best Night View Spot You can take the cablecar and the ropeway to get to the top of Mount Rokko, 931 meters high. The Rokko-Arima Ropeway is the longest ropeway in Japan, and at night you can see the lights of Kobe getting smaller and smaller. At the top there are various play spots, such as the pasture where you can watch the cattle and sheep graze, field athletics, a camping ground, and an artificial ski slope. It is crowded on weekends with families. This spot is also known as the best place for viewing Kobe at night. ●10 minutes to the top of the Rokko Cablecar change to the Rokko-Arima Ropeway, and ride another 20 minutes Get off at the Rokko Sancho (peak) Country Station.