Kobe, Japan's seventh-largest city, is probably best known worldwide for its famous beef, but that wasn't why we were in town.
After a ten-minute walk from Kobe Station, we arrived at the entrance to the Nunobiki Herb Gardens and purchased a round-trip ticket for the Kobe Ropeway, which would take us up into the Mount Rokko Range above the city.
Kobe Port was once the busiest port in the world until the Great Earthquake of 1995, when much of the city was destroyed, costing Japan nearly 3% of its entire GDP. The city was rebuilt but never quite regained its economic prominence.
Over the next ten minutes or so, we slowly ascended into the mountains. I have to admit, I'm surprised and impressed by how many cable cars (or "ropeways" as they are called in Japan), that we took over our two weeks in the country. I don't think I've ever ridden so many cable cars in such a short period of time in my life. But then again, it is a famously mountainous country!
Opened in 1991, the Nunobiki Herb Gardens are Japan’s largest herb garden, featuring more than 75,000 herbs and flowers.
Strolling through its German-style terraces, which were modeled after Wartburg Castle in Thuringia, feels almost like a visit to Europe. The grounds include several restaurants, a symphony hall, small museums, and numerous themed zones, each showcasing different varieties of mostly edible plants.
Our first stop was the Aroma Museum, a small but fascinating exhibit exploring how herbs have been used throughout history for their scents and how perfumes and essential oils are distilled from plants.
There was even a section of the exhibit featuring dozens of essential oils that we could smell, each made from herbs grown locally at the garden.
We ended up spending the entire afternoon walking through the expansive gardens. It was a warm day, but there was a bit of a breeze up in the mountains, and fortunately there was plenty of shade. My mom and I always enjoy visiting botanical gardens. We've been to several together around the world, like in:
Chiang Mai, Thailand The Blog of Michael Desrosiers: Royal Park Rajapruek
One shady area of the garden had a number of hammocks set up and it seemed like a popular spot for locals to get away from the city and relax in nature. I loved the idea of it, but I had a bit of trouble getting out of my hammock!
By this point, we were about halfway through our trip to Japan, and it felt good to spend an afternoon doing something more relaxed. After more than a week of nonstop sightseeing, the chance to slow down and wander through the beautiful gardens was a welcome break.
I really liked what I saw of Kobe. It seems like a super livable city, despite its population. It's always great when big cities can have a place within just a few minutes where residents can escape to get back to nature.
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