6 Attractions in Hyōgo worth your time

Kinosaki Onsen is a traditional hot spring town with seven public bathhouses within walking distance.

What it is

• Traditional hot spring town.
• Home to seven public hot spring bathhouses.

What to see

• Seven public hot spring bathhouses.
• Willow-lined central Otani River.
• Many bridges over the river.
• Traditional wooden architecture.
• Shops, restaurants, and snack bars.

When to go

• Any time of year.
• Warm summer days near the sea.
• Cold, snowy winter days around the mountains.

Getting there

• 2.5 hour train ride from Kyoto Station.
• Flights from Osaka International Airport to Tajima Airport.
• 20-minute drive from Tajima Airport.
• Free shuttle bus from JR Kinosaki Onsen station.

Official site

kinosaki-spa.gr.jp

Read more about Kinosaki Onsen

See a 1000-year-old ginkgo tree, one of Hyogo's largest natural monuments.

What it is

• A giant ginkgo tree in Sayo-cho, Hyogo Prefecture.
• Estimated to be about 1000 years old.
• Designated a natural monument of Hyogo Prefecture in 1973.
• Part of the Manyo-ji temple grounds around 1430.

What to see

• A male ginkgo tree, 26.0 meters tall.
• Trunk circumference of 7.2 meters.
• Second largest ginkgo tree in Hyogo Prefecture.
• Located on a small hill at the eastern edge of the Sayo shopping street.

When to go

• Ginkgo festival held in early November at Oicho Park.

Getting there

• Himeji Line and Chizu Line run nearby.

Read more about Great Ginkgo of Sayō

Kinseidai is an observation deck offering panoramic views of Kobe, commemorating a historic Venus observation.

What it is

• An observation deck in Suwayama Park.
• Commemorates a French astronomical team's Venus observation in 1874.
• Also honors the Kobe Naval Academy.

What to see

• A monument to the 1874 Venus observation.
• A monument to the Kobe Naval Academy.
• The spiral Venus Bridge.
• A radio tower.
• Views of Kobe Port.

Getting there

• 15-minute walk from Shin-Kobe Station.
• 8-minute walk from Kencho-mae Station.
• 5-minute drive from Saido Driveway entrance.

Read more about Kinseidai

See Japan's largest Katsura tree, a 1000-year-old natural monument with unique spring water.

What it is

• A Katsura tree, over 1000 years old.
• Japan's largest Katsura tree.
• A Prefectural Natural Monument.
• Protected by Tajima Kogen Botanical Garden.

What to see

• A tree approximately 39 meters tall.
• Trunk circumference about 15 meters.
• Over 10 smaller trunks surround the main tree.
• Roots span a stream of spring water.
• Sennensui spring water, one of Japan's 100 Famous Waters.
• Located in Torokawa-daira primeval forest.

Read more about Great Katsura of Wachi

Kobe Port Tower is a unique pipe-structured observation tower offering city and port views.

What it is

• An observation tower on Kobe Port's Nakatottei.
• Opened in 1963, completed in November 1963.
• World's first pipe-structured building for a tower.
• Registered as a tangible cultural property in December 2014.

What to see

• A 108-meter tall observation tower.
• Drum-shaped exterior with a pipe structure.
• Views of Kobe city and port.

When to go

• Reopened on April 26, 2024, after seismic reinforcement.

Official site

www.kobe-port-tower.com

Read more about Kobe Port Tower

See a single 1,000-year-old katsura tree that looks like a small forest.

What it is

• A giant katsura tree, Itoi no Okatsura.
• Designated a national natural monument.
• Estimated to be over 1,000 years old.
• Designated on June 9, 1951.

What to see

• A single tree that appears as many katsura trees.
• The main trunk has decayed into a six-tatami-mat-sized hollow.
• About 80 sprouts surround the hollow.
• The tree is male.

Getting there

• Accessible by bus from JR Wadayama Station.

Read more about Grand Katsura of Itoi