What is the "Arima Onsen Route" where you can enjoy twice as many illumination events on Mt. Rokko?
Speaking of autumn on Mt. Rokko, this year's 16th art festival "Kobe Rokko Meets Art".
9月20日からは土日祝の限定で、夜にイルミネーション作品を鑑賞できる"Hikari no Mori ~Night Art Walk~"が始まりました。
It will be held until November 30th.
I have been covering the first day, and the journey to get there was more attraction than I expected......!
There is also ♪ an introduction to a discounted tour ticket that is surprisingly unknown to Kobe people
【目次】
- Autumn wind and light art to enjoy on Mt. Rokko
- [ROKKO Forest Sound Museum]
- 【Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden】
- [Rokko Branch Drooping "Emo Exhibition"]
- A great value tour ticket that allows you to enjoy Arima Onsen and Mt. Rokko at once
- First of all, relax at Arima Onsen
- Unexpected unexplored experience ropeway!
- How much did you save on the tour ticket?
Autumn wind and light art to enjoy on Mt. Rokko
Kobe Rokko Meets Art Night Appreciation "Hikari no Mori ~Night Art Walk~" is held at two venues: the ROKKO Mori Sound Museum and the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden.
[ROKKO Forest Sound Museum]
The popular and annual event is Kota Takahashi's "Fruit of Hikari in SIKI Garden 2025". Colorful "light fruits" will decorate the garden on the premises.
On this day, there was a thick fog on Mt. Rokko. Can't you take a picture...... I entered with anxiety, but the fog actually created a fantastic atmosphere.
The visuals of the work can be seen in the photographs like this, but when you stand there, the "Hikari no Fruit" and the trees sway in the autumn night breeze. The atmosphere is hard to put into words, and this is a feeling that I would like you to experience locally.
The Sound of the Forest Museum also has two other projection mapping works by Yasuaki Kagii, "Pockets and the Sea".
Also, although it is not a work that is subject to night viewing, Yoshitomo Nara's "Peace Head" is right next to "Hikari no Mi", so it feels like a good deal to enjoy it together.
【Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden】
Another venue, the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden, is the "DANDELION PROJECT" by Ryotaro Muramatsu/NAKED, INC.
Dandelion is a dandelion. The author, Mr. Muramatsu, is holding this Dandelion Project all over the world to appeal for peace.
タンポポの綿毛をイメージしたオブジェと、その足元に広がる美しい花畑。
It is a participatory work in which a single butterfly perches on the fluff, and when the viewer blows on it, a certain phenomenon occurs.
何が起こるかは、この記事では秘密。行ってみてのお楽しみ！
The plants that were lit up on the small path in the park until I arrived at the work were also like works of art.
[Rokko Branch Drooping "Emo Exhibition"]
The "Rokko Branch Drooping" located very close to the Rokko Garden Terrace is also a must-see as a night content on the mountain.
「ひかりの森～夜の芸術散歩～」とは別料金になりますが、ここでも今"Emo Exhibition"というアートイベントが開催されています（11月24日まで）。
In the past 10 years or so, the word "emo" has come to be used mainly among young people. From the English word emotion, it expresses how the heart is shaken.
This is an art event where you can experience the unique interpretation of "emo" by artists of each genre, such as contemporary art artists, inventors, and poets, with your whole body.
The part that corresponds to the trunk of the weeping branch is put inside, and the poem is a modern rephrase of Hyakunin-ichi.
Installations with the theme of the Showa centennial...... It was more "emo" than I thought.
"Emo" is a really convenient word, so I felt that it might be one way to appreciate it by daring to try to verbalize "how emo is".
The work is also on the outside of the weeping branches, but as mentioned above, it is a great fog. I can't even see the weeping branches that are up close.
By the way, when it's sunny, it looks like this.
There is also a set ticket with Kobe Rokko Meets Art.
Rokko Meets Art + Weedare Museum Emo Exhibition Set Ticket
This time, I found out that there are fewer streetlights on the travel route between the venues than on ordinary roads.
I thought lights were essential so as not to trip over invisible steps! It can be a smartphone light, or if you're worried, you might want a small flashlight.
Of course, the season is more advanced on the mountain than in the city, so please bring a jacket with you.
A great value tour ticket that allows you to enjoy Arima Onsen and Mt. Rokko at once
ここまで紹介した六甲山上のイベント、三宮から公共交通機関で足を運ぶとなると"Kobe Sannomiya by Hankyu Train→ Hankyu Rokko → City Bus→Rokko Cable"の往復と考える方がほとんどだと思います。
実はもう一つ、知られざるルートがあるんです。それは、Going to Mt. Rokko via Arima Onsen。
「わざわざ大回りは面倒くさい」「交通費かかりそうだし」と思ったでしょう？ そんな考えをひっくり返すお得な周遊きっぷ"Arima/Rokko Tour 1-day Pass"があるんです。
The content is
- ・Kobe Municipal Subway Sannomiya Station ~ (via Tanigami Station) ~ Kobe Electric Railway Arima Onsen Station
- ・Rokko Arima Ropeway Arima Onsen Station ~ Rokko Summit Station
- ・Rokko Sanjo Bus Ropeway Summit Station ~ Rokko Cable Sanjo Station
- ・Rokko Cable Rokko Sanjo Station ~ Rokko Cable Station
- ・Kobe City Bus Route 16 Rokko Cable Under ~ (Hankyu Rokko) ~ Hanshin Mikage
- ・Hankyu Electric Railway Rokko Station ~ Kobe Sannomiya Station
- ・Arima Onsen "Kinnoyu" or "Ginnoyu" bathing ticket
This is 2,900 yen! Since it is an all-you-can-ride ticket, it depends on how you go around, but even if you use it in one stroke, it will be more than 1,500 yen cheaper than the regular fare.
ちなみに、三宮までの私鉄の乗車券がついた「Hankyu version」「Hanshin version」「Shintetsu version」「Sanyo Akashi East Edition, Sanyo All Line Edition」もあります。
To be able to ride all private railway lines just by adding 100~900 yen to the basic version...... I can only say that it is a god ticket! !
This time, we will introduce a greedy route to enjoy Arima Onsen in addition to the night content on Mt. Rokko using this tour ticket.
First of all, relax at Arima Onsen
Now, let's leave for Arima Onsen from Sannomiya Subway Station!
It takes about 10 minutes to get to Tanigami on the Hokushin Subway Line. In Tanigami, the Kobe Electric Railway comes to the opposite side of the same platform in about 3 minutes, so the transfer is smooth.
One thing to note here. Even if I continue to ride like this, I can't go to Arima Onsen. You need to get off at Arimaguchi Station on the way and transfer to the train to Arima Onsen Station.
This train is already waiting on the platform next to it, so the transfer is super smooth. In just 30 minutes from Sannomiya Station, you will arrive at Arima Onsen.
Arima Onsen, it's been a long time since I've been here, but it's crowded. Of course, there were many inbound tourists (foreign tourists), but I had the impression that there were more Japanese tourists.
First, let's go to the golden bath. I was confused about the silver hot spring, but Arima Onsen is an ochre golden spring.
Ah, it felt good! The water at Arima Onsen is hot, so it might have been just right for me to skip the long bath because I have a full schedule after this.
Before moving to Mt. Rokko, take a little bite to eat. You will have "Carbonated Rice Cracker French Toast" made by layering carbonated rice crackers and dipping them in the egg liquid.
The tour ticket also comes with a ticket that allows you to receive benefits at partner stores and facilities. I bought carbonated rice crackers at a souvenir shop.
Unexpected unexplored experience ropeway!
さて、有馬温泉を満喫したことですし、いよいよ六甲山へ。移動に使うのはRokko Arima Ropewayです。
I have lived in Kobe for 40 years, and I have ridden the ropeways of Rokko Cable, Maya Cable, Shin-Kobe Ropeway, and Sumaura Sanjo Amusement Park multiple times...... This is my first time riding the Rokko Arima Ropeway. I think there are many Kobe people who are like this.
The ropeway platform is about 1 km from the hot spring town, a 15-minute walk.
The area where people are crowded in a hot spring town is not that large. As soon as I started walking, I came to a road with few pedestrians.
"500m along the roadway, 350m if you climb a steep slope", are you trying tourists? What a solo plunge (laughs).
Wow, it's starting to feel like a mountain road. There are no sidewalks. The ropeway runs until 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays, but if you are walking, it seems better to use it while it is bright.
When I turned the curve, I saw the ropeway station building! It was true that it took less than 15 minutes to walk, but it ...... quite a secret place.
This is Arima Onsen Station on the ropeway. It was just renovated in 2020, so the interior is clean and stylish.
The weather was cloudy that day, but it seems that the mountain is "foggy"......
There are two gondolas on the Rokko Arima Ropeway, red and silver, and this time we will depart at 16:50 and board the red gondola. There were 12 passengers, including me.
If you look back immediately after departure, you will see the cityscape of Arima.
As the ropeway gained altitude, it gradually became impossible to see ahead...... Yes, it's fog.
なんだか、未知の世界に飛び込んでいくアトラクションに乗っているような感覚です。
香港から来たという女性たちは「ミステリアス！」と言っていました。
A world of conifers and fog. It's like coming to Northern Europe.
On this day, it was like an ink painting because of the fog, but if it is sunny, the four seasons of Mt. Rokko will spread out all over the world. The charm of the Rokko Arima Ropeway is that it shows various expressions depending on the season and weather.
The walk in the air is 12 minutes. It was a feeling that I had ridden a lot.
The altitude of Rokko Summit Station is 880m. The Arima Onsen Station I boarded was 433m, so I gained more than twice the altitude. That's why there is fog, I'm convinced.
When I left the station, it was pure white in front of me.
From here, I took the Rokko Sanjo Bus and went to see the light art at the Sound of the Forest Museum and ...... the Alpine Botanical Garden, with a little anxiety about whether I would be able to take a proper photo of the illumination.
How much did you save on the tour ticket?
今回利用した「有馬・六甲周遊1dayパス」で、結局いくらお得になったのでしょう？ 以下に、私が利用した交通機関や施設のRegular Feeを記します。
- ・Kobe Municipal Subway Sannomiya Station → (via Tanigami) → Kobe Electric Railway Arima Onsen Station 720 yen
- ・Arima Onsen "Kinnoyu" 800 yen
- ・Rokko Arima Ropeway Arima Onsen Station→Rokko Summit Station 1,400 yen
- ・Rokko Sanjo Bus
- Ropeway Summit Station → Forest Sound Museum 230 yen
- Sound of the Forest Museum → Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden 230 yen
- Sound of the Forest Museum →Rokko Garden Terrace 230 yen
- Rokko Garden Terrace→ Rokko Cable Sanjo Station 370 yen
- ・Rokko Cable Yamagami Station→Rokko Cable Shimo Station 800 yen
- ・Kobe City Bus Route 16 Rokko Cable Under ~ Hankyu Rokko 230 yen
- ・Hankyu Electric Railway Rokko Station ~ Kobe Sannomiya Station 200 yen
合計すると5,210円。周遊チケットの値段が2,900円だったので、JPY 2,310もお得に！！ いや～、本当に神チケットですよね。
神戸六甲ミーツ・アート鑑賞を、毎年の恒例にしている方も多いと思います。いつも六甲ケーブルで往復する「Higashi Rokko Tour Ticket」を使っている方は、今年はちょっと趣向を変えて有馬温泉もプラスした楽しみ方をしてみてはいかがでしょうか？
In fact, at the end of September, Keihanshin L Magazine just released a mook book "Rokko Mountain Arima Onsen Book". With this in hand, please enjoy Mt. Rokko and Arima Onsen in autumn!
INFORMATIONInformation
| Kobe Rokko Meets Art "Hikari no Mori ~ Night Art Walk" | |
|---|---|
| Rokko Branch Drooping Weeping Museum "Emo Exhibition" | |
| Arima/Rokko Tour 1-day Pass (basic free version) | https://kotsu.city.kobe.lg.jp/ensen-navi/bus-railway/arima-rokko/ |
| Elma Gameok "Book of Mt. Rokko and Arima Onsen" |
【ライタープロフィール】
合楽 仁美（ごうらく ひとみ）
神戸出身＆在住のライター。経済メディアNewsPicksなどで活動。
2025年3月まで神戸市公式noteのライターを務めた。
お酒は弱いが酒場の雰囲気が好きで、数年前からバー巡りに凝っている。
My dream is to live in a house with a veranda and a view of the sea.