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7 Popular Things To Do In Kobe, Japan
Kobe, located in the Kansai region, is Japan’s 7th largest city with a population around 1.5 million. It’s about a 20-30 minute train ride from Osaka and makes for a perfect day trip if you’re using Osaka as a hub for the surrounding area. There’s plenty to see and do in this lovely port city!
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7 Popular Things To Do In Kobe, Japan:
Eat Kobe Beef
As the saying goes “When In Rome..” or perhaps the more suitable, “When in Kobe..” in this instance. Kobe beef is a worldwide delicacy renowned for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. As the name implies, Kobe beef is cultivated from Japanese Black cattle which is raised in the Hyogo Prefecture region of Japan, near Kobe. It’s considered the highest quality beef that Japanese cattle can produce and is must try! There’s various cuts of this and obviously the higher the price the better the cut and quality. So the experience can certainly vary upon how much you’re willing to spend.
I went the “cheap” route at a Kobe beef restaurant ($36.14 USD) for six pieces of Kobe beef and the meat was just alright. Some pieces melted in my mouth, while others were pretty chewy. You get what you pay for. On the other hand, I got a Kobe beef bowl in Himeji and the Kobe beef was AMAZING.
Regardless, Kobe beef is an EXPERIENCE. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Kobe and is something you’ll definitely want to try (just do some better research than myself to find a proper Kobe beef restaurant!).
Visit Kobe’s Chinatown
One of the most popular things to do in Kobe is taking a visit to its Chinatown. This is one of the largest Chinatown’s in all of Japan. This is a small area – 270 meters east to west and 110 meters north to south – but is jam packed with over 100 shops, food stalls, and restaurants.
A lot of the food stalls, as you’ll notice, sell a lot of the same types of food items. There are some unique food items though. Some restaurants are quite popular with massive lines.
Needless to say, you don’t need to walk to far to find some tasty, cheap food or drinks. Be sure to come with a big appetite, you’ll certainly need it here!
Explore The Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens
One of the biggest attractions and things to do in Kobe is taking a visit to the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens. Located on Mt. Rokko above Kobe, the best way to access Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens is via the Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway. The ropeway ride takes about 10 minutes and provide a great view of Kobe on the way up.
A round trip on the ropeway which also provides access to the garden, will set you back 2000 yen ($12.43 USD), a one-way ticket is 1400 yen, ($8.70 USD).
Once you get to the actual garden area, it opens up with a large, open view plaza that includes the German castle themed rest house. This building has some souvenir shops and a shop selling food and drinks. The open concourse area can house vendor tents selling seasonal boutique items while provide an abundance of bench seating.
There’s also a frangrance museum next to the rest house. This museum has a huge array of unique, natural smelling perfumes and oils that can be purchased and is well worth a walk through.
It’s a nice walk down the mountain with a paved, windy pathway that takes you through multiple types of herb and flower gardens.
This pathway also leads you to the glasshouse which you can walkthrough and holds a cafe / lounge on the second floor, a herbal area where you can create your own household friendly scents and the “statue of love”
You can easily spend a few hours in total, at The Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens which is why it’s one of hte most popular things to do in Kobe. It’s a nice change of pace from the regular tourist attractions and is a great way to walk off all that food from the Kobe Chinatown!
Visit The Many Attractions At Meriken Park
Meriken Park is one of the most popular things to do in Kobe due to the abundance of attractions within it. A large, wide open park, home to some impressive contemporary architecture, and a spacious lawn, Meriken Park is great place to enjoy some outdoor sights all within walking distance to one another.
It’s also located right on the waters of the port and is a short walk from Harborland, which is major shopping area in Kobe.
Kobe Port Tower
Kobe Port Tower is one of the attractions located within Meriken Park. Standing at 354 ft tall, the tower has multiple observations decks as well as an open air rooftop deck and cafe.
Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park
The Port Of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park is a small memorial for the victims who lost their lives in the port during the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Located in Meriken Park, there’s a small section of the waterfront area that was left unrepaired as a part of the memorial. It’s an opportunity for visitors to catch a small glimpse of the destructive power of the earthquake. It’s a somber area, but interesting nonetheless.
BE KOBE Sign
One of the most popular things to do in Kobe is taking a photo with the BE KOBE sign. The sign was built to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1995 earthquake. City Hall had this sign created to instill a sense of civic pride in the citizens of Kobe. If visiting the area at night, the sign is illuminated by colored lights on the base of the sign.
Unrelated, if you’re a big Kobe Bryant fan like myself, the sign has a different type of significance and is pretty special to see.
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Meriken Park In Kobe Is Home To Many Visually Exciting Sights
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Meriken Park is one of the more popular places to see while visiting Kobe. Located in the Kobe port area, the water front park is home to several attractions.
Meriken Park
In Meriken Park you can find the iconic Kobe Port Tower, Kobe Maritime Museum, the Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial, the Be Kobe sign.
What made this area stand out to me was all the contemporary architecture found throughout the park with the Kobe Port Tower and Kobe Maritime Museum at the forefront. There’s also a variety of different works of art throughout the park which was really cool to see, especially at night since everything was lit up.
The park is wide open with lots of open space and large paved pathways to get around. There’s a spacious lawn as well which would be a great spot to chill and have a snack and drink when the weather is nice.
Kobe Port Tower
Built in 1963, the red painted Kobe Port Tower is hard to miss. Standing at 354 ft tall, the tower has multiple observations decks as well as an open air rooftop deck and cafe. I didn’t get the chance to enter the tower and go up it to get the views this visit, but the structure itself was unique looking with its design and it’s distinctive red color.
Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park
1995 is the year that a massive 6.9 earthquake devasted Kobe. The Port Of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park is a small memorial for the victims who lost their lives in the port during the earthquake. A small section of the waterfront area was left unrepaired as a part of the memorial and for visitors to catch a small glimpse of the destructive power of the earthquake.
It’s defintely a somber area, knowing what transpired here, but the small informational placards detailing the effects of the earthquake and relief efforts are certainly interesting.
BE KOBE Sign
This distinctive sign located in Meriken Park was built to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1995 earthquake. City Hall had this sign created to instill a sense of civic pride in the citizens of Kobe. It’s a popular attraction in Kobe and specifically Meriken Park.
The sign has lights on the base of it which provide different colored lighting. On this particular night it was illuminated in purple and gold. I’m not sure if this is always the case, but being a Kobe Bryant fan this was pretty awesome to see. I know the sign is for the city, but being a Kobe fan it had a bit of dual meaning for myself and the Mamba mentality.
It was definitely cool to see it illuminated in purple and gold the night I went.
Is Meriken Park Worth A Visit?
Meriken Park is certainly worth a stop if visiting Kobe. There’s quite a few attractions to be seen within it. The park is wide open with ample space and between the Kobe Port Tower, Kobe Maritime Museum, the Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial, and the Be Kobe sign, there’s plenty to see with lots of opportunities for photos. That’s not mentioning the walk around the port itself. With some great waterfront views, just cruising around on the outskirts of the park taking in the nice ocean breeze is quite nice and relaxing.
The nearby Harborland, which is a huge shopping and entertainment area featuring two malls and the Mosaic, which consists of a ton of restaurants are also extremely popular places in Kobe. It’s another huge area with lots of shopping and food options to choose from. There’s also a ferris wheel that looks out on the port. Harborland is right next to Meriken Park and is an easy walk if you’re looking to hit two birds with one stone!
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Exploring Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens: A Hidden Gem in Japan
One of the biggest attractions in Kobe is the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens. With over 75,000 herbs and flowers spread across 12 gardens, the premises contains a fragrance museum, gift shops, a restaurant and cafe, and other exhibits. A ropeway takes you up to the garden and then a long winding trail takes you through the gardens until you reach a ropeway station that takes you back down the mountain, if you choose.
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The Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway
Located on Mt. Rokko above Kobe, the best way to access Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens is via the Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway. A round trip which also provides access to the garden, will set you back 2000 yen ($12.43 USD), a one-way ticket is 1400 yen, ($8.70 USD).
The ride up takes about 10 minutes and provides some great views of the city, ending at the top station. I’m sure even better if it wasn’t a little drizzly on the day I went!
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden View Plaza
Once you exit the station it opens up to what is called the rest house. This building is designed after an old German castle and includes souvenir shops and snacks and refreshments. The Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens view plaza is also here which offers seating where you can enjoy your snacks amongst the beauty of the rest house and garden.
I’m not sure if they alway have little boutique tents up throughout the year, but during Christmas time they had tables set up selling ornaments and other Christmas decorations / trinkets.
Honey Dew is a part of the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens view plaza and you can pick up some food and drinks here. I had just come from Kobe’s Chinatown so wasn’t very hungry but still got a little snack. I got a honey chai (600 yen, $3.73 USD) and honey comb soft ice cream (800 yen, $4.98 USD). They give you some extra honey you can drizzle over the soft serve which was great!
Also, at the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens view plaza is the rose garden which is home to over 60 different types of roses and the fragrance museum / concert hall. The fragrance museum has a huge array of unique, natural smelling perfumes and oils that can be purchased. It’s fun to peruse and smell the various fragrances they have concocted in this little museum!
The concert hall is located upstairs. It’s basically a medium-sized room that looked like it could seat 100+ people with a small stage. When I was there there was a pianist that was performing. There’s an admission fee to see the performers here. I had wandered upstairs exploring and didn’t actually attend the show but you could still hear the music which was nice.
The view plaza also offers a great panoramic view of the city, floating above the tree top strewn horizon, pretty cool.
The Walk Through Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden
Something that is really cool about this experience is the way the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden is designed. The paved, winding paths take you through multiple types of herb and flower gardens. This path and how it interweaves throughout these numerous gardens is aesthetically pleasing. I went in the winter time and it found it to be quite peaceful and pleasing but can only imagine what this little journey would like when everything is in full bloom.
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden Glasshouse
This pathway eventually takes you down towards the glasshouse.
The glasshouse is quite large. It’s full of lush plant life within, complete with a little stream running through it. There’s also a cafe / lounge on the second floor, a herbal area where you can create your own household friendly scents, the “statue of love”, and even an herbal footbath located outside on the back of the glasshouse.
The End Of The Journey
Towards the end of walk back down the mountain there’s a great little recreation area. This wide open lawn area includes a slew of hammocks where you can literally kick your feet up and relax a bit while enjoying a nice view of Kobe while watching ropeway carts zooming up the mountain.
Overall, Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens is a really nice, peaceful place to come and visit if you’re in Kobe. The unique architecture of its rest house and the fantastic walk through the gardens is a nice change of pace from other touristy types of attractions. I highly recommend visiting if in Kobe!
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Exploring One Of Japan’s Largest Chinatown’s (Nankin-machi) in Kobe
The Kobe Chinatown is one of Japan’s three largest Chinatown’s in the country. The other two being located in Yokohama and Nagasaki. It’s one of the major tourist attractions in Kobe and is a must visit for any serious foodie!
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Kobe Chinatown (Nankin-machi)
First developed in 1868 by Chinese merchants when the port of Kobe first opened, the small, compact area became known as “Nankinmachi”, named after China’s former capital city. The entire area is only 270 meters east to west and 110 meters north to south, so this is a very compact area. It’s jam packed with over 100 shops, food stalls, and restaurants.
The two main streets in Nankin-machi converge into an open area called Nankinmachi Square. Here you can find the Azumaya pavilion which is a hexagonal, two-tiered roof, gazebo. The square is a popular location where many people mill around eating food and just hanging out. Definitely good energy here!
The Food
There’s so much food in Nankin-machi, it’s pretty tough to decide where to start initially. But after taking a walk around you start seeing that a lot of the stalls are selling the same kind of foods. I decided to go to places that had the longer lines or seemed to have a different variety of food compared to other stalls.
The first item I got was pork slices bao (300 yen, $1.86). The bao was very soft and fresh, they steam it right in front of you. The pork slices were a little tough, tasty, due to the sweet sauce which was lathered all over it but a little too tough for my liking. This was just decent overall.
The next street food I got was a duck burrito (400 yen, $2.48 USD). This was wrapped in a thin sort of rice paper. Inside of the rice paper was a nice chunk of duck, thinly sliced cabbage, and a sweet dark sauce.
This was a tasty little “burrito”. The duck was really juicy and tender and the skin nice and crispy. The subtle crunch of the cabbage and the tasty sauce combined well with the duck.
Next up was a steamed pork bun. This was a HUGE dumpling, more like 2 or 3 dumplings in 1 (300 yen, $1.86). This came out piping out but came at a price. This was over steamed with the dough a little mushy. The pork filling was flavorful but the mushiness of the steamed bun took away from the experience.
The last street food I got was pork soup dumplings (500 yen, $3.10 USD). Let’s be honest, soup dumplings are a must if they’re available! For $3.10 USD you got 6 dumplings. These were freshly made and came out piping hot. Pretty simple dumplings, with seasoned ground pork and quite a lot of soup in each dumpling. The dumpling skins were just the right thickness and you could tell these were fresh. Overall, pretty simple but quite tasty and enjoyable.
Is Nankin-machi Worth Visiting?
If you’re doing a day trip to Kobe from Osaka or Kyoto, Nankin-machi is worth a visit. There’s a TON of food options here. If you’re craving some Chinese street food, this is the place to go. Not only are there plenty of food options in a small area (you’ll be able to save your feet from a ton of walking) but the food is also relatively cheap. For all the food I ate that afternoon I spent a total of $9.30 USD.
That’s quite a lot of food for less than $10 USD!
If street food isn’t your thing, there’s also some restaurants that are quite popular here. They had VERY long lines, even their to go windows. Not sure what the restuarants were, or what kind of food they had, but they were definitely popular. Since I was only spending the day in Kobe I didn’t want to wait, but was certainly curious. Maybe next time!
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Discover Ikkakuya: A Good Tonkatsu Ramen Spot in Tokyo
If you find yourself wandering around the Ikebukuro / Toshima City area and have an grumbling stomach, there are, of course, no shortage of options to be had in this busy area. I was craving a nice bowl of tonkatsu ramen though, so I was glad I knew exactly what I was looking for and not wandering around having a difficult time choosing what to eat. It was under these hungry cicumstances that I came across Ikkakuya.
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Ikkakuya
Ikkakuya is a large nationwide ramen chain. Known for their tonkatsu ramen, Ikkakuya also offers a variety of different types of bowls with various toppings you can choose from. The location I went to had the automated ordering machine in the front which you order from. Luckily, there was an English button you could select and easily create your order with. Those machines, common in Japan for ramen shops, can be a little intimidating if there’s a long line and no English options, so when there’s an option for English, it’s always a very welcome sight!
The Ordering Experience
I opted for the Max ( I mean it’s the No.1 option per this billboard!) which was 1310 yen, $8.30 USD. This bowl of tonkatsu ramen included three pieces of chashu, six pieces of seaweed, and a flavored egg. On top of that I also got a ground pork rice bowl for 350 yen ($2.22 USD) as a side dish.
The restaurant is very tiny, like many ramen restaurants. It was just a narrow countertop facing the kitchen with stools. I came at a weird time, a little bit before 5pm so (fortunately) it was not very busy.
I handed a cook my ticket from the ordering machine and boom the bowl of tonkatsu ramen and ground pork bowl came out within 5-10 minutes. It was extremely fast, which I was grateful for since I was starving!
The Food Experience
I loved the presentation of the tonkatsu ramen bowl with the pieces of seaweed lining the bowl like shown above. That’s the first thing I noticed. The chashu looked like it had a nice little char on it so I was looking forward to giving it a try. The broth also looked quite oily at first glance and noodles looked fairly thicker for ramen noodles.
The first thing I always do with a fresh bowl of ramen is to give the broth, without any additioinal spices I generally toss in there, a taste.
The broth was very rich and savory. It had a deep, porky flavor to it. Definitley a little oily and salty as well.
This was a very thin chashu, it did have a nice little char to it and was very tender. It was quite salty as well. The chashu wasn’t too bad but it wasn’t the best either. The saltiness of it stood out, which isn’t the best attribute you want to stand out.
The noodles were definitely a bit thicker that what I’d seen at other ramen spots, not necessarily a bad thing as the noodles were al dente and tasted fresh.
The egg was nice and creamy and as usual at Japanese tonkatsu ramen shops quite tasty.
In addition to the tonkatsu ramen, I also got a ground pork bowl as a side. I wasn’t entirely sure what the the pork was mixed in with. It looked like it was some chili oil sauce but there was no spice at all. This was also pretty salty. It was decent, but nothing to write home about.
Final Thoughts
If I doled out ratings for food on a 1-10 scale, I’d give Ikkakuya a solid 6. It’s not a place that really stood out for the better or worse. The bowl of tonkatsu ramen was huge, so you definitely get your money worth for the price (1310 yen, $8.30 USD). The noodles were really good but the chashu was a little thin and overly salty for my taste as well as the broth. The pork bowl was, again, solid but didn’t really stand out in any way either. It was a nice complement with the ramen but it was also a little salty. I’d probably just get a regular side of rice to eat with the ramen if I were to swing by Ikkakuya again.
If you’re looking for some fast and efficient tonkatsu ramen, Ikkakuya is a good choice. It’s pretty good but not a place you should go out of your way to try and get!
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Popular Comfort Food Hamburg Steak Is A Mainstay At This Osaka Resturant
Hamburg steak is a very popular food in Japan. Enjoyed by all generations and especially popular amongst children, hamburg steak is very much a comfort food throughout Japan.
It’s basically a meat pattie consisting of a combination of both ground pork and ground beef, sauteed onions, egg to bind everything together, and bread crumbs. This combination creates the juicy and tender Japanese hamburg steak.
The sauce generally consists of a blend of Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and Japanese sake creating a flavorful sauce to coat the hamburg steak.
Sides generally include potato salad and /or rice.
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Grill Ron
Hamburg steak was not something that I had eaten in many years. With it being so popular in Japan it was available at many different locations and one night it just sounded really good and I was able to find Grill Ron’s in Osaka.
Located in the basement level of the Osaka Hankyu Sanban-gai, a large mall near Osaka Station, Grill Ron has been in business for nearly half a century. It’s a small restaurant and there was about a 20-minute queue when I went around 6pm. It’s quite convenient that they have stools lining the front of the restuarant so you can sit while you wait, which after a long day of touring is quite nice and very welcome!
I came here for the hamburg steak and it’s certainly a prominent item on their menu. They have a few different options to choose from three different sets with different sides to choose from. Having an English menu was also a huge plus!
I went with the A Set which included a hamburg steak, fried shrimp, and croquette (1,250 yen, $7.77 USD). This also included a side of rice and miso soup. Quite a deal for $7.77!
The Food
The presentation on the plate is quite nice with the hamburg steak, croquette, and fried shrimp all lined up nicely. By American terms, the hamburg steak is a little small, BUT I mean, we tend to over do things food related, so this hamburg steak is probably sized correctly lol. It did however stand out to me initially.
The hamburg steak was really lean and extremely juicy. It paired well with that brown Worcestershire, ketchup, and Japanese sake sauce which was a little a sweet, a little savory. It was quite tasty.
The croquette ended up being potato, with a perfectly crispy exterior and mushy inside. The contrast between both the exterior and interior was fantastic. It was really like a deep fried mashed potato pancake. Dipped in some of that sauce really made it quite tasty as well!
Finally, the shrimp. First off, the shrimp was quite large. Fried to perfection, it was nice and crispy and the shrimp was very swee. Definitely a nice addition to this set. It comes with what is basically tarter sauce for dipping sauce.
Is It Worth A Visit?
Overall, this was a good meal, especially for the price. I liked the different combination of flavors and textures with the fried shrimp, hamburg steak, and potato croquette. Throw in some potato salad, some cabbage, rice, and miso soup, and this was quite a lot of food (yes, even with the “smaller” hamburg steak!)
Grill Ron has been around for a very long time and they know what they’re doing. If you’re in the area and craving a hamburg steak it’s certainly worth stopping by and grabbing a delicious, budget conscious meal.
Grill Ron
Address: 1 Chome-1-3 Shibata, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0012, Japan
Hours
Monday 11 AM–10 PM Tuesday 11 AM–10 PM Wednesday 11 AM–10 PM Thursday 11 AM–10 PM Friday 11 AM–10 PM Saturday 11 AM–10 PM Sunday 11 AM–10 PM -
Discover the Best Kobe Beef Bowl Near Himeji Castle
If traveling to Himeji to visit the fantastic Himeji Castle, Kushiyaki Kobe Beef, a tiny restaurant located on Otemae Street, is a place you will defintely want to stop by to grab lunch or dinner to sample their kobe beef bowl!
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Kushiyaki Kobe Beef
This tiny hole in the wall restaurant has an ideal location if you’re visiting Himeji Castle. If you’re coming from Osaka or Kyoto on a day trip you’ll most likely be coming in from the Himeji Station. Once you leave the station, the main street it exits to is Otemae Street which will take you right to Himeji Castle.
Conveniently located on the left hand side right before you cross the street over to the castle grounds is where Kushiyaki is located.
This is a very tiny location, with a counter top and six total seats within it. You can also order something to go from the window in the front of the store, which is what I did since there was no seating available at the time I went. One of the most popular items sold is the kobe beef bowl.
As the name would imply, Kushiyaki Kobe Beef has a menu featuring kobe beef items. They also have wagyu and karubi items as well. The menu here is pretty small with skewers, rice bowls, and hamburgers, but that’s all they really need.
The burgers here were quite tempting. I mean a wagyu and kobe beef burger? Sounds pretty amazing, but I really wanted to enjoy and savor the meat itself, so I went with the kobe beef bowl – 2,400 yen, $14.93.
The Kobe Beef Bowl
The bowl itself is not very large. Since this was kobe beef I wasn’t expecting to be getting a huge portion though. It’s a simple dish: about 8 slices of kobe beef over a bed of rice with teriyaki sauce and some garnish. I was definitely excited to dig into this!
To put it simply the kobe beef was AMAZING. THe meat is grilled medium rare. It’s lightly seasoned, just seemed salted but that’s all it needs. It’s extremely tender, juicy, and literally melts in your mouth. There really isn’t much chewing involved. The meat literally melts in your mouth. I can’t recall having any kind of beef like this before. It was certainly an experience.
The rice of course goes well with this and adds some filler. It’s great that they drizzle some teriyaki sauce over it to add some flavor but keep it separated fromt the kobe beef. You really want to savor the kobe beef itself so it’s nice that the don’t put any teriyaki sauce over it.
Is Kushiyaki Kobe Beef Worth A Visit?
If you’re going to Himeji Castle, I definitely recommend stopping by and grabbing the kobe beef bowl. This is legit kobe beef and worth every penny. While the servings are fairly small for the price point, the quality of the kobe beef makes it well worth it. I’ve paid more money at a sitdown grill and gotten the cheapest kobe beef option that was double this amount and the kobe beef was far and away better at Kushiyaki Kobe Beef.
If you’re looking for something light than this will be a perfect appetizer on the way to the castle or for a light meal after you’ve toured it. With it being so close to the castle and the shop having to go orders, it makes it very convenient to grab a quick delicious bite to eat!
Kushiyaki Kobe Beef
Address: Japan, 〒670-0012 Hyogo, Himeji, Honmachi, 68 にの屋敷 D 2
Hours:
Monday 11 AM–5:30 PM Tuesday 11 AM–5:30 PM Wednesday 11 AM–5:30 PM Thursday 11 AM–5:30 PM Friday 11 AM–5:30 PM Saturday 11 AM–5:30 PM Sunday 11 AM–5:30 PM -
Towering Himeji Castle Is One Of Japan’s Great Wonders
Himeji Castle, the world heritage site, is Japan’s best preserved feudal castle. Also known as the White Heron Castle due to its elegant white sheen, Himeji Castle is considered to be Japan’s greatest castle, for good reason.
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Himeji Castle
One of the 12 remaining original castles from Japan’s past, Himeji Castle is the country’s most famous and most visited as well. Early fortifications for the castle were completed in the 1400s with the main castle being completed in 1609.
Luckily, the castle has survived World War II, fires, and earthquakes and remains intact over the duration of hundreds of years.
The grounds here are quite expansive. Prior to entering the grounds you’ll cross over the outer moat via the Sakuramon-bashi Bridge and most likely enter through the Otemon Gate.
Once you enter through the gate you get the full view of Sannomaru Square. This is a HUGE lawn area with cherry blossom trees lined around it. As one would imagine, this area becomes quite popular around cherry blossom season. It must be quite the spectacle to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom with the castle in the distance. This area is also free to roam around.
As you approach the castle you get to the paid area which has booths in the front. The entrance fee is 1000 yen ($6.26 USD) or you can get a combined entrance fee (1050 yen, $6.57 USD) which includes the castle and nearby Kokoen Garden.
Once you enter the castle grounds you’ll be amazed at how intricate the layout is. There’s many different zig-zagging narrow pathways that lead to the main keep. This was designed as a defense mechanism to confuse would be intruders on their way to the keep. It can be a little confusing just walking around as a tourist with signs so I can only imagine what it would be like with no signage anywhere. These pathways lead through a total of 21 gates within the grounds. At it’s peak, the grounds had over 80 total.
There are two main bailey’s which you can actually walk through. The main keep and the residence of the former princess. The residence is a long building with mulitple empty rooms which is located to the west of the main keep.
The grounds of the princess’s residence 
A hallway within the princess residence Once you make your way through the princess residence it’s off to the main keep.
The main keep is six stories with each floor getting progressively smaller and smaller. The floors are accessed by narrow, steep staircases and are sparsely furnished. Even without furnishing it’s quite a sight to see. The top floor provides nice views of the entire castle grounds. You can appreciate just how large and expansive they truly are.
They did a really good job in restoring this and preserving the look. Himeji Castle went under restoration work to preserve the castle buildings from 2010-2015. Not only does the main keep look magnificent, but the overall Himeji Castle grounds are truly amazing. It really gives you an idea of what the castle once looked like.
A view from around the castle area 
Is Himeji Castle Worth Visiting?
Himeji Castle is 100% worth visiting. It was a highlight of my trip. With how much access you have to wander around and how well preserved everything within the grounds are, it’s a special place to visit. Being able to walk within the main keep and to see it preserved to how it once was is just a really cool experience. You certainly will not be disappointed if you come here. It’s a perfect day or half-day trip from Osaka or Kyoto as well.
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This Observatory In Osaka Offers Breathtaking Views Of The City
There’s a plethora of things to see, eat, and do while in Osaka. One of the most popular attractions in the city is the Kuchu Teien Observatory in Osaka.
Kuchu Teien Observatory In Osaka
Located in the Umeda Sky Building, this observatory in Osaka provides a 360-degree view of Osaka from various floors in a 40-story high building.
Tickets cost 1,500 yen, ($9.50 USD). To enter Kuchu Teien you first enter on the 3rd floor where an elevator will take you all the way to the 35th floor.
From here you take an escalator from the 35th floor to 39th floor. If you’re not a fan of heights you probably don’t want to look to your left or right while on this escalator ride. Both sides of the escalator are enclosed in glass. As you go up you can see the city, it’s kind of like you’re floating in the air. It’s definitely a bit of an experience.
All the floors here are circular and provide 360-degree views of the city. The 39th floor is the first floor you can walk around in the observatory in Osaka. It contains a Gallery Shop, a Chinese Restaurant, and a Sky Lounge as well.
The 40th floor provides the same views as the 39th and has an additional Cafe where you can grab some food and a drink and take a seat to soak in the views of the city.
There’s also a couple of small exhibits on this floor that shows the history of the Umeda Sky Building and how it was constructed.
Once you spend some time on the 40th floor it’s time to head up to the rooftop. This is where the Skywalk is located. This is a circular walkway around the rooftop that provides the same types of views as the 39th and 40th floors but obviously without the windows!
I’m glad I went at night and was able to see the city fully lit up. The views are quite spectacular!
The rooftop also provides a great view of the middle of the building and how high up you really are. The design of this portion of the building is definitely quite interesting. Especially when you see the escalators which look like they’re floating in the air.
Is The Kuchu Teien Observatory In Osaka Worth Visiting?
If you’re a fan of observatory’s and views of city landscapes then you’ll definitely want to check out Kuchu Teien Observatory In Osaka. It’s a fun attraction (the escalator ride and feeling of floating about 35 floors up in the air is quite an experience) and the way the building is designed in itself is something worth gawking at. For about $10 USD this won’t break the bank either so it’s something that’s pretty fair in price. If heights aren’t your thing you may not enjoy this. The “floating” escalators may not jive well with you, nor the Skywalk. I’m not a fan of heights myself but found these elements of the attractions to be fine though.
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Thinking Of Doing A Day Trip to Nara From Kyoto or Osaka? Here’s Some Suggestions!
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When thinking of Nara, one instantly gets that mental image of family or a friend that has made the trip to Nara and taken a classic selfie with multiple deer that are seemingly everywhere in the Deer Park. We’ve all seen the photos and it’s one of Nara’s biggest draws for good reason.
It’s likely the biggest reason why you’re planning on visiting. I know that was the biggest reason why I wanted to visit.
While the deer of Nara certainly live up to the hype (yes, they’re as adorable in person as in your friends photos!), Nara does have much more to offer and see as well.
Nara is a very old city and was once Japan’s capital. It’s home to some of the country’s oldest and largest temples, including the famous Todaiji Temple, making a day trip to Nara a perfect opportunity to explore it’s many offerings.
A Day Trip to Nara From Kyoto or Osaka
Nara is a very popular day trip from the neighboring Kyoto and Osaka. It’s a little less than an hr train ride from Kyoto (from Kyoto Station) and a little over an hour from Osaka as well (from Osaka Station).
The distance makes it a perfect day trip from either of the neighboring mega cities. Nara Station is also in a great location. You can walk directly from Nara Station to Sanjo Dori Street to all the major sites and Deer Park. It will definitely be a lot of walking but it’s certainly doable.
Sanjo Dori Street
When exiting Nara Station if you turn left and walk up the first major street you come across that will be Sanjo Dori Street. Most likely many people from Nara Station will be taking this route as well so you can just follow the crowd.
Walking down this street will take you directly into Nara Park which is where you can spend the whole day essentially. The street itself has many different souvenir shops and other stores and places to grab some food. With it being so close to Nara Station it’s a great place to stop off and get some souvenirs on your way back to the station at the end of the day,.
A very popular shop is Nakatanidou. Nakatanidou is famous for its live mochi making displays and its fresh mochi.
You can grab a three pack of these freshly made mochi for 540 yen, $3.81 USD. The mochi is unbelievably fresh. Soft, chewy, and filled with red bean paste, these are a perfect snack prior to entering Nara Park.
Nara Park
After enjoying some fresh mochi you can walk a little further down Sanjo Dori Street to enter Nara Park.
The park is massive, measuring over 660 hectares. This is where you’ll find all of the roaming deer and Nara’s most famous temples. Even devoting an entire day here you won’t be able to see everything, it’s just too large. But visiting all the main temples while enjoying the wild deer is certainly achievable during a day trip to Nara!
Kofukuji Temple Grounds
If entering the park through Sanjo Dori Street, Kofukuji Temple grounds is the first temple you’ll come across. There’s quite a few structures located here and the area is quite big. The five story pagoda – Kofuku-ji Gojunoto – is easily visible and towers over the other Kofukuji structures. The main temple is the Central Golden Hall.
The grounds are free to roam but The Central Golden Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall and Kofukuji’s National Treasure Museum require an entrance fee. I walked around a little bit but didn’t devote a ton of time here. If stretched for time a quick walk through with a few photos will suffice. You can always spend more time here on the way back from your day in the park as well!
Kofuku-ji Gojunoto 
Central Golden Hall Inside Nara Park
Once you get deeper into the park, you realize just how large it is. It’s a huge wide open park with deer roaming everywhere. And the deer are EVERYWHERE. It’s easy to see these deer and think they’re domesticated, they are definitely well behaved.
You’ll find clusters of deer chilling near entrances to the park, which is where you’ll find vendors selling rice cakes (200 yen, $1.27) that you can feed the deer. It’s important to keep in mind that they aren’t domesticated and to treat them as such. They will certainly start crowding you once they realize you have rice cakes so best get that camera ready!
It’s definitely a fun experience to walk through the park with so many deer around. I thought they would be contained to one portion of the park but they are literally everywhere so it’s a truly unique experience.
Isuien Garden and Neiraku Museum
The Isuien Garden and Neiraku Museum are located near the Todai-Ji temple grounds and are about a 10-15 minute walk from the Kofukuji Temple Grounds. There’s an entrance fee for this (1200 yen, $7.63 USD). There are two traditional Japanese gardens located here and a small museum.
If you need a break from temples and deer this is a nice spot to bask in some peace and tranquility while appreciating the well-kempt gardens. I always love Japanese gardens due to how serene and beautiful they are and Isuien Garden certainly lives up to those traits. The garden and museum are both quite small so it will not take much time to walk through both.
Todai-Ji Temple
The most famous and popular destination of Nara is Todai-Ji Temple (600 yen, $3.81 USD, entrance fee). It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site designated as one of the historic monuments of Ancient Nara. This is a must see during a day trip to Nara.
Constructed in 752, the temple was once one of the Seven Great Temples and wielded great power and influence. Todaiji’s main hall, the Daibutsuden, is one of the world’s largest wooden buildings standing at 57 meters in length.
Prior to sustaining fire damage which required the temple to be rebuilt in 1709, the orginal temple once stood at 88 meters in length, so it was actually 30% larger. The building is an impressively massive wooden building as it currently stands, so one can only imagine what it once looked like hundreds of years ago in it’s original size.
Daibutsuden means Big Budda Hall and housed within the main hall is a 15 ft seated Buddha. This enormous bronze statue was created in 752 and is the centerpiece of the temple. It’s the first thing you encounter once entering the temple and is certainly a sight to behold. There are other fantastic statues within the temple as well. Overall, this is a really cool temple, just due to the sheer size, the huge Buddha statue and the other statues within it.
The Todai-Ji area encompasses much more than just the temple. In and around the grounds are several other temples which you can walk to. Some of which may require an entrance fee.
My favorite of these nearby temples was Todaiji Nigatsudo (February Hall). This temple was free and provided a great view of the surrounding area.
Kasuga Taisha
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kasuga Taisha is Nara’s most famous and sacred shrines. This is another major attraction which should be near the top of a day trip to Nara.
Built in 768, the shrine has been re-built several times over the centuries. It enshrines many gods and deities and the grounds here are quite spectacular and tranquil.
The majority of the area is free to roam around. If you want a look at the shrine’s inner buildings within the offering hall, that will require a fee.
Famous for its lanterns, Kasuga Taisha is home to hundreds of bronze lanterns that can be found hanging from the buildings. There are around 2000 stone lanterns that line the many paths on the grounds as well.
The lanterns are only lit twice a year during two Lantern Festivals, one in early February and one in mid August. One can only imagine what a sight that would be to behold.
Kasuga Taisha is deeper into Nara Park than Todai-Ji Temple and you can easily spend a couple of hours walking around these ground. Deer roam freely in this area as well and are believed to be sacred messengers of the Shinto gods which inhabit the shrine.
Mizuya Chaya
Located near Kasuga Taisha is a cozy little udon restaurant called Mizuya Chaya. This is located right in the park and is a quaint little place with a thatched roof. When I went here there were a lot of people sitting across the road and sketching the building, it’s quite popular.
They specialize in udon here and have a few options. Menus are in English so it’s easy to figure out what you want.
I went with the edible wild plants udon (850 yen, $5.39 USD) and also got an iced coffee ( 450 yen, $2.85 yen). The broth had a nice, salty umami taste to it. The noodles were extremely fresh. Great al dente texture, soft and chewy. They were really good! The veggies included green beans, mushrooms, and bamboo. The veggies provided additional textrue and went great with the broth and fresh noodles. This is a perfect stop if you’re heading to or from Kasuga Taisha around lunch time and it’s very affordable!
Enjoy Your Time In Nara
There’s so much to see in Nara Park. Even though I was there for an entire day, I barely scratched the surface. It truly is massive. Fortunately, the major attractions are fairly close to one another and you can walk to them from Nara Station. It will be a heavy day of walking though. There are buses that you can take to the major attractions though if you prefer.
Some of the most enjoyable moments for me were finding pockets in the vast park where there weren’t many people milling around. These are great moments where you can really take in the beauty of the park and appreciate the moment.
Finally, you have to admire these deer. I mean look how polite they are, they even stand outside of shops, lol.
