Wandering the Nunobiki Herb Gardens of Kobe

The lavender is in full bloom during the height of summer season at the Nunobiki Herb Gardens north of Shin Kobe railway station. Take the ropeway to the Herb Garden Terrace at the top of the mountain to sip handmade sodas and German-style bratwurst. Shop for lavender infused roasted barley teas and marvel at an array of different smells in the scent library. Take a leisurely stroll down the mountain toward Sannomiya and pause midway to enjoy lavender ice cream. Then dip your toes in the footbath onsen overlooking the city and port of Kobe. Explore the greenhouse and relax on the terrace with made-to-order sandwiches and ice teas.

 

 

The Nunobiki Herb Garden is home to more than 75,000 different herbs and boasts a variety of shops, cafes, museums, and meeting spaces. Popular with tourists from all over the world, the Herb Garden Terrace offers unparalleled panoramic views overlooking the city of Kobe and Kansai region. The ropeway travels 1460 meters to reach a height of 330 meters in approximately 10 minutes. From Shin Kobe station, you can also hike 15 minutes to the base of the Nunobiki waterfalls or continue even further to the Gohonmatsu Dam, the first concrete gravity dam in Japan.

There are two stops along the ropeway – the midway station and the Herb Garden Terrace at the top. The Herb Garden Terrace boasts a variety of gift shops and dining options including an outdoor German-style grill and an assortment of beers. Be sure to check-out the gift shops with lavender-infused roasted barley teas and a wide-variety of aromatic oils. There is also a small selection of plants and herbs for sale. At the back of the terrace is a communal meeting space, a classroom workspace to learn about aroma oil mixing, and a museum with a wide variety of scents to sample. There is also a trail that leads into the mountains of Kobe, but visitors should be warned that signs are limited and only in Japanese.

While the Herb Garden Terrace at the top is the main attraction, there are also plenty of things to do and see at the midway station! In addition to an ice cream shop, greenhouse, cafe and onsen footbath, there is an open field for picnics with an assortment of balls free-of-charge for kids to borrow and play with.

 

 

Ropeway tickets

		Round Trip	One-way
From 9:30 am	Adult	1400 JPY	900 JPY
	Child	700 JPY	450 JPY
	Preschool and younger	Free
After 5 pm	Adult	800 JPY	No one-way tickets available after 5 pm
	Child	500 JPY

 

Directions to the Nunobiki Herb Gardens

From Sannomiya station in Kobe, walk northeast toward Shin Kobe station. The bottom of the ropeway is located adjacent to Shin Kobe station.

Address:	1-4-3 Kitanocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0002, Hyogo Prefecture
Phone:	+81 78-271-1160
Website:	kobeherb.com