Nunobiki Herb Garden, Reservoir & Falls Hike | Kobe, Japan

Just a few minutes from Shin-Kobe Station is the trailhead to Nunobiki Falls—an easy 30-minute hike. From there, the trail continues toward Mts. Maya and Rokko, a route that takes 6-7 hours to complete. I was looking for something in between: a peaceful walk with just enough adventure  to justify gorging on croquettes after. LOL. 

Nunobiki Falls in Kobe, Japan

From Tennoji Station, I took the Midosuji Line to Umeda, then transferred to another train going to Sannomiya Station on the Tokkaido Sanyo Line bound for Umeji. From there, it was just one stop to Shin-Kobe Station. The entire train journey takes about an hour and costs 830 yen one way (Link to route here), making it an easy day trip from Osaka.

Instead of heading all the way to Mt. Maya, I opted for a loop hike. From Shin-Kobe Station, I walked straight to Miharashi Overlook (there are restrooms here), continued to Nunobiki Reservoir, and ended at the Herb Garden. Unfortunately, the park was closed for maintenance, so I wasn’t able to go around. 

Nunobiki Reservoir

I quickly made my way down to Nunobiki Falls and was pleasantly surprised - up close, it was even more beautiful than I expected. There’s a charming traditional café overlooking the falls, but it was crowded, so I looked for a quiet spot nearby to enjoy nature. 

After the hike, I took a train to Umie Mosaic, an open-air shopping complex right by the harbor with great views of the sea. After lunch, I visited 3 arcades between Kobe and Osaka to indulge in crane games. The prizes in Japan are just amazing. Check out my themed Care Bears haul!

Note:
I did this hike on a weekday in mid of February 2025, winter.