A day in kobe - need advise

[mmhmsg]

I have a primary ite for spending a day in kobe, thinking of traveling there for Onsen in morning and visit mount Rokko in evening, is my ite doable? Is the onsen at Arima easy to find and can I just do walk in. Any recommendation? Not sure If I shall get any free pass? Will be spending most of my time in Osaka, Kyoto

Kobe
8:00:00 AM or earlier Osaka to Kobe
9:00 Kobe to Arima Onsen
0900-1100 Kin no Yu / Gin no Yu? Public bath
Lunch
12:00:00 - 17:00 Travel back to shin kobe
Places to vist in kobe and dinner
Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum
China Town
Travel from Rokko to Mount Rokko by cable car
18:00-20:00 Mount Rokko - for evening night view
20:00-22:00 Other places to visit before - Traval back to osaka

 

[Nalgene123]

I have a primary ite for spending a day in kobe, thinking of traveling there for Onsen in morning and visit mount Rokko in evening, is my ite doable? Is the onsen at Arima easy to find and can I just do walk in. Any recommendation? Not sure If I shall get any free pass? Will be spending most of my time in Osaka, Kyoto

Kobe
8:00:00 AM or earlier Osaka to Kobe
9:00 Kobe to Arima Onsen
0900-1100 Kin no Yu / Gin no Yu? Public bath
Lunch
12:00:00 - 17:00 Travel back to shin kobe
Places to vist in kobe and dinner
Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum
China Town
Travel from Rokko to Mount Rokko by cable car
18:00-20:00 Mount Rokko - for evening night view
20:00-22:00 Other places to visit before - Traval back to osaka

i like Kobe as it is so different from the bigger cities like Osaka and Tokyo...the streets of Kobe are very neat and tidy and feels very Westernised and it isn't as hectic as Osaka or Tokyo imo...

The Chinatown in Kobe is very small..kinda of disappointing for me...its basically just one street and that's it...haha....but its nice to visit the Port Area where you have Kobe Tower during the evening or night town...they have a small exhibition about the Kobe Earthquake at the park area and its just a 15mins walk from Chinatown...another place that you can visit is Kitano-cho to see the former foreign settlement buildings...i kinda of regretted putting Kobe as half day..its defintely worth a day visit and the good time is its so near Osaka as well....

 

[mmhmsg]

i like Kobe as it is so different from the bigger cities like Osaka and Tokyo...the streets of Kobe are very neat and tidy and feels very Westernised and it isn't as hectic as Osaka or Tokyo imo...

The Chinatown in Kobe is very small..kinda of disappointing for me...its basically just one street and that's it...haha....but its nice to visit the Port Area where you have Kobe Tower during the evening or night town...they have a small exhibition about the Kobe Earthquake at the park area and its just a 15mins walk from Chinatown...another place that you can visit is Kitano-cho to see the former foreign settlement buildings...i kinda of regretted putting Kobe as half day..its defintely worth a day visit and the good time is its so near Osaka as well....

Thanks, I was actually thinking of spending two days in kobe, but like you say, neat and tidy and maybe too quiet for places to visit. For Port Area, I thought of that too, the evening view, spending 1 hr there, eat bento , but then will be too rush for Mount Rokko

 

[FireEmblem]

well when you are in Kobe, dun forget the famous kobe beef. Not that you will not be reminder every corner you turn

 

[mmhmsg]

hmm, I think from 20:00-22:00, I will go to port area to get a glimpse of kobe tower. Head to port island and alight at nakakoen station? It is possible to walk from Port terminal across the bridge to nakaokoen station? Or shall I finish the night with kobe jazz. any place?

 

[bakasa2002]

There is an anpanman children's museum mall if you are with kids ...

 

[bakasa2002]

well when you are in Kobe, dun forget the famous kobe beef. Not that you will not be reminder every corner you turn

tried the steak land that was recommended, really didn't disappoint.

 

[TheGreatPerson]

If you are going to spend 2 full day in osaka visiting castle, shrine, museum and onsen. I recommend you to get the "Osaka Unlimited Pass", it cover full-day trips for mrt and bus and also free entrance to most of the tourist attractions.

But if you are doing shopping with limited visits, than i would recommend you to just get a suica card. With this card you are able to use it on both kyoto and osaka transportation.

Anyway in kyoto, the transport here is abit different as compared to city area. Certain area you like to visit requires bus ride or tram ride.

Tram ride require you to purchase the ticket at the counter.
Bus ride require you to pay when you EXIT the bus, and ALL the bus has a fixed rate for adult at 220YEN per ride... Oh and remember the entrance is at the back and the exit is at the front.

Lastly, do not play or answer your phone in the train .
Anymore question feel free to post here, i am studying in kyoto now hahax

 

[deodorant]

Like what fireemblem and bakasa said, since you are in Kobe anyway, go and eat their Kobe beef (unless you are the type that doesn't give a crap about food). Although many connoisseurs say that among the big three wagyu, Kobe is supposedly inferior to Matsusaka or Omi, for us who don't get regular / cheap access to all these wagyu in SG, Kobe is more than good enough.

My only complaint is that I would perhaps have preferred it to be cooked angmoh style (like a proper steak) rather than teppanyaki. Full Blogwh0re post here.

 

[bakasa2002]

if you are going to steakland, print out this coupon for a free beer or glass of wine. We order 2 sets and got 2 er w 2 coupons.

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/k205300/map/

Note: I think the place is not a smoke-free restaurant, so if your fellow diners is smoking, you just have to bear w it.

 

[bakasa2002]

My only complaint is that I would perhaps have preferred it to be cooked angmoh style (like a proper steak) rather than teppanyaki. Full Blogwh0re post here.

Nice blog and pictures.

 

[bakasa2002]

0900-1100 Kin no Yu / Gin no Yu? Public bath

They charge for towels at 200yen, try to bring your own if you have one.

 

[mmhmsg]

They charge for towels at 200yen, try to bring your own if you have one.

is the towel they provide big? or just a piece of cloth to cover kkj

is it just dipped and dry off. how about shower after that, i mean with soap and shampoo, is possible at public onsen?

 

[mmhmsg]

If you are going to spend 2 full day in osaka visiting castle, shrine, museum and onsen. I recommend you to get the "Osaka Unlimited Pass", it cover full-day trips for mrt and bus and also free entrance to most of the tourist attractions.

But if you are doing shopping with limited visits, than i would recommend you to just get a suica card. With this card you are able to use it on both kyoto and osaka transportation.

Anyway in kyoto, the transport here is abit different as compared to city area. Certain area you like to visit requires bus ride or tram ride.

my ite for osaka

not really sure what to do in first day night and third day.

Kyoto Area day 1

morning/afternoon

nishiki market
Golden Pavillion Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺
arashiyama

evening/night

???


Kyoto Area - day 2

morning/afternoon

Shrines and temples
Kiyomizu-dera

evening/night

Gion


Kyoto Area - day 3

morning/afternoon

philosophy path
???

evening/night
???


For Kyoto is the bus service convenient? Not sure whether to get kyoto pass. Is the a bus app similar to hyperdia. I can't read Japan, so taking bus will be hard as might miss the stop.

Tram ride require you to purchase the ticket at the counter.
Bus ride require you to pay when you EXIT the bus, and ALL the bus has a fixed rate for adult at 220YEN per ride... Oh and remember the entrance is at the back and the exit is at the front.

Haah last trip to Japan, I pay the moment I go up the bus.
Is fixed rate rite, why pay only after your alight.

Lastly, do not play or answer your phone in the train .
Anymore question feel free to post here, i am studying in kyoto now hahax

I am young so is ok.

 

[mmhmsg]

if you are going to steakland, print out this coupon for a free beer or glass of wine. We order 2 sets and got 2 er w 2 coupons.

???? - ????????????????? ???? ???????

Note: I think the place is not a smoke-free restaurant, so if your fellow diners is smoking, you just have to bear w it.

ok enough of beef
I like to noe which area can see kobe didi and meimei play jazz or not this season

 

[deodorant]

For Kyoto is the bus service convenient? Not sure whether to get kyoto pass. Is the a bus app similar to hyperdia. I can't read Japan, so taking bus will be hard as might miss the stop.

Haah last trip to Japan, I pay the moment I go up the bus.
Is fixed rate rite, why pay only after your alight.

Kyoto bus is like that one. they make you board at the back door, so u also cannot pay anyway. After you reach destination then go out by front door and pay driver (or more accurately pay the machine beside the driver) as you go out.

Within kyoto citi is mostly 220yen a trip, or you can buy day pass for 500yen. some further-away bus trip need to pay more than 220yen one.

For me, I use google maps to ride the bus in Kyoto. some of the bus damn jialat, cramp until can't even stand properly and just everyone lean on each other

 

[TheGreatPerson]

my ite for osaka

not really sure what to do in first day night and third day.

Kyoto Area day 1

morning/afternoon

nishiki market
Golden Pavillion Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺
arashiyama

evening/night

???


Kyoto Area - day 2

morning/afternoon

Shrines and temples
Kiyomizu-dera

evening/night

Gion


Kyoto Area - day 3

morning/afternoon

philosophy path
???

evening/night
???


For Kyoto is the bus service convenient? Not sure whether to get kyoto pass. Is the a bus app similar to hyperdia. I can't read Japan, so taking bus will be hard as might miss the stop.



Haah last trip to Japan, I pay the moment I go up the bus.
Is fixed rate rite, why pay only after your alight.



I am young so is ok.

The bus service in kyoto is convenient like Singapore, the only bad part is the language barrier. If there is a kyoto pass, you should get it unless you are traveling alot of area in a day. Bus are pretty cramp in kyoto, because alot student and office worker prefer that transportation. The bus service at every bus stop has a mini machine at the side indicating when the bus is arriving just like Singapore. Most of the bus stop is written in Japanese, some of the bus stop may have logo on the map indicating a attraction or may contain English word.

Oh ya, some of the people there can speak English, if you are lost you could try speaking to them in english before using sign language. If you are scared about getting lost, you could use Google map and insert the attraction you are looking at. Google is more easier to see compared to hyperdia.

Not sure about other town, but in kyoto you should make payment at the front when you are leaving the bus. But in Japan, everything is about trust hence the driver never really monitor about payment. Yup all the bus ride is fixed, if your destination is not far away, you should just walk instead of wasting 220YEN.

There are other buses that go to location that are outside of kyoto main area, which would cost more depending on the location. Usually tourist won't go around there unless you got alot of day to spend haha.

Here's a few attraction that I could recommend:

• Nijo Castle (night view is nice)
• Kyoto International Manage Museum
• Arashiyama - There is alot of snacks shop that sells tofu and matcha ice-cream
• Ryoanji Temple
• Fushimi-Inari Shrine
• Omi Shrine - This place is facing the sea, quite nice place to see, might need to spend 6hour due to transportation
• Kodaji Temple - Walking distance from Kiyomizu Temple, on the way if you are lucky if theres any event you can enjoy the japan version of youth night market whereby they sell all kind of snacks and game

 

[Nalgene123]

Hi TS

I don't know your preference is to just browse through attractions or you will like a more in depth experience.

Kyoto as a city might not be big, but there are tons of attractions to visit. There's Arashiyama (West),Higashiyama (East),Fushimii (South) and North Kyoto. Each area has its own attractions and highlights and its best to just cover one area per day in order to just get a taste of the different area. Just FYI,I found difficulty in covering all the attractions of Higashiyama even after spending two whole days of my itenrary in just that area.

 

[mmhmsg]

Kyoto bus is like that one. they make you board at the back door, so u also cannot pay anyway. After you reach destination then go out by front door and pay driver (or more accurately pay the machine beside the driver) as you go out.

Within kyoto citi is mostly 220yen a trip, or you can buy day pass for 500yen. some further-away bus trip need to pay more than 220yen one.

For me, I use google maps to ride the bus in Kyoto. some of the bus damn jialat, cramp until can't even stand properly and just everyone lean on each other

so is like how we use it back home, key in destination and click bus icon, it will show the bus to take? But i check google map for kyoto, all i can see is train and subway stations, can't see where the bus stops are .

 

[mmhmsg]

The bus service in kyoto is convenient like Singapore, the only bad part is the language barrier. If there is a kyoto pass, you should get it unless you are traveling alot of area in a day. Bus are pretty cramp in kyoto, because alot student and office worker prefer that transportation. The bus service at every bus stop has a mini machine at the side indicating when the bus is arriving just like Singapore. Most of the bus stop is written in Japanese, some of the bus stop may have logo on the map indicating a attraction or may contain English word.

Oh ya, some of the people there can speak English, if you are lost you could try speaking to them in english before using sign language. If you are scared about getting lost, you could use Google map and insert the attraction you are looking at. Google is more easier to see compared to hyperdia.

Not sure about other town, but in kyoto you should make payment at the front when you are leaving the bus. But in Japan, everything is about trust hence the driver never really monitor about payment. Yup all the bus ride is fixed, if your destination is not far away, you should just walk instead of wasting 220YEN.

There are other buses that go to location that are outside of kyoto main area, which would cost more depending on the location. Usually tourist won't go around there unless you got alot of day to spend haha.

Here's a few attraction that I could recommend:

• Nijo Castle (night view is nice)
• Kyoto International Manage Museum
• Arashiyama - There is alot of snacks shop that sells tofu and matcha ice-cream
• Ryoanji Temple
• Fushimi-Inari Shrine
• Omi Shrine - This place is facing the sea, quite nice place to see, might need to spend 6hour due to transportation
• Kodaji Temple - Walking distance from Kiyomizu Temple, on the way if you are lucky if theres any event you can enjoy the japan version of youth night market whereby they sell all kind of snacks and game

Very informative
For Kyoto, are there night markets, places to spend the night?
Any good soba and tofu eating place to recommend at kyoto.

Snacks shop at Arashiyama do they open till night? While I was in Tokyo, anyhow walk walk to city outskirt, after 6pm all shop close le and shrines no one de.