Kobe is famous for one of Japan’s three great night views, and Mount Rokko and neighbouring Mount Maya rise directly behind the city to deliver it. The sweep of glittering lights along the bay, framed by dark mountains and sea, is unforgettable after dark.

Mount Maya and the Kikuseidai Terrace

The Kikuseidai observation terrace on Mount Maya is the classic viewpoint, reached by a cable car and ropeway combination. On clear nights the panorama stretches from Kobe across to Osaka, a carpet of lights worth the trip up alone.

Mount Rokko

Higher and broader, Mount Rokko offers gardens, a music box museum and its own viewpoints, plus the historic Arima Onsen hot-spring town on its northern slopes. It makes an easy half-day escape from the city, combining nature with the famous baths.

Getting There

For Mount Maya, take a bus from Sannomiya to the cable car station; for Rokko, trains and a cable car connect from the JR and Hankyu lines. Check the last descent times carefully so you are not stranded after the night view.

The view from above is the perfect finale to a Kobe day. Pair it with dinner in town, or soak in Arima Onsen before heading back down.

More Kobe Travel Guides

• Kitano Ijinkan: Kobe’s Historic Foreign Quarter
• Kobe Harborland and Meriken Park
• Kobe Beef and Nankinmachi: Eating in Kobe

See our Kobe Travel Guide for the full overview. Planning the whole trip? Visit The Complete Kobe Guide for every guide and hotel in one place.