Many Beautiful Greens
The hills are alive with the sound of tourists.
The Nunobiki Herb park is an unassuming oasis incredibly close to
downtown Kobe. Simply get to the Shin-Kobe ropeway, which is just
a five-minute walk from Shin-Kobe station (Shinkansen and subway
from Sannomiya). There, with the help of lovely men in uniforms,
you’ll be whisked away above the treetops.
When you approach the Kitano 1-Chome ropeway station,
a burst of orchestral music signals the point where the city gets
left behind, and your time communing with nature begins.
The ropeway gondolas are especially romantic around dusk, and luckily
for singletons there on a weekday, the fun of being pulled to the
side and made to wait for enough singletons to fill a gondola is
denied.
Step aboard your Dream Balloon (a.k.a. gondola)
and enjoy the scary rendition of a machine doing a running start
before thrusting itself into thin air. Following will be a relaxed
climb only once interrupted by a recorded message thoughtfully reminding
you that yes, you are now a part of Romantic Kobe.
The healthier and sweatier option is to hike to the gardens from
the station, which on paper takes approximately 60-80 minutes. In
reality, it’s steep.
The impressive view at the Herb Park Station means
that on a busy day jostling for a place to take pictures may be
necessary. A quick detour through the gift shop clears the nostrils
and shows just how many uses for herbs there are. Upstairs in the
restaurant be amazed that there are actually more uses for herbs.
Have a meander and you’ll find the “Try It” corner
offering incense making, soap making, hand treatments, and Oshibana
(pressed flower art). Around the corner lies the Musical Rose Garden
(mysterious as there’s no music, but there’s a trick to
it) and the Fragrance Museum, where you can discover things about
yourself by sniffing bottles of differently coloured balls. Really
Upstairs is the reception hall available for weddings, a great place
to linger suggestively.
For solo travellers a book and a bottle of water
are all that’s needed as you wander down the paths of the mountainside
through the Fragrance Garden, where 200 kinds of herbs wave you
on merrily and the breeze and birds provide the soundtrack. The
clear air and cool winds running through the trees really do inspire
the urge to fling out your arms and spin, preferably followed by
an encore of cloud-watching.
On the way downhill are the herbs we know and
love in the Model Garden, the Kitchen Garden, and the Lavender Garden.
Discover new uses for humble herbs. Who knew Wild Pansy has not
only medicinal and cooking properties, but that it’s pretty
too! Now’s your chance to pick, rub, squash and sniff every
leaf in sight, exclaiming over how amazing it is that lemon sage
actually smells like real lemons.
Further downhill squats the Glass House, brimming
with tropical
plants and a bubbling brook, topped off with a café flaunting
a gorgeous panoramic view of Kobe and the harbour. Another place
to linger suggestively is the Love Seat in the Fragrance Hothouse,
a place for couples to sit together and ask singles to take pictures
for them. Also tucked within the Glass House is the Craft Corner,
displaying intricate pieces of floral inspired work.
Moving on and there’s the Blue Garden, the
Wildflower Garden, the Japanese Herb Garden, and Windy Hill. Windy
Hill station is where the journey ends (unless you’re trekking
down), so grab a bench and enjoy the view. Although if you have
a return ticket, you can travel to the top and back as many times
as you wish From beginning to end, the herb park takes about 30
minutes to walk through. Though as the flowerbeds on Windy Hill
say, “Have fun with herbs”, and why not? There’s
plenty to keep you there for hours.
Information:
Times: Summer 9:30-21:00 • Winter 9:30-17:30
Spring/Autumn Weekdays 9:30-17:30, Weekends/Holidays 9:30-21:00
Tel: 078-271-1131
Tickets: Park: ¥200, Ropeway: ¥1000
By Bus: Kobe city bus 2,18,19,20 to “Nunobiki”, 64 to
“Shin-Kobe Station”, City Loop Bus “Shin-Kobe Ropeway
Mae” bus stop.
*The ropeway may close due to bad weather.
*The park and ropeway’s operating times/days often differ,
so call before you go to check everything’s open.
Text & Photos: Jared Olthof
|
