Nunobiki Herb Garden & Ropeway
Researched and written by Hinato
Hyogo · Kobe
34.7050°N, 135.1883°E
Nunobiki Herb Garden & Ropeway is one of the reasons Hyogo keeps coming up whenever the conversation turns to Japan's landscapes.
Nunobiki Herb Garden (布引ハーブ園) is a hillside botanical garden featuring 75,000 herbs and flowers arranged in 12 themed terraces — rose garden, lavender fields, kitchen herb section, medicinal plants, and seasonal flower beds. The garden sits on Mt. Rokko's slopes (400m elevation) accessed by ropeway from Shin-Kobe Station, providing panoramic views over Kobe Port and Osaka Bay.
The ropeway journey (10 minutes) passes over Nunobiki Falls (布引の滝, one of Japan's three great waterfalls) and forested hillside before arriving at the garden. Each terrace has different character: formal European-style rose gardens, wild lavender slopes, glasshouse with tropical plants, and hilltop observation deck. The garden's elevation makes it 3–5°C cooler than the city — pleasant escape during Kobe's humid summers.
Plan your visit
Time to allow
2–3 hours
Hours
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (summer until 8:30 PM)
Closed: Open year-round
Best time to visit
May–June (roses and lavender) | October (roses, autumn flowers) | November (foliage)
Entry fee
¥1,800 adults (ropeway + garden entry, round-trip)
Getting there
Access notes
Local knowledge
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