DAY 3 IN OSAKA: Nunobiki Waterfall & Taketoritei Maruyama

My Day 3 in Japan!

Day 3:

• Travel to Kobe

• Trek to Nunobiki Waterfall

• Head up Mount Rokko

• Explore Arima Onsen Area

• Check in Taketoritei Maruyama

Another morning of waking up early to travel to Kobe! Before changing trains to Shin-Kobe, we had a quick breakfast at Sannomiya Station. Hmm.. somehow it seems that I forgot to take a picture of the café.. must be too sleepy >.<

Coffee and banana for me!

 To Nunobiki Waterfall! Apparently, there are quite a few waterfalls at that area! We saw 2 waterfalls! We approached the information counter at Shin-Kobe station to find out how to exit towards the falls. The signages in Japan sometimes get rather confusing. The signages can point you towards a direction and then suddenly, the next signage doesn't show you that location anymore! :/

Anyways, we managed to exit the station to the carpark and there's the sign!

First waterfall!

Ahhh!!~

We climbed a lot of stairs with our tired bodies >.<

We went up to a observation point! 

A sign that tells you what the buildings are

We saw sakuras!

Saw log-shaped toilets when we were heading back down!

After trekking, we head back to Sannomiya for lunch! We saw this being sold at a station and bought one to try! :D

mochi cream

Rows & rows of them! O.O

Is that strawberry flavour we tried? Can't remember already =X

Right.... back to lunch! We planned to eat at DYNAMIC KITCHEN & BAR - SUN (燦 神戸店) located at Kobe-kotsu-center Building 10F. It is a buffet style restaurant; they call buffet 'viking' there (we were lost when the staff asks if we are having viking. Like whaaaaat?? Viking??). For directions and store details, click >>here<<

Waiting for them to open!

Interior of the restaurant

Some random food we took

Here comes the set and where we learn we do not like saba (mackerel)

Nothing special and there isn't a lot of variety for the buffet as well.We have difficulties speaking and understanding the staffs as there wasn't any staff with a good enough command of English.There is no English menu as well. One of our disappointing meals in Japan :/

Oh well, let's buy some Japanese baked sweets from Gozasoro (御座候) for snacks when we are hungry! Yum! For directions and store details, click >>here<<

White Bean & Red Bean

To Arima Onsen! We decided to go there the 'Fun' way!

Various ways to reach Arima Onsen as mentioned in JapanGuide,
By train (Practical)
From Sannomiya or Shin-Kobe Station, take the subway to Tanigami Station (10-15 minutes, 4-5 departures per hour). Then, take the Shintetsu Arima-Sanda Line to Arima-guchi and transfer to the Arima Line to Arima Onsen Station (20 minutes, 4 departures per hour). The entire journey takes 30-40 minutes and costs 740 yen from Shin-Kobe and 930 yen from Sannomiya Station.
By direct bus from Kobe (Cheap)
Hankyu and Shinki Bus operate local buses from Sannomiya Station (50 minutes) via Shin-Kobe Station (35 minutes) to Arima Onsen. The one way trip costs 700 yen and buses depart once or twice an hour. Alternatively, Nishinihon JR Bus operates about seven highway buses per day from Shin-Kobe Station (50 minutes) via Sannomiya Station (30 minutes) to Arima Onsen. The one way trip costs 770 yen, while a round trip ticket is available for 1440 yen.
By cablecar and ropeway via Mount Rokko (Fun!)

From Sannomiya Station, take the Hankyu Kobe Line to Rokko Station (7 minutes, 190 yen), from where it is a ten minute, 210 yen bus ride by Kobe City Bus number 16 to the base station of the Rokko Cablecar.

The cablecar ride up the mountain takes ten minutes and costs 590 yen one way or 1000 yen for a round trip ticket. From the top station, take the circular bus line to the top station of the Rokko Arima Ropeway (ten minutes, 260 yen), which brings you down to Arima Onsen (12 minutes, 1010 yen one way, 1820 yen round trip).
If you access Arima Onsen via Mount Rokko, you can save some money by using the "Rokko Arima Katamichi Joshaken" ticket, which includes a one way ride on the cablecar and ropeway plus unlimited use of the circular bus line on Mount Rokko for 1750 yen.

Took bus 16 to Rokko Cablecar

Bought the tickets!

Our ride is here!

Once you alight from the 'cablecar' (looks more like a tram that travels uphill to me), you need to take a bus to Rokko Arima Ropeway. We were too tired and sleepy to explore Mount Rokko, just we just took the bus to the Ropeway. Otherwise, there are some attractions in Mount Rokko you can visit.

Reached the Ropeway

Alighted the ropeway!

At Arima Onsen!

It took us a while to figure out how to go to Arima Onsen tourist information once we alighted the ropeway. There was no wifi connection!! :O So we need to rely on a map to find out which directions should we walk to the tourist information.

 In the end, we reached Arima Onsen tourist information and had the staff there call Taketoritei Maruyama so they can pick us up to the ryokan! The car came and off we go to our ryoken stay!

Reached!

Read >>here<< on my review of Taketoritei Maruyama; their rooms, onsen, food & see the photos! Upon check-in, we bath and went for our first onsen! Super relaxing once you get used to the hot water! Besides, it is chilly outside!

Before it is time for our dinner, we head out of the ryokan to walk around Arima Onsen! We bought some flavoured tansan senbei as souvenirs back to Singapore. A lot of shops sell them with varying prices and varieties! We bought an oden to try!

Back at the ryokan, it's time for Kaiseki Ryori! For a detailed review, click >>here<<

The menu!

After we stayed up for a late night onsen, it was snooze time!

And... that's the end of Day 3!
*Continue to Day 4!~

12D11N Japan Food Reviews (Kobe & Himeji)!

A post on all the food reviews for the cafes and restaurants we been to in  Kobe and Himeji!

P.S. I don't think I am a very good food reviewer but the directions to get there will surely help you!

DYNAMIC KITCHEN & BAR - SUN (燦 神戸店)
*No English menu available*
A buffet style restaurant

Store Interior

Fried and raw mackerel 

Review: 
Food: Nothing special and there isn't a lot of variety for the buffet as well. Annnnd, I realised that I do not like saba(mackerel), especially raw ones.. There's just this very fishy taste I do not like. Even when fried, I can still taste a mild fishy taste x.x

Service: As usual, the staff are all very friendly. However, out of the places we went to, we faced the most issue with communication here. There wasn't a staff here who was able to speak or understand English well enough. We were very lost and confused since we stepped in. So best if you have some knowledge of Japanese if you decide to come here. Furthermore, their menu is in Kanji (that's normal) and they do not have English menu (omg!).

Price: It is not very cheap and I feel that there isn't much variety of food nor are they very nice. But somehow they charged us the price for one pax, so that's good for us! Probably cause we can't communicate with them, so we have no idea what's going on.  

Recommended?
Nope, there are nicer food in Japan!

Address: 燦 神戸店, 1 Chome-10-1 Sannomiyacho, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture 650-0021, Japan (Located on the 10th level)

Opening hours: 

Refer >>here<<

Gozasoro @ Sannomiya Station (御座候)
Japanese baked sweet, it's like the pancake Mr Bean sells I suppose? They have many outlets in Japan! Visit their website(in Jap) >>here<<

White Bean & Red Bean

Review: 
Food: It is filled white/red beans! Very flavourful and filling! 

Recommended?
Yes! Especially if you like red/white beans!

Address: At Sannomiya Station

Opening hours: 10am to 8pm

Kaiseki Ryori at Taketoritei Maruyama
Traditional Japanese meal!

Long menu!

Appetizer: Japanese fishes and tofu skin in jelly

Now this is very unique and tastes surprisingly good! It's a chilled dish and taste cold and savoury!

Strawberry wine

I'm really an alcohol person but this is nice! 

 Appetizer: Egg mousse of soft roe of sea bream

Otherwise known as chawanmushi. All the chawanmushi I had in Japan were good!

Soup: Sea Bream & little seed hot pot

Put the fishes into the hot pot to cook! The soup is rather plain; doesn't have much taste.. The fish is fresh.

Raw fishes: Tuna sashimi with egg, Amberjack, Bonito

 Nope to the Bonito (Mackerel!! NO!) The tuna is especially nice with the egg yolk! I LOVE the eggs in Japan!

Scallop wrapped seaweed

The seaweed was a bit difficult to bite and tear, but the scallops were really nice!

Combination plate of sea and mountain: pickled baby gray mullet, little squid, simmered octopus, thick egg omelet, taro tofu, strawberry tomato, rape blossom seed, sea tangle with herring roe and wasabi

This is a very adventurous dish that we didn't manage to finish. I can't make myself try the whole pickled fish or the little squids that are staring at me x.x The simmered octopus is very chewy.  Nice omelet. Taro tofu was rather special. I had 1 mouthful of the sea tangle and I didn't like it. 

Fried dish: Fried spanish mackerel, bamboo and eggplant in Japanese soup

Japanese love their mackerels, like they love savoury food.. I was ok with this mackerel though. The 'soup' is more like gravy cause it is thick. The 'soup' is savoury.

Grilled dish: Japanese pepper taste beef with spring vegetables

This is good! We were getting FULL though!  

Rice cooked with sakura shrimps  & red miso soup

omg, the rice.. We just tried a few mouthful.. Honestly, I can't tell you how it taste like because I was too full already! The miso soup was not bad though.

Dessert: Brown sugar rice cake & brandy jelly with red bean

I like the brandy jelly! Can't really taste the alcohol and it is light on the stomach! 

Review: 
Food: From the menu, you already can see that it is going to be very filling! Some of the dishes were to adventurous for us and we didn't finish them or we were just too full, like the rice that comes in as the 9th course.. Some of the dishes were good, some ok, but it was a good experience!

Service: Very friendly and helpful staff! She guided us how to eat this complicated meal ;) When we started leaving leftovers, she asked if the food was ok. We just rub our tummies and said we were full and she smiled >.<

Recommended?
If you are booking your stay in Taketoritei Maruyama through Agoda, do get the deal that includes dinner and breakfast! 

Steakland
*English menu available outside the store*
They serve a variety of meat, including kobe beef!

Steakland and long queue!

Menu

Salad

Chef getting ready to cook the beef

Kobe beef!

Review: 
Food: The beef was tender and juicy. I would like to have more of the meat to eat with my rice! ;D 

Service: Everything is about fast and efficient here. The chef was nice though *cute chef alert* He is able to ask and understand simple English; his pronunciation is quite clear.

Recommended?
Yes! Try the kobe beef!

Address: Steakland Kobe, Kitanagasadori, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm

Tamago-ya (たまごや)
*English menu available outside the store*

Eggs are their specialty!

Store front

Unagi bento

Our meal!

Unagi

Tamago

Beef

Review: 
Food: We shared a set, adding a bowl of minced beef. It was very filling! It was interesting to eat rice with raw eggs and it was good! The egg omelette was good, though not as good as the one we had during our ryokan stay! I am not really a fan of unagi, but this was not bad.

Recommended?
Yes! Especially if you LOVE eggs! :D

Address: たまごや, Japan, 〒670-0012, 兵庫県姫路市本町６８

Opening hours: 11am to 4pm