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!~