Three nights in Hyogo: stay in Kobe or spend a night in Arima?

Take the City Loop from stop 13, Subway Sannomiya Station (southbound), to Meriken Park stop 16. Distinguish northbound stop 8. Walk past Port Tower’s exterior and the park waterfront. Paid tower admission is excluded. Skip the waterfront walk if on-site controls prevent access.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08Kobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken Park2026-10-08

Find Kamomeria Central Terminal to the west on the official map. Take the City Loop from stop 0 to stop 7, Sannomiya Center Gai East Entrance. Distinguish the Port Loop stop and allow walking from the park and waiting. Return to your accommodation and have dinner in Sannomiya.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08Kobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken Park2026-10-08

Check herb-garden operations before leaving. If strong winds or lightning suspend the ropeway, switch to a city meal and rest. Take the City Loop from stop 8, Subway Sannomiya Station (northbound), to stop 11, Herb Gardens/Ropeway, then walk to the lower ropeway station. Distinguish harbour-bound southbound stop 13. Check the walk from your accommodation and that day’s buses.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08Herb gardens: 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 revised fares2026-10-08

Buy a return ticket including the gardens at the lower station. Allow waiting and sightseeing separately from the roughly ten-minute ropeway ride. Have lunch on the mountain and walk the gardens; check restaurant hours and seating separately. Descend in the afternoon and return to Sannomiya. Check admission cut-off and final downward departure on the official calendar.

Herb gardens: 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 revised fares2026-10-08Herb-garden access2026-10-08

Descend by ropeway, then take the City Loop from stop 11, Herb Gardens/Ropeway, to stop 13, Subway Sannomiya Station (southbound). Ropeway ticketing, queues, sightseeing and bus waiting are additional time.

Herb gardens: 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 revised fares2026-10-08Herb-garden access2026-10-08Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

From JR Sannomiya, take a Special Rapid service towards Himeji, Aboshi or Banshu-Ako and get off at Himeji. Official guidance gives a roughly 40-minute ride; station walking and waiting are extra. Select your morning arrival and return service separately for the actual travel date.

Official JR service/fare search: enter your travel date2026-10-08Himeji Castle prices, hours and station access2026-10-08

Follow this sequence: Himeji station north exit → roughly 20-minute official walk to the castle → castle visit → lunch outside → separate Koko-en entrance west of the castle. Remove your shoes and use stairs inside the tower; there is no lift. Start in the morning because the official 90–120-minute castle visit may require additional queueing.

Himeji Castle prices, hours and station access2026-10-08Himeji Castle visit duration, stairs and re-entry FAQ2026-10-08Koko-en prices, hours and closures2026-10-08Koko-en access2026-10-08

Standard garden last admission is 16:30; check event-day operations. Use the castle/garden combined ticket to visit both on the same day. After Koko-en, return to JR Himeji station. If your castle visit runs late, shorten garden time or find a later return train. Koko-en’s official roughly 15-minute walk describes station-to-garden access. Check the return from your actual exit at your walking pace, adding station movement and train waiting. Take an Osaka/Kyoto-bound train from JR Himeji and get off at Sannomiya.

Koko-en prices, hours and closures2026-10-08Koko-en access2026-10-08Official JR service/fare search: enter your travel date2026-10-08

Take the City Loop from stop 13, Subway Sannomiya Station (southbound), to Kamomeria stop 0. Distinguish it from the Port Loop, then take the next City Loop to Harborland stop 1. Change buses at Kamomeria; each boarding is charged separately.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

The official map places Harborland stop 1 by umie North Mall. Walk towards Benten Bridge to see Mosaic and the Takahama quay waterfront, then return to the same stop 1. Check individual shop hours if passing through buildings or eating. Cruises and the Ferris wheel are excluded from the basic costs. Take the City Loop from Harborland stop 1 to stop 7, Sannomiya Center Gai East Entrance. Allow time to walk to the stop and wait for the bus.

Tourism bureau: Harborland2026-10-08Harborland official April 2026 map2026-10-08Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

Enter the Subway Sannomiya ticket gates on Basement 1 and use platform 1 on Basement 2 for a train towards Shin-Kobe and Tanigami. Get off at Shin-Kobe. Distinguish this from Kaigan line Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae. Allow platform walking and waiting in addition to the roughly two-minute ride. Follow JR Shinkansen signs at Shin-Kobe to the ticket gates on Level 2 and platforms on Level 3. Platform 2 serves Shin-Osaka and Tokyo; platform 1 serves Okayama and Kyushu. Add ticket collection, lift queues and walking with luggage to JR’s standard ten-minute transfer. Shorten or skip the last visit if you cannot comfortably catch your reserved train. An airport departure also needs separate terminal travel and flight check-in.

Sannomiya subway platforms and timetable2026-10-08Kobe subway journey times2026-10-08JR Shin-Kobe layout and standard transfer2026-10-08

Take the City Loop from stop 13, Subway Sannomiya Station (southbound), to Meriken Park stop 16. Distinguish northbound stop 8. Walk past Port Tower’s exterior and the park waterfront. Paid tower admission is excluded. Skip the waterfront walk if on-site controls prevent access.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08Kobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken Park2026-10-08

Find Kamomeria Central Terminal to the west on the official map. Take the City Loop from stop 0 to stop 7, Sannomiya Center Gai East Entrance. Distinguish the Port Loop stop and allow walking from the park and waiting. Return to your accommodation and have dinner in Sannomiya.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08Kobe Tourism Bureau: Meriken Park2026-10-08

At Subway Sannomiya, take a Tanigami-bound train from platform 1 on Basement 2. Check the destination: trains terminating at Shin-Kobe do not reach Tanigami. Add platform walking and waiting to the roughly ten-minute ride. When travelling with luggage, also allow check-out and the walk from accommodation to the station.

Sannomiya subway platforms and timetable2026-10-08Kobe subway journey times2026-10-08

At Tanigami, change to Kobe Electric Railway towards Arima/Sanda and get off at Arimaguchi. Allow platform movement and waiting after the subway, and check connections for your date.

Kobe Electric Railway Arima weekday outbound: 15 March 2025 timetable2026-10-08

Change to an Arima Onsen-bound train. Follow on-site signs to its platform. Take the next train if there is insufficient time to change.

Kobe Electric Railway Arima weekday outbound: 15 March 2025 timetable2026-10-08

Eat lunch in the town, then arrange the afternoon around your booked ryokan’s check-in, bath and dinner times. Compare the tourism association’s accommodation guidance with the baths and meals included in your booking.

Arima Tourism Association accommodation/booking conditions2026-10-08

Kin no Yu is optional and roughly five minutes’ walk from Kobe Electric Railway’s station according to the facility’s existing access guidance. Check that it opens that day and return before your accommodation meal starts. Dinner, breakfast, baths and transfers differ between ryokan bookings. You can bathe at your ryokan and spend the evening there without a separate Kin no Yu visit. Confirm included baths and meals when booking.

Kin no Yu prices, reception and closures2026-10-08Kin no Yu 2023 leaflet and railway-station walk2026-10-08

Take an Arima Onsen–Arimaguchi train. If your accommodation is distant or check-out is late, depart later and shorten afternoon sightseeing.

Kobe Electric Railway Arima weekday inbound: 15 March 2025 timetable2026-10-08

Change to a Tanigami-bound train. Follow on-site signs to the platform. Take the next train if there is insufficient transfer time.

Kobe Electric Railway Arima weekday inbound: 15 March 2025 timetable2026-10-08

At Tanigami, change to the subway towards Shin-Kobe/Sannomiya and get off at Sannomiya. Add transfer and waiting time to the roughly ten-minute ride. Check the accommodation walk using its actual address.

Tanigami subway timetable2026-10-08Kobe subway journey times2026-10-08

Have lunch in Sannomiya, then go to Harborland in the afternoon. Stay in Sannomiya again tonight; shorten the harbour walk if your Arima return runs late.

Sannomiya subway platforms and timetable2026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

Take the City Loop from stop 13, Subway Sannomiya Station (southbound), to Kamomeria stop 0. Distinguish northbound stop 8 and check the next boarding point separately.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

At Kamomeria stop 0, board the next City Loop to Harborland stop 1. This is a bus change, with each boarding charged separately. Show your two-day pass at both boardings if using one.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

The official map places Harborland stop 1 by umie North Mall. Walk towards Benten Bridge to see Mosaic and the Takahama quay waterfront, then return to the same stop 1. Check individual shop hours if passing through buildings or eating. Cruises and the Ferris wheel are excluded from the basic costs.

Harborland official April 2026 map2026-10-08Tourism bureau: Harborland2026-10-08

Take the City Loop from Harborland stop 1 to stop 7, Sannomiya Center Gai East Entrance. Allow time to walk to the stop and wait for the bus.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

Check herb-garden operations before leaving. If strong winds or lightning suspend the ropeway, switch to a city meal and rest. Take the City Loop from stop 8, Subway Sannomiya Station (northbound), to stop 11, Herb Gardens/Ropeway, then walk to the lower ropeway station. Distinguish harbour-bound southbound stop 13. Check the walk from your accommodation and that day’s buses.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08Herb gardens: 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 revised fares2026-10-08

Use a return ropeway ticket to see the daytime gardens, descending early in the afternoon. Allow ticketing, queues, walking and lunch separately from the ride. Return before the final downward departure on this itinerary. Shorten or skip the visit after suspension or long queues to keep your departure time. If skipping the gardens, count only transport and admission actually used.

Herb gardens: 2026–2027 operations and April 2026 revised fares2026-10-08Herb-garden access2026-10-08

Descend by ropeway, then take the City Loop from stop 11, Herb Gardens/Ropeway, to stop 13, Subway Sannomiya Station (southbound). Ropeway ticketing, queues, sightseeing and bus waiting are additional time.

Shinki Bus weekday timetable revised 1 April 20262026-10-08Operator’s current boarding points2026-10-08

Enter the Subway Sannomiya ticket gates on Basement 1 and use platform 1 on Basement 2 for a train towards Shin-Kobe and Tanigami. Get off at Shin-Kobe. Distinguish this from Kaigan line Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae. Allow platform walking and waiting in addition to the roughly two-minute ride.

Sannomiya subway platforms and timetable2026-10-08Kobe subway journey times2026-10-08

Follow JR Shinkansen signs at Shin-Kobe to the ticket gates on Level 2 and platforms on Level 3. Platform 2 serves Shin-Osaka and Tokyo; platform 1 serves Okayama and Kyushu. Add ticket collection, lift queues and walking with luggage to JR’s standard ten-minute transfer. Shorten or skip the last visit if you cannot comfortably catch your reserved train. An airport departure also needs separate terminal travel and flight check-in.

JR Shin-Kobe layout and standard transfer2026-10-08