Mount Rokko, Hyogo, Japan
I missed a train transfer that would’ve saved time, so when I got off, I had only 3 minutes to catch the bus—and missed it. I waited 30 minutes for the next one and didn’t start hiking until around 10 AM.
The trail began on a gentle, paved forest road, followed by a small river crossing and stairs. It wasn’t too hard overall, though the small detour section was steeper than the main trail. About 300 meters before the summit, there’s a rest house with benches and toilets where most hikers take a break. I stopped briefly to use the facility before heading up.
At the top, it got really windy, so I quickly threw on my jacket and snapped a few photos. The view was incredible, but the wind cut my stay short. A lot of people take the trail towards Arima Onsen from the peak but I’m heading back the same way I came. On the way down, more hikers were heading up, and I was glad to have had a quieter ascent. With 2 km left, I checked the bus schedule and realized the next one was in 15 minutes. I sprinted the last stretch and made it to the stop with 2 minutes to spare! Lucky me!
Route Detail
Distance: 8.43km out & back from Higashi Otafukuyama Tozanguchi
Total elevation gain: 588m
Time: 1h 54m (total time with breaks 2h 04m)
Difficulty: Moderate
Peak: Mt Rokko 931m
Transportation
Train from Sannomiya Station to Ashiya Station ¥250
Bus from Ashiya Station to Higashi Otafukuyama Tozanguchi ¥400
