Traveling on a Dime: Day 7 and 8, Kobe Bound - Mt. Rokko and Arima Onsen

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Day 7 and 8 – Kobe Bound – Mt. Rokko and Arima Onsen

Nestled between the mountains and the Seto Inland Sea, Kobe was one of the first ports to open to foreign traffic when Japan threw wide its doors to the world.

Many foreign diplomats and business people made Kobe their place of residence and the city retains a diverse and international feel. The home of the famous(ly expensive) Kobe beef has continuously ranked as one of the best places to live and party in Japan by the foreign residents of Japan. From atop Mt. Rokko, the lights of the cities of Kobe and Osaka, along with those of boats and ships twinkling out in Osaka Bay can be taken in with one sweep of the eyes. It’s one of the best night (and day) views in Japan. The town of Arima Onsen on the inland side of Mt. Rokko offers travelers a chance to soak in a number of different hot spring baths. Half of the hot springs are red from iron and salt and others are milky and slightly radioactive from their radium content. Apparently it’s good for your skin. A soak in a hot spring is always good, but it’s especially welcome now after the 7 day thrash I had in Okinawa.

Bryan is an expat English teacher, published writer and aspiring producer living in Niigata Japan. When he isn’t writing articles for Japanese publications in English, he likes to spend his modest earnings to find inexpensive ways to travel and experience Japan.

Traveling on a Dime is a periodic show of Bryan’s adventures in one of the most expensive countries in the world. As he says, “It doesn’t have to be expensive, and you can have an amazing experience even when traveling on a dime.”

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This is an episode of “Traveling on a Dime,” produced by Grinning Studios’ partner, Bryan Baier. The music is “Somethin’s Missin’,” by Graham Smith on his self titled album. You can pick up this great music from our favorite local musician at or on iTunes. We have full permission to use the music in the video.

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