Mount Rokko, Hyogo
Mount Rokko and Royu Driveway Warming my hands as I look out to the sea beyond the city
One January afternoon, I followed the Royu Driveway to East Rokko Observatory. Standing beside my red car to warm my hands, I got completely swept up in the view all the way to Osaka Bay.
A winter daytime drive to take in the city and bay from East Rokko Observatory. I kept my hands cupped beneath my chin as I let my gaze travel from the nearby hills to the distant sea.
WinterA January afternoon
I was warming my hands, but got caught up in the view
One January afternoon, I followed the Royu Driveway to East Rokko Observatory. With my eyes on the road and my hands on the wheel, I kept wondering how far I’d be able to see once I arrived. The drive itself would be fun, and then I’d have time to take in the view. That thought made me happy, and I couldn’t wait to get to the observatory.
I parked the red car and stepped outside. The air was so cold I hunched my shoulders without thinking. Standing beside the car, I brought my hands together beneath my chin. I was trying to warm them, but when I looked up, the city stretched out before me.
Past the nearby hills, the city stretched into the distance. Then I looked toward the sea and caught my breath—the view stretched out far beyond what I’d imagined. I’d come expecting to see the city from the mountain, but I could see all the way to the bay. I wanted to follow it farther with my eyes and even forgot to take my hands apart.
“That’s amazing,” I blurted, then glanced beside me. I was on my own today, but I’d said it as if I were talking to someone. I laughed at myself—who was I even talking to? Still, it was the kind of view you want to share. If my friend had been there, I’m sure she’d have been looking the same way.
Wanting to stay a little longer, I shifted my gaze from the nearby hills back toward the city and bay. When I got out of the car, all I could think about was warming my hands. Now I couldn’t stop looking at the distant view. I was glad I’d made the drive up here. I had no idea this kind of moment was waiting at the end of the road.
Before getting back in the car, I took one last look toward the bay. When I get home, I’ll tell my friend how I stood there in the cold, holding my hands together under my chin to warm them, then got completely absorbed in the view. I want to tell her I even blurted out “That’s amazing” while I was alone. I’m already looking forward to that first moment of stepping out of the car and looking up next time I come here.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialties
Arima carbonated crackers
Arima Onsen’s carbonated crackers are a local specialty: a simple snack made from wheat flour mixed with carbonated water, then seasoned with sugar and salt. They’re said to date back to the 40th year of the Meiji era, after people noticed the spring’s carbonated water. If I take a trip over to the Arima side, I’d love to bring some home. I want to enjoy them later while remembering the sweep of the bay I saw from the observatory.
Highlights
East Rokko Observatory, 645 m above sea level
Set along the Royu Driveway at 645 m above sea level, East Rokko Observatory lets you enjoy the drive up as well as the view when you arrive. Even after I stepped out of the car, I loved every minute of the road that had brought me here.
From the Osaka Plain to Osaka Bay
From the observatory, you can see the Osaka Plain and Osaka Bay, with views as far west as Kobe Port. I kept looking from the nearby hills out to the city, then from the city to the sea. The view stretched so far I nearly forgot my hands were cold.
Getting there and enjoying the drive
Royu Driveway to East Rokko Observatory
- From Arima Gate
- About 15 minutes
- East Rokko Observatory elevation
- 645m
From central Ashiya, take Prefectural Route 344 (Okuyama Seido Line) north along the Ashiya River for 15 minutes. From the Arima Gate on the Arima Onsen side, it’s about 15 minutes to East Rokko Observatory, where there’s a car park with space for 40 cars. After the drive, you can park and take your time enjoying the views of the city and bay. Even while I was looking ahead with both hands on the wheel, I kept wondering what the view would look like when I got there.
Your destination is East Rokko Observatory on the Royu Driveway. Open the map below to see its location. After taking in the view, I found myself wanting to drive this road again, too.
More Spot Guides
If you enjoyed this story, you might like these places too. I've gone back to each of them in different seasons, again and again.
