Embraced by the sun on a bright autumn day! Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden: Explore Kobe’s Mount Rokko!

Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden: The place for soothing scenery

Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden is a park where alpine plants and flora grow in a rock garden that reproduces the look of an area high in the mountains. Being close to a large metropolis, it’s a unique sightseeing spot where you can come across plants from the Alps. The botanical garden sits at 865 meters above sea level, and since it’s located at a high-altitude, it has a yearly average temperature similar to Hokkaido, at about 9 degrees Celsius. This climate allows the park to grow alpine plants from all over the world. There are wet vegetation areas, forest areas, rock gardens, and more. In the spring, you can see Asian skunk cabbage and Himalayan Rhododendrons. When summer starts, you can catch Komakusa, Edelweiss alpine flowers, and Oyama Magnolias.

In the summertime, there are plants like Nikko day lilies and rare flowers blooming, such as an endangered species of thistle that looks like a blue marimo. I recommend this spot for anyone who likes alpine plants. In autumn, you can see lovely fall colors. As the photo shows, the wet vegetation area has a quite marsh that reflects a clear sky, making it an excellent spot to view some truly soothing autumn scenery. I recommend taking pictures from the edge of the pond, drawing sketches, or whatever you like.

Recommended fall color viewing: the Manneken-Pis statue area bathed in the autumn sunlight

There are two entrances to Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden, an east entrance and a west entrance, and both have a parking lot and a bus stop. My recommended course is to enter from the east entrance and see the park. After you’ve enjoyed your walk, check out the souvenirs at the shop near the west entrance and try making your own handmade wreath. You can really relax and take your time as you connect with nature, so I recommend this course for couples and families with small children.

The botanical garden is famous for fall colors, with the best viewing period being from the middle of October until about the end of November. The spot I like is the open area with the Manneken-Pis statue (statue of a peeing, cupid-like figure), which is located down the steps from the east exit, in front of a greenhouse that cultivates Cyclamens and other plants. Autumn leaves collect under clear water, and the bright sunlight pierces through the forest in this place of purity. Sitting on a bench and looking at the water, you can feel autumn’s moment of tranquility.

Regarding the colorfully striped Manneken-Pis, usually these statues are white, but this one with its rainbow-like dress was part of the “Rokko Meets Art 2013” art walk held until Nov. 24 of 2013, and is meant to express a playful mood. During the art walk, it was quite interesting to see art in harmony with nature in places you wouldn’t expect.

Strange art that looks like cat paw prints. A lighthearted shower of sunlight through trees

My next recommendation is the walking path that goes from the Manneken-Pis statue to the rock garden that has alpine plants. Bright sunlight softly flickers through trees onto a thick carpet of leaves. Here, one can really take feel a sense of calm.

As for the objects in the photo that look like cat footprints, similar to the striped Manneken-Pis statue, this is also a work that was exhibited in the “Rokko Meets Art 2013” art walk. Located on the walking path that I recommended earlier, this work imparts a peculiar feeling on the viewer, so please be sure to find it. This piece won a prestigious award called the “Ueno Royal Museum Sculpture Award”. On a plaque for the piece, it’s written, “This is a work that uses everyday aluminum foil, balled up and arranged”. Other than that, there is no explanation or interpretation given, and what it’s expressing is, honestly, a mystery to me. Staring at this piece for about 20 minutes in the autumn sunlight, I felt that it gives some form of unknown energy, like Stonehenge. Accepting this as its purpose, I was finally able to move on to the next spot.

The rock garden’s fall foliage is also recommended

Once you pass through the leaf-blanketed walking path with Stonehenge that I mentioned above, the field of view suddenly opens up and you come out into a marshland surrounded by fall foliage. In the photo of the fall leaves, the rocky area on the right is a rock garden where alpine plants are grown.

It recreates the look of an alpine mountain using rocks and gravel, and along with a crafted stream and other touches, it’s clear that a lot of thought went into allowing visitors to experience and enjoy alpine scenery. In the summer, you can see the delicate flowers that call alpine places like Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, and Jungfrau home. On the left side of the photo is a rest area, and viewing the fall colors across the rock garden from this spot is very nice. It might also be a good idea to enjoy a handmade bento, or lunchbox, while viewing this picturesque fall scene.

How about crafting an original wreath using natural materials?

Going beyond the rest area in front of the marsh, you’ll cross a wooden bridge, and as you walk along the bank of a pond, a log-house style building will come into view. This building is Arupikora, a shop selling souvenirs and other items, and from October 11th until November 24, you can try making your own Christmas wreath here. Using natural items collected from Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden, you can make a real wreath. With materials like Japanese red pine, cypress, dawn redwood, hydrangeas, and acorns, crafting your own original wreath is pretty fun.

The shop also sells picture-perfect, and cute, dried flowers. Pick some up to remember your trip. Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden is closed in the winter. It ends operations after November 24th, so please make it there before they close!

Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden - Open: March 20th to November 24th (closed Wednesdays, national Holidays, and during winter) - Opening Hours: 10:00am - 5:00pm (admission ends at 4:30 pm) - Fee: Adults (12 and over) 600 JPY, Children (4 to 11) 310 JPY, Seniors (65 and over) 500 JPY *re-entry allowed with ticket