9 Best Things to Do for Couples in Hyogo

One of Hyogo's leading hot springs alongside the springs at Arima and Yumura, Kinosaki Onsen is a hot spring resort that has been around since the Heian period about 1,000 years ago. Although you could stay at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) and enjoy a hot spring cure, touring the 7 outdoor hot springs here would possibly make for a more interesting date experience. This is a town where people are free to walk around in yukata (light kimono), and you can even rent a yukata without staying at an inn. Whatever you decide to do, don't miss the Ichinoyu facility, which is the symbol of Kinosaki Onsen. The building is reminiscent of a kabuki theatre in the Momoyama style, and there's a kind of open-air cave bath in the rear garden that uses a natural cave. It's also worth taking a trip out to the auspicious Kounoyu Onsen, where can enjoy the hot springs and a seaside stroll in one area. For visiting the outdoor hot springs, we recommend the Kinosaki Onsen outdoor hot spring tour ticket, which allows you to enter any outdoor hot spring all day long.

Kikuseidai is the location of one of Japan's "3 great night views". It's an observatory that stands at an altitude of 700 metres, close to the summit of Mt. Maya in the Rokko Mountains. Kikuseidai's name is apparently derived from the idea of a spectacular night view where you feel as though you can scoop up the stars by hand. Climb up here in the evening and you'll be able to enjoy stunning views of Mt. Maya and the changing tones of the sky at twilight. And when the sun goes down, you can enjoy the impressive night view that stretches from the coast of Osaka Bay all the way to downtown Kobe. To get to the observatory, take the Maya View Line connecting the cable car and the ropeway. There's also a car park (charged) just a 15-minute walk from the observatory, so another good option is to drive to the observatory and enjoy the night views on the way up and back down.

A night cruise on the Kobe Cruise Concerto is a great way to view the night skyline of Kobe from the sea. The ship departs from Kobe Harborland Mosaic and you can look at the Port Tower and the Maritime Museum from the deck. It then passes through a shipyard where submarines are sometimes anchored. Finally, the ship returns to port while facing sideways onto the bright red arches of Kobe Ohashi bridge, the Suma Alps, Akashi Kaikyo Ohashi (the world's longest suspension bridge), and Awaji Island. With live music on board, this is a romantic evening guaranteed. The night cruise departs at 7.30 pm and lasts for 2 hours. You can also opt for a luxurious dinner onboard, such as Teppan (iron plate) cuisine and sophisticated European cuisine served in multiple courses and eaten with chopsticks.

Suma Aqualife Park Kobe is a large aquarium that the locals refer to as "Sumasui". From the popular sea otters and dolphins to invertebrates such as nautilus and sponge, about 600 species and 13,000 creatures are on display. Sumasui is famous for its freshwater fish exhibits of amazing creatures such as the Amazon River pirarucu, the Mississippi River spotted gar, and the archerfish that live off Iriomote Island. Popular attractions include a dolphin live show, a penguin walk, and an interactive event where you can touch dolphins and seals. After enjoying the aquarium, take a romantic stroll along the beautiful Suma Beach with its white sand and pine trees. To get here, take the train to JR Sumakaihinkōen Station and then walk for about 5 minutes.

Kobe Motomachi is one of the trendiest parts of town. This area is centred around a street running 800 metres from east to west between Sakaemachidori and Kaigandori in Kobe's Chuo Ward. With highlights including Kobe Chinatown, Port Tower, Kobe Maritime Museum and around 270 shops, Motomachi is perfect for a walk. The streets are dotted with fashionable cafés, so you can always stop for a cup of something if your legs are aching. Set out walking from Minatomotomachi Station and head for the large "umie" shopping mall in Kobe Harborland. Here you'll find the Mosaic Ferris Wheel, from which you can see the Kobe cityscape as well as sweeping views from Mount Rokko to Kobe Ohashi bridge. At night, the Ferris wheel looks fantastic when it's lit up with about 120,000 LEDs.

The Rokko Shidare Observatory on Mount Rokko has a roof thatched with cypress. Located inside the Rokko Garden Terrace, the building looks like a tree standing tall at the summit, with Yoshino cypress is used for its frames, walls, and floor. At night, there's the romantic sight of the observatory's frame changing colour thanks to LED lighting with more than 10 million colour tones. The observatory was designed by noted modern Japanese architect Hiroshi Sanbuichi. For an evening to remember, you can enjoy the amazing night view from Mt. Rokko, experience the wonders of this structure, and dine at the Rokko Genghis Khan Palace or View Palace restaurants on the garden terrace.

Rokkosan Pasture is a ranch spreading out over the plateau of the Rokko Mountains. Designed to look like a Swiss mountain farm, the theme here is interaction between animals and nature. Animal-lovers will be in heaven as there are plenty of hands-on events where you can interact with animals. There's a sheepdog show in which the dog and its trainer herd sheep into fences, as well as a chance to ring the sheep bell yourself. You can also milk cows and ride horses. You could easily spend a full day here, and when you get hungry you can try the Restaurant Kobe Cheese for cheese fondue of the Sheep Bell restaurant for barbecued Japanese beef or excellent Hamburg steaks using Kobe beef. The best way of getting here is by car, but you can also use a combination of the Rokko Cable Line, Maya View Line, Rokko Arima Ropeway and public transport.

Amarube Bridge Sky Station Park is located in Kami-cho, which is famous for its exquisite crab. The iron bridge that supported the railway for more than a century since its completion in 1890 has been preserved locally and turned into an observatory. You can even walk across the iron bridge, which is about 40 metres above the ground. With beautiful views of the clear Sea of Japan below, this is certainly a romantic location. And don't forget to visit Daijoji Temple, which is another highlight of Kami-cho. The standout features of this temple are its 165 fusuma (sliding door panel) paintings by Maruyama Okyo Ichimon, who's famous for his ghost paintings.

Even 400 years since its construction, the famous Himeji Castle is one of Japan's most beautiful and elegant castles. It's also known as Shirasagi Castle because it has the appearance of a white heron spreading its wings. In fact, it was the first place in Japan to be registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site (along with Horyuji Temple) and there's no doubting its status as a national treasure. These days, AR (Augmented Reality) and CG are being used in the castle's exhibitions and guided tours. Download the Himeji-jo app and hold your smartphone up for detailed explanations displayed along with videos and photos. And don't miss Koko-en, which is a vast Japanese garden on the castle grounds where you can enjoy the cherry blossoms in springtime and autumn leaves later in the year.