Kobe Sports

Japan hosted the first-ever Winter Olympics in Asia at Sapporo in 1972, but the country already had a rich history of playing on snowy mountain slopes. Although you won’t find the world-class ski runs of Nagano and Shiga in Kobe, you will find Mount Rokko: a range of 1,000-meter high peaks. Accessing Mount Rokko You can reach Mount Rokko by rail, Kobe Municipal Bus, Rokko Cable, and Mt. Rokko Mountain Bus. Hikers can ascend a long, steep winding path for spectacular views of the cityscape below. One observation deck to stop at is Rokko Garden Terrace. As it’s open 365 days a year, the panoramic vista sweeping from Akashi Strait to the Osaka Plains is always available. The stores at the Terrace, however, have seasonal schedules. The Rokko Shidare Observatory on Rokko Mountain is also open year-round, although it shutters at nightfall during the winter. This Kobe landmark was cobbled together from plans drawn by Hiroshima-based architect Hiroshi Sambuichi. The open-faced domed structure uses hexagonal frames of native hinoki wood to funnel air inside to an ice room that regulates the temperature in the building. Sambuichi’s vision was that of leaves gracing a massive tree. In winter, the frosted appendages…