When you are in Osaka, you may want to check out Himeji Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site and Japan’s most beautiful feudal castle. It is just a 30-40 min shinkansen train ride away. On the way there/back, you will pass by Kobe, so you want to also stop by the city of Kobe to taste some delicious Kobe beef.
If you plan on stopping by Kobe for food, I recommend planning your day around the time when you plan to eat in Kobe. You can comfortably visit Himeji Castle in a half day so you can either go to Himeji in the morning first then stop by Kobe for late lunch/dinner, or eat early lunch at Kobe and then stop by Himeji.
Himeji Castle
If you plan on doing an early start, it may make sense to visit Himeji Castle first since most food places won’t be open until closer to lunch time. With the JR pass, go to Shin-Osaka Station and take the shinkansen on the Sanyo Shinkansen line to JR Himeji Station. This is the fastest way and takes ~30-40 minutes. Alternatively you can take the local train from Osaka Station to Himeji Station which will takes ~1 hour. At the station take the North Exit it will be ~20 min walk to the castle (you will see it!).
Himeji Castle
At Himeji, visit the Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Koko-en garden nearby. A combined ticket only costs 50 yen (~$.36 USD) more to get into Koko-en along with Himeji Castle. During the maple leaf season, it is so beautiful inside, so I would recommend checking it out if your schedule allows.
Changing leaves at the Koko-en garden by Himeji Castle
To head to Kobe from Himeji, take the JR train from Himeji Station to Shin-Kobe station.
Kobe
When you are in Kobe, be sure to stop by a restaurant for some Kobe beef. If you are able to make a reservation, I highly recommend going to Tor Road Steak Aoyama for Kobe beef. It is a small family run steakhouse, and you can try the world famous Kobe beef without breaking the bank (~$45 USD). The chef is also quite entertaining and you can watch your meal cooked on the grill in front of you.
Kobe beef at family-owned Tor Road Steak Aoyama
Enjoying the world-famous Kobe beef
Other points of interest in Kobe if time allows:
- Visit Ikuta-jinja Shrine, one of the oldest shrines in the country
- Go sake tasting in the Nada district. I visited the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum, which offers free entry to the museum and free tasting. There are also others in the area.
- Visit the hotsprings in the Arima area