Mount Rokkō

Mount Rokkō (六甲山) is the name of a range of mountains in southeastern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.

Outline


There is no single mountain or peak called "Rokkō," although the highest peak of the mountains is called Rokkōsan-Saikōhō (六甲山最高峰), (literally, the highest peak of the Rokkō Mountains) and the area to the south is known as the Rokkō area. The mountains run approximately east-west from Sumaura Kōen Park in western Kobe to Takarazuka, and the length of the range is about 56 km. The highest point is 931 m. It also includes Mount Maya, Mount Kabutoyama, Mount Iwahara and Mount Iwakura.

Today, the Rokkō mountain area is a centerpiece of a popular sightseeing and hiking area for people in the metropolitan Kansai region. Mt. Rokkō is a symbol of Kobe as well as Osaka.

History
Arthur Hasketh Groom opened the first golf course in Japan, Kobe Golf Club, on Mt. Rokko in 1903.

Mount Rokkō was the first place to introduce rock climbing to the Japanese by Kuzou Fujiki who established the first rock climbing club in Japan in 1924.

Points of interest

 * Rokkō Alpine Botanical Garden
 * Nunobiki Herb Garden
 * Nunobiki Falls
 * Rokko Musicbox Museum
 * Rokkosan Pasture
 * Kobe Golf Club
 * Ashiya Country Club
 * Okuike
 * East Rokko Observatory/Route Cafe

Trivia
For many years, lenses made by the Minolta Camera Company were designated as "Rokkor", named after the mountains near Osaka, where the company was headquartered.

The theme song of the Baseball Team Hanshin Tigers is named Rokko Oroshi (六甲おろし) and themed after Mt. Rokko.

Access

 * Rokkō Sanjō Station of Rokkō Cable Line
 * Kinenhidai Bus Stop of Hankyu Bus
 * Hoshi no Eki Station of Maya Cable