Mount Maya (698 m above sea level) is, in my opinion, the best vantage point over Kobe and together with Mount Rokko it is one of the places from where you can see the whole city, the harbour and Osaka Bay.

The view from the top of Kikuseidai is considered one of the best night views in all of Japan and I just have to agree!

Read also:

• 👉 O ur tips on where to stay in Kobe
• 👉 The best views in Kobe

Is Mount Maya worth a visit?

Short answer: yes, if you want to see one of the best night views in Japan; during the day it's more of a quiet sightseeing spot.

✅ Yes, if:

• you like sightseeing and photography
• you want to see Kobe in the evening from above
• plan to hike in the mountains

❌ More likely no, if:

• you are only in Kobe for a few hours and want to see the city itself
• you don't want to deal with cable cars or transport to the mountains

10 best hotels in Kobe

What to expect - top views and treks

The main destination is the Kikuseidai lookout, which offers a wide panoramic view of Kobe, the harbour and even Osaka.

Unlike Mount Rokko, you can see downtown Kobe better from here, and the viewpoint is also a bit closer to downtown.

At the top:

• a large observation deck
• a restaurant and a café
• seating area

Best time to visit

Mount Maya is especially famous for its night views. The best time is shortly after sunset, when you can still see the landscape and the city lights up at the same time.

During the day, the views are also nice, but less impressive.

The visit is relatively easy and most people spend about an hour here.

• 1.5-2 hours: exit, view and return
• 2-3 hours: quieter pace or dinner at the top
• Full day: hiking in the area and visiting the nearby Rokkosan Pasture

In the evening, expect that transport down may take a while if there are more people - you may even not fit on the last cable car in the downward direction and have to wait a very long time for a taxi booked via Uber (or walk down in the dark for about 2-3 hours).

Tenjo-ji Temple and hiking in the mountains

Maya-San is the perfect starting point for hiking in the Rokko Mountains - more on that in the What to do in Kobe chapter.

If you don't have time for a longer hike, hike about 800 metres to the beautiful Tenjo-ji Buddhist temple.

The grounds are free to enter 24/7.

Mount Maya or Mount Rokko?

Both mountains offer views of Kobe, but the experience is a little different.

Mount Maya

• A compact viewpoint
• better known for its nighttime panorama
• quicker to visit (closer to the centre)
• Buddhist temple nearby

Mount Rokko

• larger area and more places to visit
• better choice during the day
• suitable for a longer programme

If you only have time for one mountain, it's usually worth choosing based on whether you want more of an evening view (Maya) or a half day in the mountains (Rokko).

Find a hotel in the Rokko area

Admission and lift tickets

The summit of Mount Maya is free and accessible 24/7, but the vast majority of people choose a set of two cable cars as their mode of travel - the rail cable car (cable car) and the suspended cable car (ropeway).

Fares are as follows:

• 1 560 jpy - round trip to the top
• 900 jpy - one-way trip (up or down)
• 780 jpy - return journey only halfway up the hill (funicular)
• 450 jpy - one-way trip only halfway up the hill
• Official information: koberope.jp/en/maya

Many tourists purchase a one-way ticket and take the cable car back from Mount Rokko.

How to get there

Maya cable cars

Most tourists choose two cable cars as their route - Maya Cable + Maya Ropeway. We describe the detailed price list above.

The cable cars run every day at intervals of 20 minutes from 10:00. The last ride down is between 17:40 and 20:40 depending on the season - see detailed information: koberope.jp.

• total travel time to the top - approx. 25 minutes

Bus line 18 stops at the lower cable car station - it runs every 30 minutes to Shin-Kobe (shinkansen) or Sannomiya.

Bus line 12 also stops every 20 minutes, about a 6-minute walk from the lower station.

Buses

Hankyu Bus Company's bus line 2 runs from Mount Maya via Rokkosan Pasture to Mount Rokko.

The buses run once an hour all year round and tickets are always payable at the driver's station - you can pay with cash or your own contactless card. Japanese IC cards cannot be used for payment.

Ticket prices are calculated according to distance and range between 230 jpy and 580 jpy.

These buses do not appear on Google Maps and you can find the exact timetable at transfer-cloud.navitime.biz/hankyubus.

Hotels in the area

There is no accommodation near the cable car stations.

The most practical base for visiting Mount Mayo is therefore the Sannomiya area in the centre, from where it is relatively easy to reach the cable car by train or bus.

Choose a hotel near Sannomiya

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Kobe.