Just northwest of the Sannomiya area, there’s a steep, paved path which begins in a quiet residential area, winds through forest, and ends at Venus Bridge, one of Kobe’s best lookout points. The peaceful and atmospheric Suwa Shrine serves as a halfway point.
A huge torii gate, clearly visible from the main road, marks the entrance of the path.
The route, which only takes about 20 to 25 minutes to climb from start to finish, is popular with both joggers and couples: joggers because the steep incline makes for a good workout; and couples because of the memorial for lovers at the top called “Locks of Love.” The latter bring locks, which they initialize and leave at the site as a way of publicly declaring their relationship.
After an ascent up the steep road and the even steeper flight of stairs, you’ll reach Suwa Shrine. The shrine is surrounded by an abundance of cherry trees, making this a good place to view blossoms in the spring. It also borders Suwayama Park, and on afternoons and weekends the cries of happy children can be heard. From here, you can take the path right, to the park, or left, to continue upward toward the observation deck.
The path snakes upward, through a forested area where you can sometimes get a glimpse of the city below and a sense of how high up you’ve climbed. Finally, you’ll come to a final flight of stairs and Venus Bridge itself, a literal pedestrian bridge which loops upward toward the top.
The view over Kobe makes the climb well worth it. If you’re too tired to walk down, you can take a bus back into the city from the nearby bus stop. On the other hand, if you haven’t had your fill of uphill walking, there are nearby hiking trails to explore.
The address for Venus Bridge is here: 神戸箕谷線, Kuchiichiriyama Kobeko Jikata, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0007
