Around June and July, The Mt. Maya area offers one of the best seasons for beautiful, lush green nature. And until June 30th (Wednesday), a very enjoyable and blessed event is held in the area. It’s “Maya-san Kaiun Hachi-kasho Meguri (Mt. Maya’s 8 sacred-spot tour)”. As the photo shows above, visit 8 sacred spots and collect 8 vermillion-colored stamps on a special stamp sheet made of a traditional Japanese-style towel called “Tenugui”!

■ How to participate the event
1: Go to monte702 located on the second floor of Maya Ropeway Hoshi no Eki Station and purchase the Tenugui stamp sheet displayed on the shelf like the photo below (888 yen).2: Visit each spot to collect a stamp.
(*The stamp is free of charge. The admission fees of some for the spots are needed.)
3: If you collect all of the stamps, you can get a special big stamp “Mangan Goshuin” at Mayasan Tenjoji Temple.
Just try and get it!

■ 8 sacred good fortune spots
1: Choseki sotoba stone grave tablet at Maya Cable Station “Free from sickness”
2: Maya no Osugi cedar at Niji no Eki Station “Earnest wish from one’s heart for fulfillment”
3: Tenguiwa rocks at Hoshi no Eki Station “Thriving business”
4: Ryujinsui water at Hotel de Maya “No accident and long life”
(*Hotel de Maya is closed at the end of March, 2021)
5: Bentenjima island at Kobe Municipal Arboretum “Bountiful harvest”
6: Komanomichi path at Rokkosan Pasture “Strong legs and lower back”
7: Hodakako lake at Kobe Municipal Shizennoie (house of nature) “Safe trip”
8: Sennensugi cedar at Mayasan Tenjoji Temple “Warding off calamities and bringing about blessings”
(Source: Mt. Maya official blog “Maya log” https://www.mayasan.jp/mayalog/?p=11397 (Japanese))

■ Places where you can collect stamps
1: monte702 (2nd floor of Maya Viewline Hoshi no Eki Station) *for 4 stamps
2: Mayasan Tenjoji Temple
3: Kobe Municipal Shizennoie (house of nature)
4: Rokkosan Pasture
5: Kobe Municipal Arboretum(Map: https://koberope.jp/en/maya/map)

Today, we will use public transportation services to reach 7 sacred spots and collect 7 stamps! You can trek throughout the route and complete all spots and stamps if you are tough enough.

■ Today’s Route
Maya Cable Station (monte702)
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Niji no Eki Station (monte702)
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Hoshi no Eki Station (monte702)
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Hotel de Maya (monte702)
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Rokkosan Pasture
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Mayasan Tenjoji Temple
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Kobe Municipal Arboretum

We took the Maya Cable car from Maya Cable Station to get to Niji no Eki Station. From Niji no Eki Station, we trekked to Maya Ropeway Hoshi no Eki station. After that, as well as walking we used bus services to reach the rest of the spots.(Source: https://koberope.jp/en/maya/price)

Detailed access information about the route from downtown Kobe to Maya Cable station as below↓
https://kobe-rokko.jp/en/access/

As the first Maya Cable car departs at 10 am and monte702 opens at 11 am, we have about an hour to visit 3 sacred good fortune spots. Let’s hit the road!

【Maya Cable Station】
Choseki sotoba stone grave tablet “Free from sickness”
As the starting location and the first sacred spot, the choseki sotoba stone grave tablet is situated at Maya Cable Station. On the surface of the classic stone tablet, Sanskrit characters that show an eleven-faced Kannon Avalokiteshvara, are curved.A relaxing 5-minute Cable car trip takes you to the Niji no Eki Station.
The stairs on the left side will connect to a trekking trail to the next spot!
An amazing view with fresh air will surely sooth your mind!After you walk through a path on the left-hand side, the second sacred spot (Maya no Osugi cedar) will come out.

【Niji no Eki Station】
Maya no Osugi cedar “Earnest wish from one’s heart for fulfillment.”This is the second good fortune spot “Maya no Osugi cedar”.
A unique legend related to Maya no Osugi cedar has been passed down for centuries. The story tells of a white snake fairy that changes its appearance to a gray-haired old man and he makes people’s wishes come true.
As a side note, Osugi means big cedar in Japanese. The presence of this sacred and huge Osagi cedar will breathtakingly overwhelm you!

Let’s head to the next destination “Tenguiwa rocks”. You’ll find long ascending stone stairs! Keep climbing till you reach the top!

【Hoshi no Eki Station】
Tenguiwa rock “Thriving business”
The third sacred good fortune spot “Tenguiwa rocks” is located right next to Hoshi no Eki Station. It is said that many people used to gather here and prayed for child giving, safe delivery, and thriving business. Tenguiwa rocks seemed to be symbols of the megalithic religion.

We arrived at Hoshi no Eki Station on Kikuseidai at 11:00 am on the dot.
A fantastic view (daytime and nighttime) from the Kikuseidai Observation Platform is highly regarded as one of the best views in Japan.Head up to the second floor and collect stamps at monte702!
Check out the shelf and purchase the Tenugui stamp sheet (888 yen) first, and then collect 4 stamps that include the one at Hotel de Maya. (*closed at the end of March, 2021)

Let’s move onto the next location “Rokkosan Pasture”!
We took the Rokko-Maya Sky Shuttle Bus from Maya Ropeway Sanjo Station.
It takes about 10 minutes to get to the Pasture by bus or an hour on foot.
Check out the information about the Sky Shuttle Bus↓
https://koberope.jp/en/maya/guide

In addition, Mayachari (electric-assisted bicycle) is also recommended. You can ride it on a mountain road easily.Related story about Mayachari↓
https://kobe-rokko.jp/en/events/485/

【Rokkosan Pasture】
Komanomichi path “Strong legs and lower back”

This is the entrance of the fifth sacred good fortune spot “Rokkosan Pasture”.
In the Mt. Maya area, there was a traditional custom in which people would pray for the good health of their cattle and horses. It was called “Maya mode pilgrimage.”
As the stamp is prepared inside the Pasture, the admission fee is needed.
■ Admission fee: 500 yen (adult), 200 yen (primary and middle school student age), free (younger than primary school student age)
■ Opening hours: 9 am-5 pm
■ Official website: https://rokkosan.jp/ (Japanese)

Related article about the Rokkosan Pasture↓
https://kobe-rokko.jp/en/events/377/
Go get the stamp at Makiba Yumekobo workshop, which is in the opposite side of the north gate next to the bus stop.

This is Rokko Q･B･B cheese house. To get to Makiba Yumekobo, please go inside the cheese house.
This is the stamp at Makiba Yumekobo!

On the first floor of Makiba Yumekobo, there is a bakery & café “DELPAPA”. DELPAPA’s signature items “cheese dog” and “camembert cheese & ham sandwich” are absolute must-tries. Savor an amazing taste of Rokko Pasture’s homemade camembert cheese while taking a break in the middle of your trip.Left: Rokkosan Pasture cheese dog (eat-in: 460 yen, to-go: 450 yen)
Right: Rokkosan Pasture camembert cheese & 3 kind of ham sandwich (eat-in: 700 yen, to-go: 690 yen)

The sixth place is Mayasan Tenjoji Temple which is just two stops away from Rokkosan Pasture by Rokko-Maya Sky Shuttle Bus.

【Mayasan Tenjoji Temple】
Sennensugi cedar “Warding off calamities and bringing about blessings”The main hall of Mayasan Tenjoji Temple
Official website: http://www.mayasan-tenjoji.jp/ (Japanese)
Please proceed to the Nokyojo counter of the Konrindo hall and receive the stamp from the buddhist monk.
It is said that sacred spirits dwell in the big trees of Maya’s forest inside the temple and the magnificent presence of the trees keep exuding the supernatural vitality.After leaving Mayasan Tenjoji Temple, let’s head back to Kikuseidai! It’s just about 1km away.
From Kikuseidai, walk through Sakuradani michi path and Tokugawa michi path and reach Kobe Municipal Arboretum as the next destination.
The duration is about 90 minutes.
(*It may change depending on your walking speed.)
Please don’t cross the stone bridge on the right. It’s a path to Mayasan Tenjoji Temple.
To Kobe Municipal Arboretum, keep trekking to the left.If you find this sign, you’re almost at the Municipal Arboretum.

【Kobe Municipal Arboretum】
Bentenjima island “Bountiful harvest”This is the east gate of Kobe Municipal Arboretum. It’s the seventh sacred spot and our final spot for today. After passing the gate, continue to hike for about 30 minutes to get to the spot.

Map: https://www.kobe-park.or.jp/shinrin/guide_garden/%E5%9C%92%E5%86%85map/
This is the entrance fee box that is installed near the sacred spot. Don’t forget to insert the fee into the box!
■ Entrance fee: 300 yen (15 years old and older), 150 yen (primary and middle school student)
■ Closed on: Wednesdays (If Wednesday falls on a national holiday, closed on the following day / Thursday.), December 29th-January 3rd
■ Official website: https://www.kobe-park.or.jp.e.abn.hp.transer.com/shinrin/
Hase Ike pond is situated close to the fee box. The sacred good fortune spot “Bentenjima island” is on the Hase Ike pond. Benten is well-known as the deity of water and the deity of bountiful harvest.

The best season for hydrangea is just around the corner.
Check out the blooming time below↓
https://www.kobe-park.or.jp.e.abn.hp.transer.com/shinrin/ajisai/flowerinfo/
As the hydrangea is designated as the flower of Kobe citizens, it has been loved by Kobe locals.
Get the stamp at Shinrin Tenjikan exhibition hall.
Today, we collected 7 stamps. It was a lot of fun! And it’s your turn! Why not make a plan for this event with family members or close friends? As you like, select your favorite schedule, route, transportation, etc! The sacred and adventurous trip is waiting for you to take the challenge.

【Maya-san Kaiun Hachi-kasho Meguri】
■ Event period: Until June 30th (Wednesday)
*Kobe Municipal Shizennoie is temporarily closed due to the state of emergency in Hyogo Prefecture.
More information: http://www.kobe-sizennoie.com/ (Japanese)
*Please contact each facility with regards to detailed information including schedule.
■ Contact: 078-882-3580 (Mt. Maya Tourism Culture Association / monte 702) (Japanese)
■ Detailed event information: https://www.mayasan.jp/mayalog/?p=11397 (Japanese)