Osaka doesn't actually have too many things to see. After 2 days in Osaka between last year and this year, there wasn't that much left, but I knew that Himeji Castle, the oldest castle in Japan, after years of renovation, was finally open to the public again, so I figured it would be a nice side trip with a stop in Kobe on the way back.

Unfortunately the walk up wasn't the best for my dad, so he went shopping in Himeji while I went visiting the castle and nearby gardens:

Sachi supposed to gard against lightening. They've since then added lightening rods

By then it was a bit late already (15:45-ish), so we took a quick Shinkansen to Kobe, and I took a ropeway to a high garden with view of Kobe. They nicely close the entrance at 16:30 and I got there at 16:34. I may or may not have crossed a closed rope to get in and get down the garden back down to the mid station to take the ropeway back down :)

Next, we went to the Kobe Port Tower for a quick look around:

We then walked through Chinatown to the street that has Kobe Beef Restaurants:

Triple Joie indeed!

Steakland:

After some very yummy Kobe beef, we took another train back to Osaka to pack our luggage for the next day.