[Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture] Just a 2-hour drive from Osaka! A guide to Yabu City, known for its beautiful natural scenery

• Table of Contents
• What kind of town is Yabu City?
• Nature in Yabu City
• History of Yabu City
• Specialties of Yabu City
• How to Get to Yabu City
• How about Yabu City, with its abundance of nature?
• Yabu City has plenty of other attractions too!
• Click here for tourist information about Yabu City!

What kind of town is Yabu City?

Yabu City was established on April 1, 2004, through the merger of four towns—Yoka, Yabu, Oya, and Sekimiya—in Yabu District, Hyogo Prefecture.
The Maruyama River, a Class 1 river, flows from the southeast to the northeast through the eastern part of the city. The Yoka and Sekimiya districts are located along its tributary, the Yagi River, while the Yabu and Oya districts are situated along the Oya River.
Yabu City is dotted with beautiful attractions throughout the four seasons, including the “Bekku Rice Terraces” in a scenic spot with a direct view of Mt. Hyonosen, “Tendaki Falls” (selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls), the fireflies of Okumeji, and “Yabu Shrine,” a famous spot for autumn foliage! 🏔✨

Nature in Yabu City

Yabu City is brimming with rich, majestic, and beautiful natural scenery, including Hyōno-sen—the highest peak in Hyōgo Prefecture—and Tendaki Falls, the prefecture’s most famous waterfall!
Why not come experience a side of nature that’s a cut above other tourist destinations?
It’s one of the prefecture’s premier outdoor paradises, bustling with trekkers and hikers in spring and fall, campers gazing up at crystal-clear starry skies in summer, and winter sports enthusiasts enjoying skiing and snowboarding in winter! ✨

Mount Hyonosen

667-0324 Yokoiki, Oyacho, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture

Mt. Hyonosen (1,510m), the highest mountain in Hyogo Prefecture, is a treasure trove of nature that is among the best in the Kinki region! The surrounding area is blessed with an excellent natural environment, and the only remaining subarctic wetland plants in western Japan are in this area, and the golden eagle, a national natural monument, lives here, making this an area that maintains one of the best natural environments in the Kinki region. During the green season, many people visit the area to enjoy the views and plants, as well as mountain climbing, hiking, valley walks, and camping. Many photographers also come to capture Mt. Hyonosen, which shows different faces depending on the season. One of the most popular photos is the "upside-down Mt. Hyonose" reflected in the rice paddies, taken from the terraced rice fields of Bekku before rice planting in early May, and is visited by many photographers every year.

Bekku Rice Terraces

667-1122 Betsumiya, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture

Bekku Rice Terraces are rice terraces that spread out on the middle slope of Mt. Hachibuse. Located at an altitude of 700m, this scenic spot overlooks Mt. Hyonosen, the roof of Hyogo, and is a pristine Japanese landscape that remains to this day. Nearby is Bekku no Ookatsura, a natural monument designated by Hyogo Prefecture, and the abundant spring water that flows from its base irrigates the vast rice paddies, creating a beautiful view of the rice terraces. Photographs of the upside-down Mt. Hyonosen reflected in the rice paddies taken from the Bekumiya rice terraces in early May before rice planting are very popular, and attract many photographers every year.

Tendaki Falls

667-0322 Hyogo Prefecture Yabu City Oyacho Ikada

From the parking lot at the entrance to Tendaki Valley, walk 1.2km up the mountain path alongside the stream and suddenly a column of white water will appear before you. This waterfall, which flows down as if it is falling from the sky, is Tendaki, the prefecture's largest waterfall with a drop of 98m. Tendaki was selected as one of Japan's 100 Best Waterfalls because of its majestic and powerful appearance and the legends surrounding it. In the valley leading to Tendaki, there are also waterfalls such as Meotodaki, Tsutsumigataki, and Itodaki. The waterfalls change color with the seasons, from the fresh greenery of spring to the autumn leaves of autumn, and frozen in the bitter cold.

History of Yabu City

Yabu City has a long history; pottery and stone tools from the Jomon period, as well as traces of cave rituals, have been discovered here, and many cultural assets reminiscent of the Kofun period remain.
During the Edo period, the area along the Maruyama River served as a key transportation hub for the Tajima region, connecting the San’in Kaidō highway and waterways. As the raw silk trade flourished, it also became a hub for the trade of Tajima beef throughout the Kinki region.
During the Meiji period, the establishment of spinning mills and other industries spurred the development of commerce and industry. The “Akenobu Mine,” whose history dates back to the Heian period, once boasted the highest tin production in Japan! 😯
Be sure to check out the historic streetscapes that remain today, as well as the historical heritage sites designated as National Cultural Properties! 👀✅

Akenobe Mine

667-0436 Hyogo Prefecture Yabu City Oyacho Akenobe

Akenobe Mine is an old mine where legend has it that copper was used to cast the Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple in Nara. In 1909, a tin vein was discovered and the mine flourished as "Japan's largest tin mine." It was the largest tin mine in Japan, accounting for 90% of the nation's total. Parts of the mine are now open to the public as exploration tunnels, where visitors can see the exposed rock surfaces, ground, jackhammers, mining vehicles, and more. (Reservation required) Every Sunday, there is also a Sunday Mine Tour, where visitors can tour the mine without making a reservation. You can also experience a ride on the 1 yen train that once carried people and ore.

Yabu Shrine

667-0112 840 Yabu Ichiba, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture

This shrine is one of the five major shrines in Tajima. It has long been known as "Yabu no Myojin-san"(a title for Shinto gods) and has been loved by locals as the god of agriculture. In addition, since the buying and selling of cattle, which are necessary for farming, was under the control of Yabu Shrine, the god of cattle is also enshrined there. As one of the most famous spots for viewing autumn leaves in Hyogo Prefecture, it is crowded with many tourists and photographers in early November.

Oshoya Memorial Hall

667-0114 36 kojyo , Yabu City Hyogo Prefecture

The Yabu City Oshoya Memorial Hall is located on a hill behind the kojyo village in Yabu City . This building is a preserved residence of Nagashima Zen'emon, a headman who ruled over 18 villages in the Izushi domain during the late Edo period. On the first floor of the annex, there is a sliding door painting of Taikobo by the artist Kobayashi Takusen. In addition, there is a plaque on display by Baron Kitagaki Kawara , who served as the governor of Kyoto , that reads, "The fresh colors and fragrance of spring." At the back of the detached building there is an Oribe lantern, which is said to have been designed by Furuta Oribe and is also known as a Christian lantern. The detached house, decorated with sliding door paintings and Chinese poetry by artists such as Kobayashi Takusen, Ikeda Kunimichi, Ikeda Soan, Ema Tenko, and Tani Tetsuomi, is a magnificent building that can be called a museum of rural culture. The house of a wealthy farmer, surrounded by high Ishigaki and built on a hill alongside a valley stream, represents the typical rural landscape of Tajima, and it was opened as the Yabu Town Folk Museum, the first museum in the Tajima region to be housed in a wealthy farmer's house (it was renamed Yabu City Oshoya Memorial Museum in 2004). It has been selected as one of the "100 Hyogo Cultural Sites" by the Hyogo Prefecture.

Specialties of Yabu City

A wealth of ingredients nurtured by the bountiful natural environment… From “Asakura Sansho” and “Jamongan Rice” to many other local specialties, the region is brimming with pride-worthy delicacies.
Please use this as a guide for souvenirs!✨

Asakura Sansho

“Asakura Sansho” originated in Asakura, Yoka-cho, Yabu City.
Historical records indicate that Toyotomi Hideyoshi enjoyed drinking hot water infused with roasted sansho peppers, describing it as “refined,” and that Mamiya Naomoto, the magistrate of Ikuno, presented it to Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Compared to other varieties of sansho, it is distinguished by its rich aroma, large berries, mellow flavor, and a refreshing, citrus-like, fruity scent

Jyamongan rice

The serpentinite belt where “Jamongan(Serpentine) Rice” is grown features rich soil abundant in magnesium and potassium.
Nourished by water seeping from the Hyonosen Mountain Range and cultivated in an environment with moderate sunlight and significant temperature fluctuations between day and night, this rice is characterized by its strong sweetness, excellent stickiness, and fluffy texture

Yoka Pork

“Yoka Pork” is a rare, premium brand of pork raised with great care on a single farm amidst lush, natural surroundings—a product so exclusive that it’s only available locally.
The meat is tender, and its high-quality fat is sweet and savory; even when cooled, it retains its rich flavor!

How to Get to Yabu City

If you are coming by car

About 2 hours from Osaka
About 1 hour and 30 minutes from Kobe
〇Osaka/Kobe → (Chugoku Expressway) → Yoshikawa JC → (Maizuru Wakasa Expressway) → Kasuga IC → (Kitakinki Toyooka Expressway) → Yabu IC or Yoka Mt. Hyonosen IC
〇Osaka/Kobe → (Chugoku Expressway) → Fukusaki IC → (Bantan Link Road) → Yabu IC or Yoka Mt. Hyonosen IC

About 2 hours and 30 minutes from Kyoto
Kyoto → National Route 9 → (Kyoto Longitudinal Road) → National Route 9

If you are coming by train

From Osaka: Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes by express train (get off at Yoka Station)

From Kyoto: Approximately 2 hours by express train (get off at Yoka Station)

From Kobe: Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes by express train (get off at Yoka Station)

How about Yabu City, with its abundance of nature?

Did you realize just how much Yabu City has to offer?
Yabu City is brimming with so many attractions that you can’t possibly see them all in just one visit! ✨
We hope you’ll come visit Yabu City!

Yabu City has plenty of other attractions too!

Yabu City is full of attractions all year round! Check out this article for our recommended spots in Yabu City.

Click here for tourist information about Yabu City!

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Yabu City Tourism Association (Japanese)
Official Yabu Travel Guide (English)

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