From Sannomiya in Kobe City, one of the largest cities in western Japan, I traveled by subway, Kobe Electric Railway, and bus to Ogo-cho in Kobe City's Kita Ward.

Harborland, Kitano Ijinkan, Nankinmachi—all of Kobe's iconic tourist spots are concentrated around Sannomiya along the coast.

However, beyond Mount Rokko, Kobe City extends much further north, and at its western edge, in a gaping area on the map, lies the town of Ogo.

It's pronounced "Ogo." With a population of approximately 2,200, it's the only town in Kobe City that belonged to Harima Province.

Getting off at the Ogo Honmachi bus stop, I was greeted by rice paddies and low mountains.

After eating 100% buckwheat soba noodles at a roadside station, I climbed a small hill beside it and found the ruins of Ogo Castle, where Toyotomi Hidenaga, the younger brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, is said to have suffered his only defeat in his life.

This is the site of the "Mare Stratagem," where Lord Ogawa Sadanori gathered mares from the surrounding area to confuse the enemy cavalry.

In the middle of the rice fields is Mangetsudo, a traditional Japanese confectionery shop that has been in business since 1882, selling Toyosuke Manju, named after the first owner.

The site of the main inn of a post town where three roads connecting Harima, Arima, and Kobe ports intersected during the Edo period, and the Ogawa Hachiman Shrine, which still preserves the 800-year-old archery ritual.

As another face of the bustling metropolis of Kobe, this place, steeped in history, remains quietly.

The return trip from Ogawa Honmachi to Sannomiya took 57 minutes by a single bus. The outward journey, involving transfers, took over an hour.

There are surely many more places with aspects that can only be discovered by visiting.

I would like to continue visiting such places in the future.

#Kansai #HiddenGem