This hill boasts an expansive view of the Japan Alps, an ancient tomb, and in the spring, its 4,000 cherry trees create an explosion of pink color.
The Tomb
On the summit is an ancient tomb that was constructed in the 3rd century during Japan’s Kofun (Tumulus) Period. It is believed to be the oldest tomb in eastern Japan and you can see artifacts from the tomb, which include a tekken (sword) and a maga-tama (pendent), at the Nakayama Cultural History Museum. Mt. Kobo is also one of the setting in the anime and manga Orange.
The Cherry Blossoms
Seeing the entire hill painted in pink is a sight worth seeing in the spring. It is a great place to have a picnic (hanami) while the cherry blossoms bloom. When the trees have stopped blooming, the hill turns green with the tree’s new leaves.
The Hike
Behind Mt. Kobo, there is a dirt hiking trail that winds up into the hills and takes about 45 minutes to walk. When you get to the top, you will find a very nice view and a mallet golf course (mallet golf is a combination of croquet and mini golf).
There is also a beautiful temple on a mountain just to the northeast of Mt. Kobo. The neighborhood around there is very quaint and full of rice fields and traditional latticework storehouses called kura.
