From Mt. Higashi Otafuku to Takarazuka via the Higashi Rokko Traverse and Mt. Rokko's highest peak / Kobe hiking

Take a bus from Hankyu Ashiyagawa Station bound for Arima Onsen (Hot spring) or Ashiya Highland and you'll arrive at the Higashi Otafuku-yama trailhead in about 14 minutes. From the bus stop, the paved road eventually gives way to a forestry road, and shortly you'll find the trail on the left. After walking a while you'll come out on a ridgeline before reaching the first summit.
The fields around this summit are unusual for the Rokko Mountains.

A trail runs north from there, but you might like to hike the pleasant southern trail through the fields with its good view. When you reach the Amaga-tohge Pass, head north along the Totoya Trail (Totoya-michi), and ascend to Mt. Rokko's highest peak past the Ikken-jaya tea shop (Ikken-jaya). It's a relatively easy hike requiring about two hours from the trailhead.

To reach Takarazuka, take the traverse trail ahead of Ikken-jaya. You'll reach Takarazuka in about three and a half hours. The trail mostly descends, but there are a number of hills before the Funasaka Pass (Funasaka-tohge).

Once you reach Otani-nokkoshi Pass (Ohtani-nokkoshi), the trail levels out until Enpei-ji Temple (Enpei-ji) at the end. The slope heading down from Enpei-ji Temple can be slippery, so take care.

The road between the temple and Hankyu Takarazuka Station is paved. Follow the temple's approach until you reach Koshien University (Kohshien Daigaku). From there you'll pass through a residential area until reaching Takarazuka Station.