Day 8 - Kobe

Today we are going to Kobe to try the famous beef - Kobe wagyu beef, which is considered the best in the world. The twist on our trip today is that it is sponsored by ChatGPT and we will be taking a route recommended by the AI and experiencing everything that has been recommended.
Before we go to eat, we stroll through the streets of Kobe and visit a European-style district. The houses are all similar and reminiscent of colonial times. For example, the Rhine House doesn't look like an old German house, but more like a colonial house in the Caribbean.

On TV, we learned that in addition to the huge amount of rain from the mainland, a lot of yellow sand is also transported to Japan through the air. Here we meet our landlord for the second time in person after leaving the Ryokan. He reminds us that due to the sand, we should also wear a mask outdoors.
We adhere to the mask recommendation, even though some Japanese people don't wear masks themselves. If necessary, we will protect ourselves accordingly. We leave the mask off outside for now, but once the sand gets worse, we will put it on.

We make our way along the mountain, trying to reach the summit with the help of Google Maps and characters on the roadside. Slowly, I realize that after 20 km of walking every day, my body weight is taking its toll on an untrained body. My legs are getting heavy. However, I won't complain until I'm back in Germany.

If you want to achieve something in life, you have to take action, and the most beautiful views are often found on unknown and not necessarily easy paths.

All roads lead to Rome, and each one has its own story.
The waterfall is a special highlight. The thought of what stories this place could tell if it could speak makes me dream. So much could have happened here in the last centuries, but no one will ever know.
Enough raving, it's time to find something to eat. The keyword here is: search. Every restaurant we try to go to unfortunately turns us away. But the Japanese manage to reject us in a sympathetic way. We are not upset about not getting a seat since I forgot to make a reservation for our school group.
In the end, we find a restaurant that can serve us despite other reservations. We have the entire restaurant to ourselves and enjoy a live cooking show. Overall, it's worth it. The food doesn't change my perception of taste, but the beef is very tender and delicious. The chef's recommendations also make lunch an experience.

To conclude, we take a leisurely stroll through the port of Kobe. If you close your eyes and take a deep breath, you could think you were at the North Sea. The sea just smells similar everywhere.