Night View from Higashi-Rokko Observatory

The Royu Driveway is well known among car enthusiasts in the Kansai region. It has appeared many times on this blog.

For car lovers, Royu might be more associated with the early morning or daytime, but in fact, Royu is also a very famous night view spot in Kansai.

From the observatory at an elevation of 645m, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Osaka Plain stretching from Osaka to Kobe. The parking lot is arranged in a single row on the south side of the observatory, so you can enjoy the night view right from inside your car. It is said to be one of the top spots in Japan for viewing nightscapes from your vehicle.

*Image source: yakei.jp Royu Driveway Higashi-Rokko Observatory

By the way, this “Higashi-Rokko Observatory” was a filming location for the hugely popular 2013 TV drama “Hanzawa Naoki,” which brought it some temporary fame.

My husband has been visiting Higashi-Rokko Observatory from time to time, hoping to capture the perfect shot of his beloved car with the night view, but he still hasn’t taken a photo he’s satisfied with.

Photos of the Car and Night View

Of course, you can’t always see a beautiful night view. Just last month, although it was clear at the foot of the mountain, the Royu Driveway’s Twitter reported “snow.” Even if the weather is good at the base, clouds often cover Royu.

The night view is said to be at its best on “a clear, crisp night following a heavy rain,” but those conditions don’t always line up. So even living near Royu doesn’t guarantee clear, stunning night views.

And even if the night view is beautiful, on such days many cars come to the observatory (which is understandable, haha), so you might not be able to park in the best spot or end up with other cars in your photos, making it impossible to get the shot you want.

The other day, my husband came home early from work and said,

“I’m heading to Royu now. The air is really clear today, so maybe I can get some great shots of the night view and the car!”

About an hour later, when he returned, I asked, “How was it?”

“No good. The night view was beautiful, but there were too many cars, so I couldn’t get any shots.”

He said this disappointedly. By the way, here are the photos he took then. (Including the top image)

I think they’re beautiful enough, but my husband isn’t satisfied at all and says he’ll try again… I wonder what exactly he’s aiming for, haha.

Heading to See the Night View in the 911

Then last weekend, the sky was literally cloudless and the weather was warm enough for short sleeves, so we decided to take the 911 out with the family to a park in the late afternoon.

The girls ran on the sandy beach, played excitedly at the water’s edge, and enjoyed the playground equipment at a nearby park to their heart’s content. They were very happy, and by the time we were ready to leave, it was starting to get dark. We were talking, “But it feels like a waste to just go home now after coming out in the 911,” when my husband said,

“Shall we try going to Royu? The weather is amazing today, and with no clouds, the night view might be stunning.”

So we suddenly decided to head to Royu. I was excited, thinking, “Today’s the day to see the best night view Royu has to offer!” as I drove the 911, but as we passed the Royu Driveway toll gate, the wind gradually started to pick up.

Just a moment ago, the full moon was so clear, but before we knew it, thick clouds covered the sky and the moon disappeared completely.

This is bad… really bad (-_-). My husband said,

“See? Whenever Mina-chan comes, this always happens. It’s like the mountain god is angry, haha.”

And honestly, he wasn’t entirely wrong… As we climbed higher, dark clouds gathered, strong winds howled, and the trees lining the road swayed violently. By the time we reached Higashi-Rokko Observatory, a faint haze had started to blur the night view.

…Seriously, why does this always happen? (-_-)

Still, since we came all this way, we tried to get at least one photo outside, but the strong, freezing wind made it impossible even to step out.

What now…? We paid 410 yen to get up here, but there’s no point staying… Let’s head back.

So that day, we ended up leaving the mountain after just two minutes. As we neared the base, the weather cleared up again, and it was perfectly clear by the time we got down. Still, I wonder why it always turns out like this.

But the night view from Royu is truly beautiful, so I definitely want to try again soon.