Entering the mountain a little, the sweet scent of Akebi can be smelled. When I look up, there are many Akebi entwined with the trees, some of which are ripe and split vertically. It is said that Tengu (Japanese long-nosed goblin) came in the middle of the night and brilliantly split the largest Akebi in a straight line. And he would come to eat after one or two nights. It is said that if you eat this Akebi before the Tengu comes to pick it up, you will be able to spend the winter without any illness. There are many Akebi on Mt. Rokko, which is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan in Kobe, and at that time, I often crossed the summit of Mt. Rokko (932m) from Ashiya and aimed at Arima Onsen.

山に少し入ると木通のほの甘い香りが漂ってきます。見上げると木に絡み付いた木通が幾つもぶら下がっていて、熟し切って縦に裂けたものもあります。その中のいちばん大きくて一直線状に見事に割けた木通は天狗が夜中にやって来て割いたそうです。そして一晩か二晩置いて食べに来るそうです。この木通を天狗が取りに来る前に頂いて食べると冬の間無病息災に過ごせると言い伝えられています。神戸にある日本百名山の一つに数えられている六甲山には沢山木通があって、その頃にはよく芦屋から六甲山頂(932m)を越え有馬温泉を目指したものです。