Arima Onsen
Arima Onsen, One Of The Oldest Hot Spring Towns In Japan, In The Hills Behind Kobe, With Two Kinds Of Spring Water, The Iron Rich Red Gold Water And The Clear Silver Water. A Day Or Overnight Trip From Osaka And Kobe. · Kobe, Hyogo
Arima Onsen is a small, old hot spring town in the Rokko hills behind Kobe, often said to be one of the three oldest recorded onsen in Japan. It is counted among the three famous onsen with Gero and Kusatsu, both with their own rows. The town is famous for two kinds of water: the kinsen, or gold water, which is iron-rich and red-brown, and the ginsen, or silver water, which is clear and carbonated. Narrow alleys of wooden shops sell carbonated sweets and bamboo crafts, and a bathhouse linked to the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi is part of the story. It is only about 30 minutes by bus from Sannomiya in Kobe, so it works for a half day from Kobe or Osaka, both separate rows, and for a night in a ryokan. It is worth the detour for the gold water and the old streets, though ryokan are costly and weekends and holidays are busy. Public baths are small and can queue. Confirm the rules on tattoos before you go.
Arima-cho, Kita-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, in the Rokko hills behind Kobe, about 30 minutes by bus from Sannomiya or by rail from Kobe via Arimaguchi, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
The town is open all year. The two public baths, Kin-no-yu and Gin-no-yu, commonly open from morning, around 08:00, until about 21:00 or 22:00, with a closed day each month or on a set weekday, so confirm before you go. Shops and cafes in the alleys usually close around 17:00 to 18:00. Getting there: the bus from Sannomiya in Kobe takes about 30 minutes, while rail runs via Arimaguchi. Many ryokan accept day guests at set hours, but peak weekends and holidays may restrict this. Book ryokan and dinner well ahead, and bring cash for small shops and baths.