Arima Onsen

What it is

• One of the three oldest hot spring resorts in Japan.
• A mountain town sitting at an altitude of 350 to 500 meters.
• A historical healing destination visited nine times by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
• A source of iron-rich salt water and transparent carbonate springs.

What to see

• Kin-no-yu public bathhouse featuring the iron-rich golden water.
• Gin-no-yu and Taiko-no-yu public bathhouses for transparent silver waters.
• Local shops selling traditional carbonated crackers and bamboo baskets.
• Natural spring waters reaching temperatures up to 98 degrees Celsius.

When to go

• The Arima Grand Tea Ceremony held every autumn since 1950.

Getting there

• Accessible via Arima Onsen Station on the Kobe Railway.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.