Recommended Routes

Historical Exploration in Arima, City of Hot Springs (Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture)

The origin of Arima Hot Springs, famous as the oldest working spa in Japan, dates back to the age of mythology. The Nihon Shoki that chronicles Japanese history tells of visits by the Emperors Jomei and Kotoku, and Onsen-ji Temple that was built by the monk Gyoki in the Nara Period.
In the Kamakura Period, the monk Ninsai visited the area and built twelve lodgings for the twelve generals that protect the Buddhist god of medicine, Yakushi-nyorai.
Moreover, the warlord Hideyoshi Toyotomi was fond of the area and visited here often.
The bath and other unearthed artifacts associated with Hideyoshi can be viewed along with an introduction to the history and culture of Arima at the Taiko-no-yudono Museum.

Video

Rekishikaido - Arima Tour

Access

By train
From Osaka Station (Umeda Station)
JR Kobe Line Rapid/Shin-Kaisoku train bound for Himeji→get off at Sannomiya Station→take Kobe Municipal Subway train bound for Tanigami (approx. 10 minutes)→transfer to Kobe Electric Railway train bound for Sanda (approx. 15 minutes)→get off at Arimaguchi Station→take train bound for Arimaonsen (approx. 2 minutes)
Hanshin/Hankyu Express train bound for Himeji/Shinkaichi (approx. 40 mins) → get off at Shinkaichi Station → transfer to Kobe Electric Railway train bound for Sanda (approx. 30 mins) → get off at Arimaguchi Station → get on the train bound for Arima Onsen (approx. 2 minutes) (In the morning and evening, there is a direct train from Shinkaichi to Arima Onsen)

By car
From Osaka: 45 minutes via Chugoku Expressway, 10 minutes from Nishinomiya Kita IC of Chugoku Expressway

Route

  1. Kobe Railway Arima Stationon foot
  2. Taiko-bashi Bridge and Yukemuri Hirobaon foot
  3. Kinnoyuon foot
  4. Ginnoyuon foot
  5. Onsen-ji Templeon foot
  6. Zuihoji Park

Highlights

  • Taiko-bashi Bridge and Yukemuri Hiroba

    Taikohashi is the longest bridge in Airma Hot Springs. Just passed the traffic light from there is the Yukemuri Hiroba where falling hot spring waters create a cloud of steam, hence the name (literally meaning the "square of hot spring steam"). A statue of the warlord Hideyoshi Toyotomi in the square faces a statue of his wife Kita-no-Mandokoro (nicknamed "Nene") in the spa district. The statue of the nymph in the middle of the pool was a gift from Jozankei Hot Spring in Sapporo, which is the sister-spa of Arima Hot Springs.

  • Kinnoyu　Ginnoyu

    Kinnoyu is a public bathhouse featuring the kinsen around which the spa grew was opened in December 2002. Though meaning "gold", the kinsen water is actually rust-colored
    Ginnoyu is a public bathhouse with carbonated baths of the colorless ginsen or "silver springs", and radium baths. These baths are popular with women for the way the spring water leaves skin feeling smooth and silky.

  • Onsen-ji Temple

    Also known as Yakushido, this temple is said to have been built by the monk Gyoki in the Nara Period. The statues of the Basara Generals protect the Yakushi Buddha, the principal image of the temple. Reportedly the work of the Buddhist monks Unkei and Tankei of the Kamakura Period, the statues are Important Cultural Properties of Japan.

  • Zuihoji Park

    This is a choice location for enjoying the four seasons with cherry blossoms in spring and colorful foliage in autumn.

Side Trips

  • Tsutsumi-gataki Falls

    The falls are a scenic spot in Arima found at the far end of Zuihoji Park, but the entire park changes colors beautifully with the seasons.