ARIMA —

In need of an escape from the constant nerve-scratching noise and madness of the city? A quiet place to soak away the pains and stress that have built up over time? Well, luckily, this very wonderful place I speak of is located within a one-hour bus ride from Osaka and goes by the name of Arima Onsen. Arima is actually the oldest spa area in Japan, just over the ripe old age of 1,000 years old.

Ever since the rumor spread that three injured crows were cured after drinking out of an Arima hot spring, people have been going there to cure their various ailments, or to just plain relax. Even in the 5th century the place was popular. One emperor even bathed for a total of 86 days straight in Arima. It seems he just couldn’t leave. But who could blame him?

Another story claims that a monk was digging a pond in Arima and met a person who was suffering from illness. The person asked if the monk could take him to Arima because he had heard of its magical curing qualities. The monk obliged and then to his own amazement, saw the person turn into a golden Buddha and ride a cloud off into the east. I guess it proves the point that soaking in a hot tub really is heavenly after all.

Of course, going to Arima is also beneficial for your body. Arima’s waters contain a lot of naturally occurring substances, including hydrogen-carbonate, chloride, sulfate, radon, and sulfur. The most famous is the kinsen (ferruginous sodium-chloride bath), commonly known as the “golden bath.” Soaking in the kinsen can relieve back problems, muscle pain, and skin infections. It also keeps the skin moisturized and protected from harmful environmental toxins by leaving a thin film of salt over it.

The other famous hot spring you’ll hear about in Arima is the ginsen, otherwise known as the “silver bath”. This bath apparently does wonders for circulation and improving the appetite. Good for recovering from the stomach flu and bad if you’re on a diet. There are two kinds of ginsen baths, the second one with radon. By breathing in the radon-infused steam coming off the bath, you can treat joint problems and increase circulation.

When arriving in Arima, you have a choice between the public baths (which cost anywhere from 500 to 1,500 yen) or the hotel baths, which offer rotemburo-style bathing, in which you can bathe outside in the open air. Admission to the hotel’s baths is a bit pricier, ranging from 2,000 yen to 5,000 yen. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, the higher price includes a course lunch, which is usually a beautifully prepared Japanese meal made from local ingredients.

The best priced option seems to be a day ticket to Arima Grand Hotel, which costs a reasonable 3,500 yen and includes access to a variety of baths and lunch, from which you can choose a French, Japanese, or Chinese-style course. However, this special is only available on weekdays. If you choose to go on a weekend, the price shoots to 6,000 yen.

If you’re itching to blow some yen, head to Tosen Goshobou, where you can enjoy a Kobe beef kaiseki ryori course and bathing from around 10,000 yen. They also offer a delicious and artfully prepared Japanese course lunch from around 3,000 yen to 4,700 yen. The food is delicious, healthy, and is served with a rare soba-tea. My recommendation is the mini shrimp tempura dipped in Mongolian salt or the mildly sweet rice ice cream. Don’t forget to try the local tansan sembei, crackers made with Arima’s natural spring water or Arima cider, which was Japan’s first carbonated drink.

You can get to Arima one of two ways. From Osaka station, you can take a bus (terminal is near Hankyu Station), which takes an hour and costs 1,330 yen one way. Traffic jams however, are unpredictable. You can also take the train from Osaka to Sannomiya (JR or Hankyu line) and then take the subway to Tanigami station, where you will change to the Arima Line. Take this train to Arimaguchi station and transfer to a local line, which will then lead you to your destination at Arima Onsen station (total cost around 1,400 yen from Osaka station).

So what are you waiting for? Get on a train or bus and get to Japan’s oldest spa as soon as you can because heavenly Arima is waiting for you!

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5 Comments

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  pawatan at 12:23 PM JST - 7th July

  Dogo Onsen in Ehime is much older than 1000 years...

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  Bento at 05:40 PM JST - 7th July

  the health benefits of "breathing in the radon infused steam" may be less positive than this article leads you to believe. As radon (radioactive) breaks down it emits high energy ionizing alpha and beta particles,proven carcinogens.

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  knews at 12:38 AM JST - 9th July

  If it's "Just over the ripe old age of 1,000 years old" then how come "Even in the 5th century the place was popular." Is it 1,000 years old or 1,600 years old or even older?

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  ca1ic0cat at 03:15 AM JST - 9th July

  Jeepers guys, quit carping and enjoy youselves. I haven't seen the locals dying from it yet.

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  elbudamexicano at 02:40 PM JST - 17th July

  This is a very, very nice place! The water is almost a dark, reddish color and the food in these hotels better than most in the Tokyo area!

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