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Arima Onsen: Japan’s Oldest Hot Spring Town for Relaxation & Healing
Just a short trip from Osaka or Kyoto, Arima Onsen is one of Japan’s oldest hot spring towns. Tucked into the mountains of Kansai, it offers a calm setting where nature, tradition, and thermal waters come together. It is an easy escape if you want to slow down during a Japan trip.
Why visit Arima onsen
Arima Onsen has been known for centuries for its healing waters. According to legend, the springs were discovered after Shinto deities noticed injured birds bathing and recovering in the water.
Walking through the town today, the atmosphere still feels quiet and grounded. Narrow streets, traditional ryokan, and mountain air make it very different from nearby cities.
What makes Arima onsen unique
Arima Onsen is special because it has two distinct types of natural hot spring water, something rare in Japan.
Kinsen Gold water
Kinsen has a deep orange brown color caused by iron and salt. The water feels heavy and warming and is traditionally associated with muscle and joint relief. Its mineral content gives the baths their characteristic color.
Ginsen Silver water
Ginsen is clear and lighter on the skin. It contains radium and carbonic acid and is known for helping circulation and relaxation. It feels smoother and softer compared to Kinsen.
What to do in Arima onsen
Public baths
The most popular public baths are Kin no Yu and Gin no Yu. Visiting both lets you experience the difference between Kinsen and Ginsen.
Stay in a ryokan
Spending a night in a ryokan is the best way to enjoy Arima fully. Many offer private baths, tatami rooms, and traditional kaiseki dinners.
Walk through the town
The town itself is small and easy to explore. You will find cafés, craft shops, and local snacks like onsen tamago along the streets.
How to get there and when to go
From Osaka, Arima Onsen is about one hour away by train or bus. From Kyoto, the journey takes around one and a half hours. From Kobe, it is only about 30 minutes.
Autumn is popular for red leaves, while winter feels especially calm with snow. Arima Onsen is pleasant year round, but weekends can be busy, so booking ahead helps.
Why include Arima onsen in your Kansai itinerary
Arima Onsen offers a slower pace that balances well with city visits in Osaka or Kyoto. It works as a day trip, but staying overnight allows you to enjoy the baths without rushing.
If you want help fitting Arima Onsen into a Kansai itinerary without overloading your schedule, my guides are designed to keep things simple and flexible.
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Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie, the creator behind @tabimawari.
I lived in Kyoto, learned Japanese, and keep returning to explore Japan beyond the obvious.
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pace.
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Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie.
French islander from Reunion island, Japan lover, and travel planner behind Tabimawari.
I spent a year living in Kyoto, learning Japanese and falling in love with the culture. Since then, I’ve kept going back, exploring every corner from Tokyo to the tiniest hidden towns.
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