A Luxury Spa Day At Arima Onsen (That Won’t Break The Bank)

Destinations

8  comments

Rob Dyer promo The Real Japan

I hope you enjoy reading this post.
If you need help planning your Japan trip
click here.

On the main island of Honshu lies the prefecture of Hyogo. Just to the west of Osaka and Kyoto you'll find the harbour city of Kobe.

Kobe nestles between the Inland Sea and Mt. Rokko. Behind Mt. Rokko lies the ancient onsen resort of Arima.


A Luxury Spa Day at Arima Onsen (That Won't Break The Bank)
by Rob Dyer

 

Dating Back to The 7th Century

It's one of Japan's most popular onsen, dating back to at least the 7th century, and has a reputation as being one of the more luxurious and expensive resort towns in Japan. However, it is possible to indulge yourself for a day here – without breaking the bank.

Luxury Spa Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Spa entrance

Clear Blue Skies, Glorious Warm Sunshine

On a recent adventure my wife and I had to change our plans due to the weather. During November in Hyogo, the weather tends to offer up plenty of clear blue skies, glorious warm sunshine, and little wind.

Temperatures tend to fluctuate between the mid 20ºs Celsius to low teens. It's very temperate and very pleasant indeed.

This time we had more cold days - not a problem in itself - just chuck on a scarf, but also more rain than usual – which messes with days planned around being outside.

Japan Without Japanese Audiobook eBook bundle The Real Japan Rob Dyer

We realised that to get the most out of our trip we'd might need to move the days of some of our plans around. For example, on one of the days when we'd planned to be outside and the weather was forecast to be poor, we switched that to focusing on doing things inside instead. And vice, versa.

TOUR: Explore Arima Onsen, from Osaka or Kyoto

 

Luxury Spa Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Rear gardens of the Arima Grand Hotel

As part of this re-jig, and on the spur of the moment, we added a half-day trip to Arima – a 'high-end' mountain spa resort town famous throughout Japan for its onsen (natural hot springs).

Related: TRJ Adventures: Changing Plans, New Discoveries

This was rustled up when we saw that a good run of glorious weather we were currently experiencing would continue the next day when, in our original itinerary, we had nothing planned.

An hour or so on the internet that evening turned up the basic information required to plan a half day trip the following morning. We checked availability and decided on a day spa package at the Arima Grand Hotel.

TOUR: Arima Onsen Taikounoyu Spa

 

What Is An Onsen?

Onsen is the Japanese term for hot springs, though the term is often used to also describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs.

As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered throughout its many islands. Onsen baths can be inside or outside (referred to as rotemburo) and were traditionally used as public bathing places at a time when most Japanese homes had no bath.

Today they play a significant role in Japanese domestic tourism and are associated with the desire to get back to the natural surroundings of Japan's beautiful countryside, and a relaxing and simpler way of life; a world away from the hustle and bustle of Japan's modern cities.

At the high end of the industry, onsen are synonymous with self-pampering and luxurious spa-like facilities. Onsen are often attached to ryokan – traditional Japanese inns.

RELATED: The Best Way To Experience The Real Japan? Stay In A Ryokan

Exploring Arima Town

Our visit to Arima (just 40 minutes away by local bus from Ashiya) was delightful.

Just the journey getting there was like a excursion in itself, with some staggeringly beautiful views on the way up to and from the top of Rokko mountain. After winding its way up and over the top of the mountain, our bus stopped directly in front of the modestly-proportioned Arima train station.

READ: How To Travel in Japan Without Speaking Japanese

Once we'd actually arrived in the main town itself, it wasn't quite as picturesque as I anticipated.

Luxury Spa Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Arima town centre

This can sometimes be the way with well-known, essentially 'one-trick' destinations in Japan. Sometimes the desire of local authorities and business to cram in as much as possible into a small town (to service the needs of the valuable passing tourist) wins over aesthetic considerations.

Still, it did have character in some of its architecture, with a couple of buildings in particular standing out as being worthy of photographing (as above).

The Arima Grand Hotel runs a shuttle bus service between the town and the hotel, stopping outside the train station, where we would pick it up. The bus runs every 15 minutes on the quarter hours.

Related: TRJ Adventures: 2 Week Tour of Chugoku

Luxury Spa Arima Onsen train station The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Arima Train Station

Taking Shelter in Arima Train Station

The weather was sunny with blue skies but freezing.

To get out of the biting wind, we took shelter inside the entrance to the train station. But as there are no doors to the front of the station, the benefit of having moved in there was barely perceptible! A couple of heaters mounted high on the walls pointed down at the handful of seats below and did help take the edge off the chill that was rapidly going through our bones.

Waiting for the hotel shuttle bus, we passed the time by snacking on the free samples of the exquisitely wrapped snack gift-set souvenirs (or omiyage) the shop inside the station was selling.

Thankfully, we only had to wait a few minutes before the invitingly warm bus pulled up, whisking us away to the luxury of our spa resort hotel.

TOUR: Explore Arima Onsen, from Osaka or Kyoto

Turns out the Arima Grand Hotel was less than five minutes away but why walk up hill in the cold when a free (and very cozy) bus will carry you effortlessly to your destination? Today was all about pampering and we weren't going to lift a finger unless it was absolutely necessary.

Arima Grand Hotel Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Entrance to Arima Grand Hotel

The approach to the hotel was enticing. As our micro-bus steadily turned tight bends to rise yet higher still on the mountain, we caught glimpses of its dramatic architecture.

From the main road, the entrance sweeps steeply past perfectly manicured topiary, up to the front of the strikingly designed and impressive building.


Where To Stay In Arima

Booking.com


A Welcome From Female Concierge In Kimono

It being winter, in a typical example of Japanese customer service, our arrival was made all that bit more comfortable by a row of large blower heaters creating a corridor of warm air, extending from the point at which we disembarked the bus, leading up to the entrance.

Here, female concierge dressed in traditional kimonos, welcomed and directed us through the doors and into the foyer.

An early Christmas tree and a few seasonal decorations aside, this was an unexpectedly spartan area with just a couple of escalators. Not what I was expecting. It was only after we got to the top the escalator that the full splendour of the hotel foyer revealed itself.

Arima Grand Hotel Arima Onsen luxury The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Foyer at Arima Grand Hotel

It was part of a large atrium, around two storeys high and spanning several hundred feet in length.

At the far side of where we stood was a huge expanse of glass, framing landscape painting-like scenes of manicured gardens, and beyond the confines of the hotel grounds, extensive views across and down Mt. Rokko, and many miles into the distance over the Kobe bay area.

Related: The Best Way To Experience The Real Japan? Stay In A Ryokan


The Half-Day Spa Package

Like many others, we'd booked a half-day spa package, and were not actually staying at the hotel. The hotel offers three different day plans: Lunch & Bathing, Day Use Ticket and Aqua Terrace & Yurari Spa. We opted for the Day Use Ticket.

We registered at the desk, were given a guide to the facilities that were open to us (some of the very best bits – including the roof-top pool onsen were reserved for resident guests only who, to be fair, will have paid a lot more than we had), and a leaflet (in a range of languages) aimed at foreigners to brief them on onsen etiquette.

I know the rules well, but the amusingly-designed guide made for a nice memento:

Arima Onsen bathing guide The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Arima Grand Hotel bathing guide

Included In The Day Use Ticket Package

  • Limited use of onsen - multiple hot and cold (yeah – right!) internal pools, plus two rotemburo pools outside
  • Sauna
  • Massage chairs
  • The price included a hotel coupon with ¥2,000 value which can be used for lunch in one of 3 restaurants, souvenir shop or private family bath hire - we opted for the lunch
  • Price of the package was just ¥3,650 per person

TOUR: Private Day Trip to the Kobe Mountains, Gardens and Hot Springs from Osaka

Before heading downstairs into the spa, we decided to take a leisurely stroll outside around the hotel's extensive gardens. These included a blend of traditional and contemporary designs, including a couple of large, naturally-shaped swimming pools which, on a cold day like today, were unsurprisingly entirely devoid of swimmers.

Grand Hotel Arima Luxury Spa Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Gardens at Grand Hotel Arima

It was, however, sunny and there were a few strategically positioned viewpoints from which several spectacular, photo-worthy views of Mt. Rokko and the Kobe bay miles below could be seen.

Returning inside, we were shown where the entrance to the spa facilities and made our way downstairs. The entrance was through a long dimly-lit corridor, past a room containing fitness equipment and automatic massage chairs. There was a reception where an attendant explained the protocol and what was available to us included in our package.

Just off the the left of the reception was a lounge area with views outside where you could relax after treatments. We agreed to meet back here in a couple of hours.

 

TOUR: Walk around the splendid hot spring town Arima Onsen

Arima Grand Hotel Luxury Spa Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Arima Grand Hotel

Grilled Sea Eel and A Local Beer

For the inclusive lunch, we had a choice of three restaurants - Japanese, Chinese or Western style.

We opted for the Japanese where we had grilled sea eel on rice (a regular personal favourite). This tasted pretty good and was a decent-sized portion too.

It was eased down by a bottle of locally-brewed beer from the Mt. Rokko Brewery. Which wasn't too bad: light with floral notes.

Lunch Arima Grand Hotel Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Grilled eel and a local beer

In total we were there for just over three hours. (We would have stayed longer if it had been just my wife and I, but we were with her parents who didn't want to spend too long there.) Access to the bathing facilities for one-day visitors is between 10:30 - 15:30. So our visit was something just short of a whistle stop tour, sampling only a portion of the hotel's obviously extensive facilities.

I couldn't help myself when we were at the check-in desk, peering at the full facilities and plans available to those with more time than we had today. There are four areas of relaxation within the spa: Caaze (organic spa), Easy Ayuveda (hot spring water), Zen (the chill-out zone!) and Marutaka (foot care).

Private Day Trip to the Kobe Mountains, Gardens and Hot Springs from Osaka

The roof-top pools sounded especially tempting as the views across and down the mountain side at ground level were impressive enough. They can only be glorious from the nine floors above.

For the return journey we used the hotel shuttle bus to take us back to the centre of Arima again, where we picked up another connecting local bus service. This was different to the one we took on the way up. It returned us to Ashiya, where we were staying, via a different and less scenic route.

Arima Grand Hotel Luxury Spa Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Gardens at Arima Grand Hotel

Catching The Train To Arima

One thing I am curious to try out is the train route from Kobe up to the resort.

Arima is part of the Kobe Dentetsu (Electric) Railway, and requires changing at Arimaguchi on the way up (which is partly why we opted for the more straightforward, and therefore quicker, bus) instead. But as enthusiastic train travellers, my wife and I are both curious to experience what the journey up the mountain is like in comparison.

Opened in 1928, Arima station itself is very small, having two platforms, and has a quaint feel to it in spite of its current, contemporary façade.

It represents the end of the line – one which we glimpsed on the way back down by bus. The railway line runs in parallel to the road for part of the way back. It looks like much of the journey up by train would be through dense forest and possibly a number of mountain tunnels.

Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Rokko Mountain as seen from Arima Grand Hotel

It's only 22.5km (14miles) from Kobe to Arima, but the line passes through a couple of abandoned stations en-route, and with the steep, densely forested climb up Rokko mountain likely giving rise to views back down the mountain side, the journey ought to be worthwhile in its own right. Could be the sort of thing that incidentally features in a teenage romance anime or a Kenji Mizoguchi black and white social commentary film from the 1950s.

As so often happens with our experiences of travelling in Japan, the journey through the countryside of this continually surprising nation is frequently as rewarding as the destinations we are headed to.

I can readily see us visiting Arima again using the train as the means of getting there and back. My hope being that travelling on those virtually hidden services would be an experience worth having in itself.

TOUR: Private Day Trip to the Kobe Mountains, Gardens and Hot Springs from Osaka

 

Relaxing In Luxurious Surroundings

Arima has a well-earned reputation for being an expensive resort, and it was easy to see how money could continually and rapidly flow out of your pockets. However, with a little planning it is possible to experience its trademark luxury and champagne lifestyle on (near to) beer money.

Whilst its location, tucked behind Mt. Rokko, is memorable, the town itself is less so. It is very touristy. Which isn't something I much go in for. But few come to Arima to walk around its small number of streets, admiring the architecture. Coming here is a means to a very specific end: to be pampered and to relax in luxurious surroundings.

Arima Grand Hotel Luxury Spa Arima Onsen The Real Japan Rob Dyer

Gardens at Arima Grand Hotel

Conclusions

The day we visited was very quiet by Arima standards. When I used the men's onsen the changing room was the largest I've ever seen. There were literally hundreds of lockers. Yet, as I went through to the wash area, there were literally only two other men there.

Likewise, when using the various pools. This must be far from what the experience is like at a peak time of the year, and for that I was grateful.

As a half or full day experience it's worth considering building a visit to Arima into your itinerary if you are in the region.

TOUR: Walk around the splendid hot spring town Arima Onsen

For me though, the onsen experience is not only about relaxing as much as possible but also getting back to nature and, crucially, stepping back in time by being steeped in history.

For that I'd much prefer seeking out any number of small, family-run traditional style ryokan with onsen attached in less touristy places.

Of which there are thousands. But more on that another time...

Are you thinking or planning to go to a spa or onsen? Or have you been and have some recommendations or tips to share? If so, please leave a comment below!

Related: How To Spend A Week In Kansai (And Not Visit Kyoto)
Related: TRJ Adventures: Changing Plans, New Discoveries
Related: TRJ Adventures: 2 Week Tour of Chugoku
Related: The Best Way To Experience The Real Japan? Stay In A Ryokan


Arima Onsen Location Map

Rob Dyer The Real Japan

About the Author

A writer and publisher from England, Rob has been exploring Japan’s islands since 2000. He specialises in travelling off the beaten track, whether on remote atolls or in the hidden streets of major cities. He’s the founder of TheRealJapan.com.

Resources

Tours:
Explore Arima Onsen, from Osaka or Kyoto

Private Day Trip to the Kobe Mountains, Gardens and Hot Springs from Osaka

Walk around the splendid hot spring town Arima Onsen

Kobe Full Day Trip including Kobe Port Cruise from Kyoto

Official Arima Tourism website:
http://visit.arima-onsen.com/
(Nicely-designed with a selection of articles introducing you to the various aspects of Arima)

Arima Grand Hotel Official Website:
http://www.arima-gh.jp/english/

Arima Onsen Sightseeing Association:
http://www.arima-onsen.com/eng/index.html


More Destinations

The Real Japan Destinations Travel Hub

Are you thinking or planning to go to a spa or onsen in Japan? Or have you been and have some recommendations or tips to share? If so, why not leave a comment below?

 

Leave A Comment / Ask A Question

Book Your Trip: Japan Travel Essentials

Click to See My Recommendations

Book Your Flight
Find the best flight by using Skyscanner. It's my go-to flight search engine because it has the most comprehensive global search options.

Book Your Accommodation
I frequently use Booking.com as they consistently offer the cheapest rates and most flexible cancellation options for hotels and guesthouses. Use Hostelworld if you're looking for budget-priced options.

Book Your Japan Rail Pass
The best official agent by a country mile is JRPass.com. Clear and easy to use website. Excellent customer service.

Book Your WiFi
I never travel in Japan without pocket WiFi. Get Ninja WiFi for unlimited internet everywhere, use Google Maps, supports up to 10 devices.

Book Your SIM Card or eSIM
Order your physical
SIM Cards or eSIMs to stay connected and in touch while in Japan.

Book Your Hire Car
Rent a car in Japan without speaking or reading Japanese via Booking.com's Car Rental portal.

Ready To Book Your Trip?
Check out my Recommended Japan Travel Resources. The list covers all the essentials. It’s filled with carefully selected travel resources. And I only include the best travel resources - those I use myself or recommend to my clients.

Need Help Planning Your Trip?
My
Japan Travel Store includes essential travel items as well as my books, travel guides and more.

Leave A Comment / Ask A Question

  • Sorry I tried looking but what year was this trip made? The Japanese FAQ on the hotel website says that day trip guests can’t use the private baths, but I know it’s mentioned in this article (something to use the coupon to reserve etc).

    Was this trip a while ago? Maybe the policy changed since then or I’m missing some info.

    Thanks!

  • Claire Xie says:

    Thank you for this write up! I’m planning my trip to jp in the spring and wanted to squeeze in a half day of onsen somehow. This would fit in perfectly with my short stay in Osaka. ❤

    • This will be perfect indeed Claire!

      So pleased you found it. When are you coming to Japan? Have you been before?

      • Claire Xie says:

        We’re coming toward the tail-end of the cherry blossom season. It will be our first time in JP. So much to see and not enough time!

        • That’s a terrific time to come here Claire.

          I understand the challenge of so much to see! But I’m sure you will have a terrific time.

          There are more travel resources and access to my Private Facebook Group if you’d like to subscribe: https://www.therealjapan.com/subscribe 🙂

  • Micah Standing says:

    I love the pictures you took of Arima Town. My favorite is the Older looking building with the Vines growing in front it, i think building is cool.

    • Good to hear you like the photos Micah. Actually, that’s my favourite one as well! Some might consider the centre of Arima as a little over-developed and it’s true to say it isn;t the prettiest of spa towns in Japan – but it is one of the most famous and definitely still worth a visit if you get the chance!

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
    >