5 Facilities
The public bathhouse of Arima, one of Japan's three oldest hot springs. For ¥800 you can soak in the 'kinsen' — iron- and salt-rich water that turns rusty brown on contact with air, in pools at 42°C and 44°C. Under an hour by train from Kobe or Osaka, so an easy day trip. Free foot bath and drinking fountain outside. No tattoos.
Sister facility to Kin-no-Yu. Clear carbonated and radon water that leaves skin silky, plus a steam sauna. Usually less crowded than Kin-no-Yu. ¥700 on weekends/holidays, ¥550 on regular weekdays.
Arima's biggest day-spa complex: gold spring, silver spring and (artificial) carbonated baths — 26 baths plus stone saunas, with loungewear and towels included. Free shuttle from Arima-Onsen Station.
About 8 minutes from Arima-Onsen Station, a hotel day-bath offering both the iron 'gold' and clear 'silver' springs. ¥1,360 includes free towels and drinks, so arrive empty-handed. Open 9 am–9 pm (cleaning 11–1), longer than the public baths.
A historic ryokan in Kita Ward, Kobe - said to be the oldest inn in Arima Onsen, founded in the Kamakura period. Beloved by literary figures including Junichiro Tanizaki, the interior retains a retro Showa-era atmosphere. The bath uses a distinctive semi-mixed style: changing rooms are separate, but the tubs connect, letting couples talk without seeing one another (the turbid gold water hides the body). The water is Arima's famous iron-rich, reddish-brown kinsen spring, enjoyed 100% free-flowing with no heating or added water. Day bathing runs 11:00-14:00 at 2,250 yen (face towel included; bath towel rental 300 yen), closed Mondays and on facility closure days. About 4-5 minutes on foot from Arima Onsen Station on the Kobe Electric Railway. Pair it with the Kin-no-Yu and Gin-no-Yu public baths to touch 1,300 years of Arima history.