Test & review of the Arima onsen Taiko-no-yu in Kobe (Japan)
To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way.
This Onsen is located in a zone on the outskirts of Kobe, known to be close to a fault generating deep fissures in the rock. Ideal to recover deep hot springs.
The Onsen Taiko-no-yu is inside the Arima View Hotel but you can go there without staying there.
As usual the first step is to put our shoes in a locker (no need for a coin).
We then exchange the key of the locker for an electronic bracelet that will allow us to buy food, drinks, massages, …
The entrance is quite expensive: 2400 yen per person. At this price everything is included: kimono, large and small towel and hygiene products. We are even asked to choose the color of our kimono. Anh asks for pink but it’s only for children 🙂
We then enter in a first checkroom to take off our clothes and to put us in kimono.
One then goes in a second checkroom where one can remove his kimono and enter finally in Onsen.
The Onsen is located on two floors: an interior space and an exterior space.
The facilities are the same as in the other onsens that we did: hot baths, cold baths, sauna, hamam, …
The originality of this Onsen lies in the variety of waters: some are strong in iron, sodium, carbon, … With health benefits that I couldn’t explain in detail. There is even a mud bath.
You can leave the Onsen space in itself, after having put your Kimono back on to go eat, get a massage, lie down in a rest area, … The establishment is really big.
There are also additional areas, at an extra charge, where you can use a private sauna for 30 minutes, for example.
Once finished, you just have to return your bracelet and pay for any consumption.
In conclusion: a very nice Onsen whose main interest lies in the variety of waters and their health benefits. Otherwise I would have found it a bit expensive and isolated to make it really worth it.
Rates: 2400 yen all inclusive (2600 yen on weekends).
Schedules: every day from 10 am to 11 pm.
Tattoos prohibited.
