We = family with two small children 3 and 5, did a wonderful daytrip from Kobe to Arima onsen, one of the oldest onsen places in Japan. The trip to it was part of the experience, as it was via Mt Rokko. From Kobe Sannomiya station, we took the Hankyu Kobe line to Rokko station (7 min), then continued with... More

Arima claims to be the oldest onsen in Japan, and the early Showa, slightly western accented, Tosen Goshobo ryokan is certainly one of the most elegant of all ryokan. If you book directly the price is rather high, but sometimes it's possible to get a good deal through an agency. The same company have a rather simpler (and cheaper) inn... More

I visited Arima a few years ago but stayed in another onsen hotel. Before I left Arima back then I took a visit to Goshobo because of the classic building and was impressed by the facility and decoration inside. The hotel staff was nice enough to let us tour around the hotel escorted by their staff. Last year I visited... More

This is a very, very classy hotel, and a steal at what we ended up paying (Y22,000) on a last minute impulse purchase. It really is beautiful, and the epitome of understated luxury - the sort of place that you'd expect to find in somewhere like Zermatt. Beautiful onsen, very stylish rooms, and perfect location. Our only problem was that... More