Japan Trip Day 5 — Arima Onsen
If you want the ultimate “Ghibli Experience”, something that many tourists and even locals fantasize of Japan, I recommend visiting the Arima Onsen, located near Kobe and Nishinomiya city.
I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Arima Onsen after I was introduced to it by my friend’s parents, who also gave me other suggestions for the week stay at Japan.
Midway during the bumpy 40-minutes ride up Mt. Rokko, we made a quick stop to observe the beautiful nature and sight of the city. They even had binoculars where you get 100-seconds of viewing for a whopping 100 yen.
After continuous driving, we arrived at Arima-cho, a small resort-like village of hot springs, shrines, and many gift stores.
Since many people were dipping their feet in the river to relieve the build-up of heat in their bodies, I decided to follow suit.
Next, I headed to a small traditional Japanese snack shop where I tried a Mochi with Anko (red bean paste) inside and the Arima Cider. I especially enjoyed the cider for its clean taste compared to the sugar-loaded and perhaps bloated taste of Sprite and Ginger Ale.
After the quick snack break, we started walking uphill to the inner area of the village, where there were many shops, restaurants, and hot springs. The mix of traditional Japanese architecture with nature contained a Showa-era countryside aesthetic often seen in Ghibli films.
I also prayed at a shrine I walked across, only to realize later that it was a no-photography zone.
The prayer walked by first inserting coins into a bin placed in front of the shrine, ringing the large bell hung from the top, and praying with both hands together.
After walking and burning under the sun, we drove back down the mountains and had dinner at a well-known Japanese restaurant in Kobe. I had a set menu consisting of Sukiyaki, a large pot of rice, Tempura, Tsukemono (pickled vegetables), and Miso.
Overall, I’d say it was a delicious and comforting meal which reminded me of the type of food made at home. Also, the portions were huge, and I was so full that I couldn’t eat breakfast or lunch the next day.
Anyways, that is all I did for my trip to Arima Onsen. I’ll be back with another story soon.
See you then~
