Arima Onsen: A Day Trip from Osaka to Japan’s Historic Hot Spring Town!

Arima Onsen: A Day Trip for Autumn Leaves and History

Hello everyone! This time, I took a trip to Arima Onsen to enjoy both traditional hot springs and Japan’s beautiful autumn foliage.

Arima Onsen is an incredibly historic hot spring town, existing for over 1,000 years and counted as one of the Three Oldest Hot Springs in Japan. While you can enjoy it year-round, November is one of the most beautiful times, with the vivid colors of the autumn leaves.

It’s easily accessible, just about an hour by highway bus from Osaka Station. You can enjoy a totally different, atmospheric hot spring town ambiance far from the city noise. It’s one of the best choices for a day trip while staying in Osaka!

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Getting There: From Osaka Station

You can get there by highway bus or train from Osaka Station. Both take about an hour, but since the train requires multiple transfers, the highway bus is definitely recommended.

The bus departs from the Hankyu Expressway Bus Osaka Umeda Terminal (Hankyu Sanbangai), which is located on the first floor of Hankyu Umeda Station. It is also just a short walk from JR Osaka Station.

You can buy tickets at the counter on the day of travel if there are seats available. However, busy seasons like cherry blossom (March-April) and autumn leaves (November) can be crowded, so it is safer to book in advance during peak periods.

You can make reservations through the Japan Bus Online website. The website has an English booking page, so you can reserve with peace of mind.

There are also coin lockers at and around the bus terminal, where you can store your luggage if you have a lot.

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How to Enjoy Arima Onsen: Two Styles

To enjoy a day trip to the hot springs (onsen) in Arima Onsen, there are mainly two ways:

1.Public Bathhouses (Sotoyu)
Kin no Yu (Golden Hot Spring / Kinsen) and Gin no Yu (Silver Hot Spring / Ginsen). You can enter without a reservation; it’s easy and affordable.

Recommended for: People who want to focus on strolling and street food, and have a quick dip in the onsen.

2.Hotel Day-Use Plans
Includes a luxurious lunch and use of the accommodation’s onsen facilities. Advance reservation is better.

Recommended for: People who want a relaxing, unhurried time in the onsen and those who want to enjoy a luxurious meal.

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November Trip Log: Arima Onsen Day Trip

9:00 Departure by Bus!

My bus was completely full this time.

There was an announcement that the route would be changed to avoid traffic, which delayed the arrival by about 10 minutes. It’s a good idea to allow extra time during the busy season.

10:10 Arrival at Arima Onsen!

The autumn leaves were just beginning to turn color, so I was able to visit at the perfect time!

The statue in the photo is of Nene, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Her husband, Hideyoshi (a super-famous historical figure in Japan), is renowned for popularizing the Sado (Japanese tea ceremony) and as the person who built Osaka Castle. He was also very fond of Arima Onsen.

Zuihoji Park: A Seasonal Scenic Cafe

The place I wanted to visit was Zuihoji Park (Zuihoji Koen), famous for its autumn foliage. Specifically, I was aiming for the Momiji Chaya (Maple Tea House), which is only open during the autumn leaf season in November inside the park.

It’s about a 15-minute walk from the bus stop, including quite a steep uphill path.

However, the climb was absolutely worth it!

The autumn colors were stunning!

According to a local, the best viewing time was the week I visited (November 17th) and the following week. It seems the peak is generally in late November.

This is the Baked Momiji Manju (Maple Leaf-shaped bun) and Matcha I enjoyed at Momiji Chaya.

It was superb! The matcha (green tea) had a mild flavor, which makes it easy to drink even for those who are not used to Japanese green tea.

By the way, Momiji Chaya only accepted cash payments.

The atmosphere here is very traditional and calming. It’s also called “Higurashi no Niwa” (The Garden of Day-Long Rest) because you could spend the entire day here gazing at the autumn leaves.

Experiencing the Golden Hot Spring: Kin no Yu

After enjoying the autumn colors, it was time for the onsen! I decided to go to the public bathhouse, Kin no Yu (Golden Hot Spring).

The admission fee on a weekday is 650 yen (as of November 2025). Very affordable!

You buy the ticket from a vending machine, and credit cards were accepted.

It was a little disappointing that there was no outdoor bath (rotenburo), but considering the price, I can’t complain!

The water was unmistakably Arima’s famous brown-colored hot spring water (Kinsen), so the beneficial effects are the same!

It felt like an unpretentious public bathhouse, loved by the locals. For international visitors, this might be an interesting experience of a local Japanese onsen!

[Important] A Warning About Lunch in Arima Onsen!

After the onsen, I went for lunch. This is where I made a big mistake.

I had two popular restaurants picked out for lunch, Kutsurogiya and Tsuchiyama-jin, but when I arrived just before 1:00 PM, both had already finished their lunch service for the day!

I was prepared to wait in line, but I hadn’t expected the lunch service to end so early. I quickly searched for other restaurants, but they had all finished lunch service too…

Since it’s a relatively small hot spring town, popular restaurants close early.

I made a mistake by having a snack at Momiji Chaya and going to the onsen first because I wasn’t hungry yet.

My Advice:

• It’s better to go for lunch early! (Aim to be seated by 12:00 PM).
• On weekdays, some shops may be closed. If you have a specific restaurant in mind, be sure to check its opening/closing days!

Strolling and Street Food

After finally managing to eat lunch, I spent time strolling through the hot spring town and sampling sweets!

This is a Gensen (hot spring source), where the water naturally wells up.

The hot spring water wells up from these sources and is channeled to the various facilities. There are a total of seven hot spring sources (Gensen) throughout Arima Onsen. It’s fun to discover them unexpectedly while walking around!

By the way, the most famous souvenir from Arima Onsen is Tansan Senbei (Carbonated Rice Crackers).

They are sold in souvenir shops everywhere, and you can even watch them being made by hand, which is surprising!

After enjoying my walk, I took the highway bus back to Osaka.

I was able to reserve a seat for the return bus after finishing lunch.

Recommended Hotel Day-Use Plans

If you are looking for a day trip destination while staying in Osaka, Arima Onsen is highly recommended.

• Arima Grand Hotel: They offer luxurious facilities and highly satisfying day-use plans. Highly recommended!
• Arima Onsen Gekkoen Korokan: The onsen baths in the facility have fantastic views.

Be sure to visit Arima Onsen and experience a traditional Japanese hot spring town full of charm!