Nakanobo Zuien

Arima Onsen is a hot spring resort close to Mount Rokko in the northern part of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. It is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), which was written around 1,300 years ago. It is one of Japan’s three ancient springs and is visited by many tourists.

Arima Onsen is known for its two hot springs: the Kinsen (golden hot spring), which is rich in iron and turns reddish-brown when exposed to air, and the colorless and transparent Ginsen (silver hot spring), which contains carbon dioxide gas and radon. Kinsen is called a miraculous hot spring because it contains seven of the nine main components of medicinal hot springs, as designated by the Ministry of the Environment, making it extremely rare. If you include the radon in the Ginsen spring water, Arima Onsen as a whole covers eight of the nine main components.

While Arima Onsen has two hot springs, Kinsen and Ginsen, only a few accommodation facilities actually offer water from both hot springs within their premises. One of these is Nakanobo Zuien. Founded in 1868, this traditional Japanese inn has 47 guest rooms across 13 types, including fully Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western style rooms, and rooms with open-air baths. We recommend three guest rooms in particular: Wako, Maki, and Atago. Guests who stay in these may bathe in the hot spring water of both Kinsen and Ginsen in the open-air baths attached to their rooms. There are also rooms with only Kinsen or Ginsen. Guests can reserve rooms according to their preferences and group size.

For dinner, the inn offers a variety of courses based on kaiseki cuisine that will delight all five senses. They are carefully prepared with seasonal ingredients from all over Japan, centered on seafood and land produce unique to Hyogo Prefecture, which faces the Seto Inland Sea, including world-renowned Kobe beef. At the inn’s Japanese restaurant and teppanyaki restaurant, guests can indulge their appetites with Kobe beef shabu-shabu, steak, and more.

With a history of over 150 years, Nakanobo Zuien is one of the oldest inns in Arima Onsen. Guests can expect a peaceful atmosphere, as the inn is closed to children under the age of 13. It is a refined getaway tailored to adults, including a chance to stroll through a Japanese garden admired by famous Hollywood actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly when she stayed at the inn. Guests can also use the public bath at the sister hotel, Arima Grand Hotel, free of charge, which has its own unique atmosphere.

Access to Nakanobo Zuien is very convenient as the Arima Express (JR Expressway Bus) that departs from Kansai International Airport, JR Osaka Station, Hankyu Umeda Station, and JR Kyoto Station arrives at the Arima Onsen stop, which is just a two-minute walk from the inn. From Kansai International Airport, first take the airport limousine bus to Sannomiya Bus Terminal before transferring to the JR Expressway Bus (Arima Express).

Enjoy a superior and high-quality trip to Japan by staying at Nakanobo Zuien, where you can experience Arima’s famous hot springs, seasonal cuisine, and attentive Japanese hospitality.

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