「Arima Onsen Taikou-no-yu」 - A Visit

The previous night at 'Safi Spa Maiko,' I had been completely captivated by the cold bath and sauna produced by the Sauna King, but after a good night's sleep, my energy was restored. While eating breakfast, I pondered where to go. Somehow, this morning I felt like slowly soaking in hot springs. That was my mood. Japan has hot springs bubbling up all across the country. But if I was going to bathe, I wanted to experience Japan's finest hot springs. There's Arima Onsen, easily accessible from Kobe city. Among Arima's hot springs, there exists a facility where you can simultaneously enjoy the famous 'Kinsen' (golden springs) and 'Ginsen' (silver springs). That's 'Arima Onsen Taikou-no-yu.' I arrived exactly at the 10:00 AM opening time. At this hour, there wouldn't be too many people. I could take a morning bath, enjoy delicious food, and perhaps take an afternoon nap. That plan took shape. After completing reception, I headed straight to the large bath area. The moment I entered the bathing area, the strong aroma of hot springs filled the air. I immediately checked the layout. The bathing area has two floors: the first floor has indoor baths, and the second floor has outdoor baths. Everything was there - natural spring-fed baths, mist sauna, cold bath, and sauna. What surprised me was that even the cold bath was 'natural spring-fed.' A cold bath entirely fed by natural springs - I'd never experienced anything like it. After quickly cleansing my body, I first soaked in the blended Kinsen-Ginsen bath. Instantly, tremendous pleasure overwhelmed me. My entire body's strength was forcibly drained away. As I enjoyed this supreme relaxation time, my body gradually grew hot. I could feel my pulse rising as if I were in a sauna. The abundant hot spring minerals were probably being absorbed through my skin, improving blood circulation. Japan has countless hot springs, and I've visited many facilities, but this was my first experience of my pulse rising this much just from soaking in the water. No sauna was necessary - I went straight to the cold bath. The natural spring-fed cold bath was around 18°C and incredibly smooth. Even though I was in cold water, I felt like I could stay immersed forever. Looking beside me, a man about my father's age was half-unconscious. He was probably achieving 'totonou' right there in the cold bath from the sheer pleasure. I understood the feeling. I too felt like my consciousness might drift away if I wasn't careful. After leaving the cold bath, I headed to the outdoor bath area. Multiple relaxation chairs were prepared, and I closed my eyes while basking in the morning sunlight. It was incredibly comfortable. I could fall asleep right here. It's still morning, after all. With such thoughts, I achieved 'totonou' from just the first set. In the end, at 'Taikou-no-yu,' I only entered the sauna once. That's how incredible the hot springs were. Even without a sauna, blood circulation increased as if I were in one, and the natural spring-fed cold bath provided both refreshment and healing. While cutting-edge sauna facilities are appealing, it's good to have days when you slowly soak in hot springs.

After the hot springs, I savored sushi, tempura, and creative cuisine at 'Hanajuraku,' a Japanese restaurant. As always, meals after hot springs are exceptional. With heightened taste sensitivity, the already delicious Japanese cuisine tasted even more exquisite. Delicious food is humanity's greatest joy. It's the finest way to spend time. After the meal, I went to the reclining room for an afternoon nap. Following hot springs and a meal, drowsiness naturally set in. There was no need to resist this sleepiness. I would sleep to my heart's content. I slowly closed my eyes. I could decide where to go in the evening after waking up.