Osaka Marathon 2019- Post Marathon @ Arima Onsen (4th December)

This is the last day of the trip for touring around the area, or rather Kobe area. I'm checking out from the hotel today and I'll stay at the airport hotel for the night before my flight tomorrow. Actually, I do not have to do that as my flight is not that early, but I really booked the hotel way ahead before the registration for the marathon started. Then I booked the air ticket after I managed to get a ballot slot, and I decided to stay another night in Japan. I have a rough idea of where I wanted to go for my post marathon tours but I did not really get down to plan the details, and it all worked out well when I did it the same way the previous year at Kyoto. On the day I went to Nara and the weather was really bad, I thought of switching my plans and go to Arima Onsen instead, as a rainy day is a good day for soaking onsen, and that'll be good for recovery too. However, I did not go to Arima onsen then as I've only read up about Nara the previous night and I had not done any planning about my remaining trip.

Self service luggage deposit area at Candeo Hotel

Saw many such large posters around the area. Ladies' boys?

Anyway, Candeo Hotel has a very good self deposit luggage area and its really big enough for all the tourists who had checked out but needed the service. I left my luggage there and will come back for it after Arima Onsen. I've thought of heading to the airport hotel first to drop off my luggage as there's another way to head to Arima Onsen from the airport. However, the trip will be super duper long and it'll take at least 3 hours if I head to the airport from Osaka and then to the onsen. I've also considered the big detour when I had to come back for the luggage later on, but on hindsight, I thought I should have stayed in Kobe for at least a night since I'm spending time going back to Kobe again today. As I've said, I'm not planned the details and just let things flow naturally when its my solo trips. It all worked out well for me in the end as I was very lucky to chance upon a Tripadvisor post which mentioned a bundle ticket which includes the train ticket to Arima Onsen area from Osaka and the entrance ticket to the famous Taikou-no-yu onsen. The cost of getting the package is much cheaper although the traveling time is still quite long.

Hankyu Tourist Center at Osaka Umeda station

The very kind lady telling me about the shuttle service

After researching the relevant info online the night before, I made my way to Osaka-Umeda station and looked for Hankyu Tourist Centre to get the Arima Onsen Taikou-no-yu package tickets. There are two versions of the package using the Hankyu line and the Hanshin line, it's a little confusing for me as I only know that they go by slightly different routes and we could only take the trains provided by our chosen train service provider. Anyway, I chose the Hanshin version as it's cheaper and I proceeded to the Hanshin train station to start my journey. I love trains and traveling by trains in Japan, but sometimes there are really so many service and so many stations that I still get confused. The cost of the package is 2650Y and that's not too bad as the entrance fee to Taikou-no-yu is already 2400Y.

Given to me as a finisher's item and it's really yummy

Crossing over the take the local train

Cute local train to Arima Onsen

I left the hotel by 930am as I have a long day ahead, and I only reached Arima onsen three hours later. I did not have time to get breakfast but I bought some snacks and ate them on the very long train journey. After reaching Arima onsen station, I took the shuttle service provided by Taikou-no-yu onsen and it took me directly to the onsen building.

The package with train ticket and onsen admission ticket

The reception area where we checked in

A shop selling souvenirs and food stuff

A big bag with our yukata and towels issued to us

We just need to scan the barcode that come with the key

The rows of lockers for me to keep my belongings

After leaving my shoes the rows of shoes lockers at the entrance, I went to the counter to check in and showed them my admission ticket. I was issued a big mesh bag with towels and robes and a key with barcode to register my purchases for the day. I knew I was at the right place for authentic onsen as there were many Japanese elderly at the place. The only other comparable onsen place I've went was Odaiba Oedo Onsen and that was during my very first trip to Japan, Taikou-no-yu had a very different feel and is more traditional.

Left my belongings and clothes in the locker

After changing into the robes, I left my phone in my bag at the locker area as the remaining areas were full of people and there was no way I could take any photos. The whole place was really big and like a maze and I even helped a Chinese speaking tourist who appeared to be lost. I went to the big indoor onsen area and tried the famous kinsen and ginsen which are specialty water of arima onsen area, there were also some mini steam rooms for me to sit inside and open my pores for cleansing Anyway, there were a lot of people at the Grand Bath Area and I headed to the outdoor area after trying each type of water. At the outdoor area, there were also 5 or 6 different kind of stone bath and small tubs for me to soak in, it's really cool and I tried each of them too. After I washed up, I explored further and found the complimentary stone sauna area. The lady serving guests could speak quite good English so I figured out that I have to change into another set of robes in order to get into the area. I realised I should have done it before the onsen as I'll need to wash up again after the stone sauna. I tried it out anyway since it's a totally new and refreshing experience. And it's complimentary! In the stone sauna room, many people are lying down on very hot stone floor and there was a headrest for us to put our heads on. There was a ticket issued to us indicating the time as each person could only stay inside for 40 minutes, I also noticed a clock in each of the rooms. It was so warm and I was sweating all over so I got out earlier than the time indicated.

Enjoying the special ice cream

The outdoor waiting area of Taikou-no-yu

Bought this onsen manju opposite the station

After more than two hours spent at the onsen, it was almost 3pm and time for me to head back to Osaka. I bought an ice cream to enjoy while waiting for the next shuttle bus. But silly me, I underestimated the time needed to check out and wear my shoes and I missed the 3pm shuttle bus by a minute! I tried to walk to the arima train station but Taikou-no-yu onsen was stationed on really steep slopes and it was quite tedious to walk all the way, so I just waited for the next shuttle service to arrive. Luckily the intervals were only 15mins as 3pm is a popular time to tourists to leave. As I was leaving the place, a big group of tourists from Taiwan arrived and I was glad that I was clearing out from the locker room just in time. Honestly, I did not get to visit the arima onsen town centre during this trip but I felt that this package for tourist is really good value for money and it was a good day trip experience for me.

On the way back, for some reasons, I could not find the Hanshin rail train which I was supposed to take and I kind of got lost at the transfer station. So I just took Hankyu rail all the way back to Umeda station. Knowing the strict and sometimes rigid Japanese people, I was worried that I might be asked to top up for the fare difference or something, but the guy at the station just waved me through when he saw that I was holding the tourist train ticket. Phew! Think he did not want to bother himself with explaining in English. :)

Craving for spicy ramen so I had this

The shopfront, but I dont really recommend this

Redeemed my complimentary drink

After reaching Dontoburi area, I decided to just get my last dinner at Osaka before going to Candeo to get my luggage. I was wandering around the place and craving for some ramen and I went into this ramen shop with a very big signage out front. I was seated on the upper level and it was pretty cramped there as it was filled with people during dinner hours. My verdict was that ramen of Ichiran tasted so much better, I thought that I'll just try something else since I had already ate Ichiran before the race but honestly this spicy ramen is just a few notches below expectations if compared with Ichiran. 

I collected my luggage and headed to the airport hotel to check in. My initial plan was to visit the Rinku Premium outlets as I bought quite a few pieces of Adidas apparel there in March, but the trip to Arima onsen took too many hours on the train and there was simply no time for a visit to the outlets this trip.