Ryokan Arimasansoh Goshobesshoh

16th century, the renowned panoramic Autumn scenery from Arima Kyomizu Temple invited nature lovers for strolls and picnics. Three centuries later, it metamorphosed into the Kyomizu Hotel accommodating foreign visitors and their families. English was spoken.

Tables were set. Bread, butter, and coffee were served. 21st century, the Kyomizu Hotel re-incarnated into its actual phase: Arima Sanso Goshobesshoh.

On January 5th 1882, during her visit to Arima Onsen and the Kyomizu Hotel, the British world traveler Ms.Alice Mary Rey became intrigued by a blue flower. “Arima Lan” is an indigenous plant of Arima Onsen among many more.

This particular vivid blue flower has undoubtedly been appreciated by many men of letters of the Hanshin Modernism era who probably spoke Novalis’s romanticism language. A kind of reminder of desire, love, beauty, and striving for the infinite.

Invigorate your Being
Soaking in Arima hot-spring, means submerging yourself in 6 million year old thermal waters rich in sea salt and fossil calcium. An experience of almost floating and defying gravity.

Even more, this iron rich hot-spring water will warm you to the bones and infuse you with minerals to make you a super human! To enjoy your metamorphosis , just soak and savour quietly.

Soak in the earthy hot-spring pool and feel your body absorbing all the good warmth and minerals from the rich hot-spring that has been compared to gold for thousands of years. Then, let yourself indulge and enjoy an aroma treatment or a massage to relax, pamper, and rejuvenate.

Half open-air & half men-women mixed
Guests staying at Gosho Bessho can exclusively access to the “Kongosen Bath” at the sister Inn “Tocen Goshoboh”, which is 3 minutes walk.

The Kongosen Bath is half open-air, with a playful structure that allows men and women sections to meet through a stone wall that gets lower toward the far end of the pool so that guests can easily talk over the wall if they like.

Or, they can move over to a more private area if they prefer so.The specific dark color of the waters, and the slight, shadowed lightening recreate a deep mood of relaxation, contemplation, and intimacy.

The enigmatic world of MUHOAN
Born during the early Hanshinkan Modernism golden era of 1920s full of revolutionary and visionary waves of art and culture, Hirosuke Watanuki decided from his early age not to conform to any category or style.

His world MUHOAN (A world that does not follow conformity) has an organic dualistic blend of east and west, poetry and philosophy, drawing and writing, practicality and spirituality.

A multi-passionate creative person who expresses his world through almost all the arts. GOSHOBESSHOH is in a way the hermitage where one can slowly and deeply immerse in the fascinating world of MUHOAN.

A private thermal room for you only!
After a nice hot-spring bath and a relaxing spa treatment, just unwind in your private thermal room and enjoy a quiet time reading, meditating or doing some yoga. Feel the warmth, listen to the rhythm of your breath, release all tension, and slow down your thoughts. Your body and soul will thank you!

Gosho Bessho Guestrooms
A 1.2 acres villa resort Nestled in the foothills of Rokko mountain, 5 mins walk from the heart of Arima. The hotel is established in a symbolic place, where it used to be the site of Arima Kiyomizu Temple, and later during the very early Meiji period (1872), became an inn for the first western visitors to Arima-onsen.

The architecture, design, and cuisine are a harmonious blend of east and west, and the interior is a fusion of spontaneity and sophistication. A perfect choreography to treat and purify the senses. 10 villas only, each with a private thermal room.

Villa

Isolated one-story suite room, by the side of the indoor Kiyomizu lake. Wooden structure, view window on the greenish mountain, high ceilings, and a thermal room to stimulate relaxation and contemplation.

Maisonnette

Two-story suite room, by the side of the Taki river. Wooden structure, view window on the greenish mountain, high ceilings, thermal room, and soothing sounds of breeze and of water trickles.

A terroir culinary experience for the curious gastronome
Enjoy delicately selected ingredients from the sea and the mountain of Kobe and Hyogo areas, whole-heartedly served in an authentic Yamaga mountain style. All is infused with a hint of western flair to create a unique style that encapsulates the culture of Kobe and Arima.

A quiet dinner or a cozy gathering party?
Savour your dinner in the privacy and comfort of your guestroom, at a private dining room, or at the restaurant counter with a relaxing view. The perfect place to enjoy a warm family gathering dinner or to celebrate together with friends!

Yamaga Cuisine at Arima Sanso Gosho-bessho

As a sister inn of the traditional Japanese Ryokan Tocen Goshoboh, Gosho-bessho embraces the same philosophy and serves an authentic “polished-rustic” cuisine style.

The Yamaga cuisine at Gosho-bessho is inspired from the “Nanban cuisine “ which appeared during the 16th century when the first European visitors came to Japan and introduced their culture.

Gosho-bessho, which used to be a hotel for foreign visitors during the Meiji era, tries to recreate this fusion of East-west.

Finest Terroir ingredients
Tousen Goshoboh’s attitude toward food and culinary art can be summarized in the old Japanese saying “Real gold does not need to be plated”. In our search of Quality, we went even as far as to engage in farming to satisfy our selectivity.

We self-produce organic rice, vegetables, herbs, and even Sake ( rice wine). We have established some exclusive alliances with the most famous beef brand producers in Japan, Kobe beef and Tajima Beef.

And we gained a unique license for the fish wholesale market of Akashiura fishing port, where the best quality seafood from the Seto Inland Sea is gathered.

Rice and vegetables grown in our own fields, with passion and love
In 2002, in the aim to adopt a sustainable organic farming, we established an agricultural corporation, “Green Papa”, near the stream of Ojiro Valley in Mikata district of Hyogo prefecture.

We are diligent about the method of rice farming in order to cultivate healthy, juicy, and nutritious rice. As for vegetables, we only use the clean water of the stream, and human- and environment-friendly organic fertilizers.

The legendary wa-gyu Tajima and Kobe Beef
Tajima beef is a breed of Wagyu cattle, indigenous to Japan, that have been preserved by the steep Ojiro valley (2 hours from Arima), where it is raised according to strict tradition. Preserving this 100% Japan indigenous Cattle is almost a miracle!

After Japan opened its door to foreign countries during the Meiji-period, Japanese diet-style started to be westernized, crossbreeding trend that has annihilated pure Japanese cattle.

However, miraculously, there was found that a man named “Maeda-shusuke”, who lived in the middle of the forest of Mikata area in Hyogo-prefecture, kept 4 pure Japanese cattle, whose lineage is called “Atsuta-zuru” now.

Farmers of that area saved those pure Japanese cattle, raised them, and increased them under a strict tradition. Tajima-beef is the one directly associated with Maeda’s cattle, and the famous Kobe-beef is also from this Tajima cattle. The meat is renowned for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture.

Selected fresh fish from Seto Inland Sea.
Goshoboh is the only licensed inn in the Kobe region to join auctions in the Akashi-ura fishing port. The Akashi-Ura fishing port is known as a wholesale market where high quality seafood from the Seto Inland Sea is gathered and only auctioned to licensed buyers.

Our chief cook diligently selects fresh seasonal seafood which he transmutes into some delightful and memorable dishes. Seafood include Matsuba crab, firefly squid, flatfish among others.

Green Cuisine
Arima is located in the middle of rich mountains, but only 30 minutes from the sea. We are aware that we are very fortunate to have great natural elements here in this small village ( hot-springs, rivers, mountains, sea, wild animals..etc).

Our rustic cuisine means respecting and accepting what nature gives us during each season, and making the most out of the terroir ingredients to offer simple but memorable culinary experience.

In our hospitality style, we try to balance abundance and sustainability through different levels, for instance, recycling the cooking oils used for “Tempura” and other dishes. The refined oils are turned into fuel for our taxis that will pick you up from the station.

Arima for the connoisseurs!
You maybe have enjoyed the down town part of Arima, with all its tiny back alleys and souvenir shops, but the upper side of the town invites you to more quiet pleasures.

A stroll along the maple and cedar trees, a picnic by the side of the Tsuzumi waterfall, or maybe a short hike to taste the charm of the Mt.Rokko. Warning! butterflies, fireflies, and Kajika frogs may reveal themselves to you!

Undecided when to visit Arima?
Wonderfully warm with its hot-spring in winter. Gorgeous with its sweeping cherry blossom Sakura trees in spring. Embellished with pink and blue Sichidanka and Ajisai flowers during the rainy Tsuyu season.

Festive and lively, and fresh with its rivers and waterfall in summer. Panoramic with its colorful maple trees in Autumn. Have you decided when to come yet?

Website: www.goshobessho.com

Rooms: 10

Price: from 755 EUR per night