Onsen as a point of interaction of people and cultures
Kobe port has served as an important point in transportation and communication even after opening to foreign trade in 1868, having played an important role in domestic transport during the national isolation in the Edo Period. Arimasansoh Gosho Bessho was founded as a hotel that was designed from both Western and Eastern viewpoints in Arima, where many domestic and international tourists visited after the opening of Kobe port.
Hirosuke Watanuki supervised the design. Each guestroom is built as a suite with an area of 100 square meters. As a multitalented artist working in various areas such as sculpture, pottery, glasswork, architecture and landscape gardening, Watanuki created a perfect space that helps guests to relax, by decorating them with paintings and calligraphic works and even specifying where to hang the artwork.
Every guest room has a ”thermal room” that is appreciated by guests. The room helps the human body save energy for controlling body temperature, providing an environment similar to the inside of the womb, with a temperature setting matching human body temperature or 36 degrees centigrade. The facility is said to help increase immunity.
Foreigners were initially restricted to move about in Japan. They visited Arima Onsen to relieve their stress. Such restrictions do not exist now, but many international and domestic tourists still visit the hotel. One of the reasons for the popularity of the hotel may be their generous hospitality geared to heal guests, in addition to the immaculate facilities.
