Kinosaki and Arima are two of the most famous areas with hot springs in the Kansai region. Recently, people have increasingly stopped by while on a drive or on a day trip. If you've gone all the way to enjoy the ambience of a town with hot springs, you'd also like to enjoy a relaxing meal at a nice restaurant. We have selected five restaurants that are perfect for such an inclination. Why not visit them with someone special, friends, or family?
Kinosaki hot springs - Siki
Seasonal bounty from the sea and mountains is transformed into modern cuisine
The restaurant is located in Sensui, a small inn located a 7-minute walk from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station. The restaurant is open to non-guests during lunch and serves dishes that make the best use of seasonal and local ingredients. Brightly lit with sunlight streaming in through the large windows, the restaurant has counter and table seats. The plaster walls and solid wood flooring create a comfortable setting.
There are two types of lunch menus to choose from: lunch at the inn and pasta at the inn. Both have mild flavors from seasonal and local ingredients, and both are full of seasonal charm. Organic vegetables purchased from contracted farmers in Kyoto are vivid in color and rich in flavor. Each time you visit, you can enjoy a different experience, so you are sure to come back again and again.
Siki
Access: 7 minutes walk from Kinosaki Onsen StationMore Details Reservation
Kinosaki hot springs - Sanpo Nishimuraya Main Branch
Enjoy the seasonal delights of Tajima with all your senses in an open setting
Sanpo Nishimuraya is located a 10-minute walk from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station. This is restaurant dining, boasting charcoal-grilled dishes using vast ingredients from Tajima. The counter seats are set around a central sunken hearth, and the widely open dining area is impressive. The live action of the chefs cooking in front of you also makes for a wonderful time.
The menu features a variety of vast ingredients from Tajima, such as Tajima beef, which is known as the source of high-class Japanese beef such as Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef, seafood from the local fishing port, and fresh organic vegetables delivered daily from local producers, all grilled on a charcoal grill. The restaurant also offers a set meal with live Matsuba crab (available only in the winter) and a wide selection of local sake from Hyogo selected by a connoisseur, offering a wide range of options to enjoy.
Sanpo Nishimuraya Main Branch
Access: 10 minutes walk from Kinosaki Onsen Station
Arima hot springs - Sandaya Kinsenji Kohan DC
A spectacular panoramic view, delicious Japanese black wagyu beef steak and food
Sandaya Kinsenji Kohan DC
Arima hot springs - Sanbo Kan (Goshobo)
Enjoy rustic cuisine in a retro Showa-era atmosphere
Rustic cuisine entertains diners without the constraints of haute cuisine. The restaurant is particular about the selection of ingredients, and it values providing heartfelt flavors. Tajimaguro, which is a brand of Tajima beef with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and deep flavor, and Hot Tofu Heated in Stock, which is made from black soybeans from Tamba-Sasayama and is available only in winter, are must-try items. Reservations are required for some dishes, so please check in advance.
Sanbo Kan (Goshobo)
Access: 5 minutes walk from Arima Onsen Station
Arima hot springs - Gosho Bessho Restaurant
A restaurant hideaway where you can spend time in peace while enjoying the four seasons
The restaurant uses the finest ingredients, such as Tajimaguro (a brand of Tajima beef that ships only two or three heads of cattle per month), fresh seafood from auction at Akashiura Fishing Port, and local seasonal vegetables, to create sumptuous seasonal flavors. The Palette Dish, which is an assortment of bite-sized items including a starter, seasonal offerings, and a last taste of season that consist mostly of vegetables, and the Manganji Green Pepper Soup, which is an appetizer that resembles green tea, are just some of the many visually striking dishes that will excite you.
Gosho Bessho Restaurant
Access: 10 minutes walk from Arima Onsen Station
