Kin no Yu Hot Spring

Kin no Yu is a public bathhouse right in the middle of Arima Onsen's hot spring streets, a walk-in place rather than a drive-up one (there's no parking). The baths are indoor only: two tubs of the town's golden spring water, one hot and one a touch milder, plus a separate tub of clear plain water. The golden water has a distinctive mineral smell and comes out a deep amber-brown. There's no sauna, no private bath and no outdoor soak, but the washing area has plenty of stations and there's a small rest area near the entrance. Outside, there's a footbath, Taiko no Ashiyu (太閤の足湯), to sit at before or after. The building goes back to the 1880s. It runs more as a quick soak than a place to linger: reviewers describe long queues and entry limits on weekends and holidays, and some say a ryokan's own bath is the better choice if you actually want to relax.