Yumotozaka
shopping
The cobbled main slope through Arima, lined with tansan-senbei makers, sake shops, and Showa-era inns.
The main slope running through the onsen quarter from Kin-no-yu up to Yusen Shrine, paved in stone and lined with old wooden inns, tansan-senbei (carbonated rice cracker) shops where you can watch the irons press fresh batches, sake stores selling local Hyogo brews, and a handful of Showa-era kissaten. The street narrows in the upper third where the cars stop, and the historic Goshobō ryokan (operating since 1191) marks the upper bend. Allow forty minutes if you stop at one of the cracker shops; the fresh ones are noticeably better than the boxed kind sold at the station.
Mitsumori-Honke makes tansan-senbei to order from a hot iron press; ask for them "yawarakai" (soft) instead of "katai" (crisp) for the fresher texture.
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