Tuesday 28th July 2009 – Hakone

 Not too early a start saw us on the 8:24 Shinkansen to Hakone. Once again rain and low level clouds stopped us from seeing Mt Fuji. We got the train to Hakone Yamoto station then boarded a private bus which was ours for the day.

We went up the windiest, longest uphill road I’ve ever been on climbing to a height of > 100m to Sounzan where we took the Hakone ropeway to Owakudani.

Sulphur Springs at Owakudani

The views should have been spectacular but the inside windows just steamed up and the outside was covered in rain drops. We walked up to the sulphur springs and ate a traditional black eg – supposed to give you 7 years extra life. 

We then took the ropeway down to Tokandai where we boarded the lake sightseeing cruise on a replica “galleon” type ship to Moto Hakone for lunch.

 

After lunch we explored the reconstructed Hakone Checkpoint

(https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5205.html)  

Hakone Checkpoint

Stone Shrines on Tokaido Highway above Hakone Checkpoint

Then it was time for a walk along part of the old Tokaido Highway through the ancient Cedar Avenue, before being picked up by the bus again at Hakone Moto to take us to our Ryoken for the night.

 

View of Hakone Jinjyua Heiwa-no-Torii from the Tokaido Highway

Hakone Moto

This was called Fuji-Hakone guesthouse and although the room was a pleasant enough, tradiational room I just didn’t like the place. Too few showers, no aircon, smelly (like school dinner cabbage) and I bot bitten to death by some insect on my legs whilst in bed.

https://fujihakone.com/en/

Rather than going out for a meal with the others, Nicky and I stayed at the guest house and had an Onsen bath. It was just so peaceful without everyone else. Unfortunately they were all back early because the meal was awful.