Annex Kikkaso Inn Hakone

... taro root and soba noodles. It actually was all pretty good.<br>A shinkansen (bullet train) took us back to Tokyo. By this time I was just out of it, seeing as I still had not been able to sleep. Thankfully last night I got a full nights sleep so feel much better.<br>A reception and dinner last night wrapped it up at the hotel.<br>All the Japanese are so nice and polite. We are having a wonderful time!

... its way back down the mountain to Hakone-Yumoto. Making our way back to Odawara we had another ride on the bullet train &#8211; this time a super express over to Kyoto (an ancient capital). A kind gentleman on the train pointed out Mt Fuji again for us (they take such pride in this majestic mountain).<br><br>Finally arriving at Kyoto we had a short walk to K's House, our hostel. More like a small motel than your average hostel, this ...

... to ask Santa for one of these for Christmas (not sure how he&#8217;s going to manage the hot natural spring though!!!). Rejuvenated, content and excited about tomorrow when we venture further up the mountain and play on four other forms of transport, we are all just about ready to hit the futon.<br><br>Folks you really have to come and check this place out. Anyway, that&#8217;s it for today. Thinking of you all in Oz as we ponder coming back here again...<br><br>Sayonara.

So yea! To summarize:<br>Walked about 10.2km downhill (which isn't so easy on rocky surface n stuff) from Station 5 of Mount Fuji to the bottom. Took about 5/6 hours but YAY! I used my hiking boots again (count so far: 3 times!) and it didn't feel too bad so I'm pretty glad, good chance to work off all the pocky!<br><br>Stayed in an epic Hotel Ohike which not ...

... all from Japan), and perhaps most colorful, Tomas (Finland).<br><br>Tomas is a young student living in Tokyo and studying Japanese langauge and economics. His quirky sense of humor and "enthusiastic" delivery during karaoke were quite amusing:)<br><br>-----<br><br>Activitie s while in Mutsuura included a tradition horseback archery exhibition, a night out for conveyor belt sushi with Kyoko (after trying "nattou" - a stinky ...

... Przede wszystkich siedzi si&#281; na pod&#322;odze przy bardzo niskich stolikach, na ma&#322;ych poduszkach i obowi&#261;zkowo zarówno go&#347;cie jak i obs&#322;uga chodz&#261; bez butów (podobnie jak w ryokanie). Jedzenie tofu pa&#322;eczkami wci&#261;&#380; jest wyzwaniem (tofu jest bardzo mi&#281;kkie), ale dawali&#347;my rad&#281;. Stolik obok siedzia&#322;a inna para, z któr&#261; wspólnie wznie&#347;li&#347;my toast sake (bez stukania si&#281; kieliszkami) i w momencie kiedy pad ...

... br>13:30pm: Departed the 5th station, began climbing.<br>18:00pm: Arrived at the &#8220;goraiko-kan&#8221; , the last and highest mountain hut on the 8.5th station (along the yoshidaguchi trail).<br>19:00pm: Dinner (curry and rice)<br>20:00pm: Went to bed.<br><br>The Folloing Day<br><br>2:30am : Woke up<br>3 am: Left the mountain hut and began climbing to the top<br>5:30 am: Arrived at the top, wait for the ...

... arrived at "Resort Inn Fuyo". We rested shortly at the restaurants attached to the hotel and then went to see the Himatsuri, the Fire Festival. <br><br>The first day of two days festival called Yoshida-no-Himatsuri (the Fire Festival of Yoshida) at the base of Mt. Fuji. The first day at night of Chinkasai (the calming ...

... walked along the "komachi" street. We spotted a japanese teppan stake restaurant and had lunch there. (p.s. While working on this blog, I just learned that we had a rare "hayama beef", only 200 cows were raised each year in hayama, miura pennensula).<br><br>Mothers of Kamakura<br>Teppan Stake House 2-2-17 Komachi, Naito ...

Wow, it feels like forever since I've been on the computer, but it's only been what, two days? My days have been super full, so I have no idea what day it is...so I left Tokyo to Hakone. I was excited as I'd heard nothing but great reviews and had seen such gorgeous pictures. I was also hoping to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji since I didn't exactly pack the proper clothing to hike up the bad boy. Well, I ventured to Hakone with what appeared to be the ...