Gora Asahi Hotel Hakone

... about the "black eggs". Supposedly if you eat a black egg which had been cooked in the sulfur springs you will have 7 years added to your life span. So Jeremy and I said that sounded great. The eggs are put into little baskets and dropped into the sulfur springs to boil. Talk about stink - the springs were awful, and the eggs made it worse. Anyway, when they come out the shells are totally black ...

... first stop on the bus – still going up the mountain – was Gora where we boarded the cable car which took us up at a very steep angle to the top of the mountain (or so we thought...). We then jumped on the first of two ropeways (a gondola hanging from a cable strung up to hundreds of feet above the ground). The views over the foothills, countryside and mountain peaks were just breathtaking. We caught our first glimpse of ...

... to ask Santa for one of these for Christmas (not sure how he’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.

Folks you really have to come and check this place out. Anyway, that’s it for today. Thinking of you all in Oz as we ponder coming back here again...

Sayonara.

... which consisted of a variety of small soups, fish, sushi and rice dishes all with unique tastes, textures and colours, a great place to experience some traditional eats and relaxation.

Only there for a short time but it was definitely one of the highlights of the trip and a key souvenir spot! I've never seen so many cartoon fuji-chan souvenirs! Endless!

... sztuki na świeżym powietrzu, w którym znajduje się także niezwykle interesujący pawilon poświęcony życiu i twórczości Picasso. W drodze powrotnej zatrzymaliśmy się w Odawarze, żeby zobaczyć rekonstrukcję starego zamku. Korzystając z okazji, zdecydowaliśmy się także przejść nad brzegiem Pacyfiku, który przykuwa uwagę swoją plażą, na której znajdziecie ciemny, wulkaniczny piasek.

... particular, provides low-fat, healthy, relatively low cost, prepared take home food.

The everyday local fish markets in Japan are outstanding! Even coastal towns and cities in Canada cannot compare, selection, quality, or price wise.

Here in Japan I never tire of wandering up and down the aisles of amazing, unusual food products.
I have no idea what to do with most of it, but am slowly learning.

... views of the surrounding mountains and forest. We decided to take advantage of the nearby village onsen (a communal outdoor hot spring bath, found everywhere in Japan). Upon finding slippers and a yukata (traditional Japanese gown) in our wardrobe we followed the cue of the other guests and got dressed. After receiving some confusing directions from the guesthouse manager (who spoke limited English, and in retrospect, did seem to be laughing at us) we soon became lost, dressed ...

... sunrise), walked around the stores.
6am: Began descending.
9 am: Arrived to the 5th station, left immediately. May drove back.
10am: Checked out the hotel and went to the “Jonathan”, another local family restaurant for a breakfast. Torrential rain outside put us down, we kind of gave up on some of sightseeing we could have done there.
11am-13pm: Spa and rest.
13:15pm: May drove to Kawaguchiko ...

... 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.

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 ...

... orient themselves to their original position on the train reaching it's destination (gotta love Japan). As with all things over here there was great service on board and a high level of respect showing even by the conductor who would give a little bow on exiting the carriage each time. Unfortunately today the weather was not the best which did not ease my earlier transit through Tokyo's metro system at rush hour with my pack back but ...