Log House Himawari Ito

On Monday we wanted to go to see (or at least get close to) Mount Fuji. Apparently the warm sunny weather we experienced the previous day was unusual for this time of year. As a result the day was freezing, overcast and we had occasional rain. After a subway journey to Shinjuku station to figure out how to catch the train to Hakone, we bought the 2 day Odakyu Hakone Freepass and jumped on the train to Odawara ...

... taro root and soba noodles. It actually was all pretty good.
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.
A reception and dinner last night wrapped it up at the hotel.
All the Japanese are so nice and polite. We are having a wonderful time!

... Fuji – any photo you have seen does not do it justice. It is amazingly huge.

The second ropeway went over a sulphide mine – they call it hell valley – and the rotten egg smell filled our noses. We bought a black egg, which is an egg cooked in the sulphide water which turns the egg black and gives it a slight smokey (dare we say "*****" smell). Although an acquired taste; local legend says that eating one will ...

... guided into the house hot spring bath. Charged with natural minerals and heated from inside the earth, the hot springs (Onsen as they are called over here) are famed for the relaxing and rejuvenating properties. We can all testify that these claims are right on the money.

We soaked in the waters and all our travel aches, pains and weariness seemed to just disappear. We’ve reserved the huge tub here again early tomorrow morning and are already ...

... to miejsce gdzie można przekonać się, że wulkan wciąż tętni życiem. Właśnie stąd wypływają gorące źródła. Odór jest niesamowity, w powietrzu wyraźnie czuć zapach siarki. U ujścia źródeł, w scenerii spowitej parującym gorącym powietrzem wydobywającym się gór wulkanicznych, można skosztować gotowanego jajka. Okazuje się, że jest to ogromna ...

... and tea. And just what our cold cold bodies needed!

There is a tradition that you call someone or send a post-card from the top of Fuji, and I had brought addresses with me but the line for the tiny post office looked like it would take another 30 minutes and with the exception of it getting light out, our situation had not improved and the gusts of wind seemed to be getting worse.

So we took a few commemorative pictures and started down the never ...

Five million hours and as many trains later, we finally arrived at dusk in the beautiful Hakone National Park (the site of Mount Fuji) where after taking in the breathtaking scenery we caught the local bus up the steep road to our guesthouse. Following the ‘no shoes inside’ rule, we were proudly given our guesthouse slippers, and shown our room: a traditional Japanese ryokan (beds = Tatami mats on the floor with a futon on top, surprisingly comfortable) with ...

... Just for reference, it was the 3rd visit in three days that I got to finally seeMt.Fuji!! And I was wowd!

Cable Car:-



Ropeway Cable Car:-



Mt Fuji!!!!



Crusing on Lake Ashi:-



Having a bath? Japanese Style

Hakone, Kanto, Japan alanchu

... in goth, in bear costumes, in full Kiss makeup, as Lil Bo Peep, the works. Some had signs like Free Hugs and were very welcoming to photo ops. Some were just facing a fence and dancing wildly to Bruce Springsteen in their own little world. Very fun. The shrine itself is a long walk from the entrance through some very pretty trees along a winding and well manicured path. We were fortunately enough to be here on a Sunday and see two Shinto wedding ...

We had breakfast at the hotel and were then picked up for our tour to Mt.Fuji. The first stop was at a service station on the way down to Mount Fuji to allow people to get a drink and stretch their legs. As it was such a clear day you could see the peak of Mt.Fuji from the service station.

A few minutes later we were on our way to the viewing area on Mt.Fuji. Due to snow we went to the second level from the bottom but it still had ...