After 3 days of big city vibes in Tokyo it was time to see Japan, and by that I mean countryside and nature. As most countries, the capital is not really representative for the rest of a country so I had to see for myself if the rest of Japan is equally crazy than Tokyo. What better way to do this than somewhere small which a stunning setting and pure nature.
Here goes the Choo-Choo train
Finally…it was time to board my first Shinkansen bullet train. It is so crazy comfortable and and super fast. Furthermore with an average delay of 15 seconds it is punctual on a level which would not even been measured as a delay in any other country. But I mean just look at the aerodynamic duck design.
Shinkansen
In order to get a good shot at Mt. Fuji in a scenic landscape I choose to travel to Hakone. So this meant to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Odawara and a local train from there to Hakone Yumoto where I stayed at the fantastic K’s House Hakone hostel. The area is not only a famous destination to get a nice view on Mt. Fuji but Japanese come here for the abundance of Onsen, the typical Japanese hot-spring spas. Luckily even the hostel itself offered a free Onsen which is extremely relaxing to do, particularly after a whole day of hiking up and down the mountains.
High Pace up the hill with both Shinkansen and local train (you can easily see when I changed trains)
Hakone
Typical gift store in Hakone
Once you take funicular, bus and train up to lake Ashi it is possible to enjoy the beautiful scenery for hiking, boat rides and spiritual experiences at the shrines. Unfortunately for me the cable car up a scenic volcano where closed due to winds and volcanic activities. Nevertheless I got the chance to hike around lake Ashi and got a fantastic view on Mt. Fuji.
Lake Ashi
Mt. Fuji
Beautifully set directly at the lake I visited the Hakone Shrine which is famous for its gate which is located in the lake. As most people chose to take the cruise ride instead of hiking I was basically alone at the shrine and got a real cool-down from Tokyo.
Hakone Shrine
Hiking around lake Ashi
Hiking can be exhausting and tiresome for the legs. What is even worse although unique, is the chance to eat in a traditional Japanese restaurant, eating on the floor. Admittedly it was the quickest lunch I had since I can remember as my long legs were aching like f**k. I got to try tempura fried eel though which was delicious.
Traditional Restaurant
Fried Eel
Leave a Reply