THE HAKONE DISTRICT
The Hakone district is less than an hour away from Japan on the Bullet Train, and is famous for hot springs, natural beauty and the view across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji. Despite it being probably the most recognisable image of Japan, you have to be really lucky to see it clearly. The mountain is often shrouded in cloud, or obscured by rain. We never made the lucky list, as it poured with rain on the day that we were there.
But what we missed in scenery, we more than made up for in absorbing the local culture. Hakone is home to lots of ryokans, traditional Japanese hotels, many of which are based near hot springs. We stayed at the Aura Tashibana, a short walk up the hill from the town centre. The hotel provides a shuttle bus service, but we recommend walking at least once, as you'll cross a couple of scenic bridges with views of the river.
Our hotel had its own public onsen, the traditional "clothing-free" baths. Modesty got the better of us, so we chose a room with it's own heated spa that was situated in an open patio, with wonderful views to the mountains across the valley. The room was decorated in the true Japanese fashion, including bamboo flooring and low-level beds.
The hotel provides kimonos for its guests, and an optional traditional Japanese breakfast. We chose the latter and loved the experience, but did struggle a bit with the unfamiliar foodstuffs as we're so used to having bacon and eggs for brekkie!
The Hakone Round Course
One of the best ways to see most to the sights in the area is to follow the Hakone Round Course. This involves a 35 minute train trip from Hakone Station to Gora, riding on the Hakone Tozan Railway. Then a cable car to Sounzan, to link up with the Hakone Ropeway, which takes you above the volcano at Owakudani, down to Togendai, on the shores of Lake Ashinoko. From here you board a "pirate" ship for a cruise across the lake to the ports of Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone, each a short bus trip back to Hakone town.
The Hakone Tozan Railway is Japan's oldest mountain railway, with the small trains winding through a narrow, densely wooded valley over many bridges and tunnels, stopping at small stations along the way and changing directions at three switchbacks. A real treat for railway buffs and tourists alike. The price of a one way ticket to Gora is about A$5, but we recommend purchasing a Hakone Free Pass which allows unlimited travel on certain trains, buses, ferries, cablecars etc.
We suggest that you jump out at the Chokoku No Mori Station, and wander through the Hakone Open Air Museum with its array of sculptures and exhibits by local and international artists (including Picasso). Trains pass regularly, so simply jump on the next one and continue your journey to Gora.
From Gora you'll transfer to the Hakone Tozan Cable Car for the 9 minute ride up the steep slope to Sounzan to catch the Hakone Ropeway. The station at Sounzan has a souvenir shop, plus a great observation platform (great when it's not raining!). As the pic with Denise in it shows, our view of Mt Fuji was somewhat obscured!
Ordinarily the views from the gondolas on the Hakone Ropeway trip are spectacular. We lucked out this time, but did enjoy the experience, especially the bit over the volcanic activity at Owakudani.
We boarded the Queen Ashinko "pirate" ship at Togendai, for a cruise across the lake. We chose to upgrade to First Class section for a small fee (about A$8 if I recall), so that we could better enjoy the (rainy) views. But we made the most of it with a cold beer and snacks, before docking at Moto-Hakone, from where we caught a bus back to the town.
Despite our bad luck with the weather, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Hakone and especially the Aura Tashibana hotel. After a soothing bathe in our private onsen, we headed down to the village where we enjoyed an amazing wagyu meal at the Steak House Yoshiike. Although rather expensive, it was a great way to end our time in this beautiful part of Japan.