Japan 2012 Tokyo to Hakone

Today we're leaving Tokyo and going to Hakone!

Leaving Tokyo - not snowing today!!

Had our rice ball and miso breakfast at Toyoko Inn.  

At least it's not raining today.  

Packed up all our stuff and went to Shinjuku station, took the JR Yamanote line to Shinagawa and made a reservation on the Shinkansen to Odawara.  

They were very nice at the JR ticket office - we got a couple seats on a reserved car then picked up some food for the ride.

Shinkansen at Shinagawa

Hirekatsu lunch from the train station - there is always food around!!!

That chocolate covered waffle has my name on it

So we arrived at Odawara station - I had heard there was something called a Hakone Free pass that allowed us to ride all the trains and other transportation in Hakone for one price, so we went to the visitors info at the train station.  They gave us a couple of useful bus and train maps.

A girl spoke a little english, so she helped us buy the pass from the machine.  We also wanted to put our suitcase in a coin locker while we explored Hakone, so she walked us all the way down to the entrance to the coin lockers!  She was very friendly and helpful.  On our way back into the station, we were both following her, then she stopped and waited for few seconds.  Apparently, she just thought she lost us - she looked around then jumped when she saw us!  She was a little tall.  Anyway, she pointed out the train for us to get to Hakone, and we made our way to Hakone Yumoto.  From Hakone Yumoto, got more help from the information and made our way to the bus stop.  

Odawara station

Hakone Classic round course - Loop

Bus from Hakone Yumoto

We decided to do the Hakone loop starting from bus stop which goes on the gray line on the southern portion near the  lake.  Bus ride was maybe 30 minutes, we ended up at the Moto-Hakone station.  We were going to do a sort of nature-y walk, but the guys at the station said the snow was too high.  So we ended up going to Hakone machi to ride the ferry.

Moto Hakone area

The Hakone Machi station had a bunch of people waiting for the ferry - mainly tourists like us.  The ferry boat was a pirate ship!  Kinda crazy.  It was a nice ride, we could see Mt. Fuji.  Mich noticed that people would just leave things (bags, cameras, etc...) and just walk around, then come back a little later.  She thought it was crazy, people just trusted no one would take anything.  Definitely feels safe in Japan.

Hakone Machi Station

Snowman!

Pirate ship?

Er, no comment

View of Mt Fuji from the boat

The ferry ended up at the Togendai station where the Ropeway station starts.

It's like one of those big ski lift cars - we boarded with another couple and it started moving up.  There was a stop midway but we didn't get off.  You could see Mount Fuji in the distance.

Ropeway

Looks like we're skiing 

Mount Fuji from the ropeway

The ropeway eventually ended up at Owakudani where there were sulfur springs.  It was a little touristy spot with shops, a little shrine, lunch place and a view of Mount Fuji.  Overwhelmingly sulfury smell - we had mich stay inside just in case, I went and bought these kuro tamago that were boiled in the sulfur spring.  We may have just been hungry, but they hit the spot!

Owakudani sulfur spring place

Top where sulfur springs are - stinky

Supposedly they send down
the black boiled eggs in a little
basket on this cable system so you
can buy them a the bottom.

Mount Fuji

Surprisingly tasty kuro tamago

After Owakudani, we took the ropeway back to Togendai.  We finished our eggs in Togendai station, then rode the bus to our hotel Fujimi-en.  It was just like people described online, right next to a gas station!  Not that impressive from outside, but nice inside.

Sign at Togendai Station
If I read it right, it says we rode the ropeway and had fun!
(or we were happy)

In front of Fujimien Ryokan

Eneos gas station you see
next door - people online said to
look for it, so the hotel was easy to find

At Fujimien, all the rooms are on one side so everyone has a view of Mt. Fuji.  The room was pretty big by Japan standards - we got a japanese room so slept on the futon on the floor.
They had a hotpot for tea (you get hot water down the hall) and a nice sitting area and deck.  We got settled, and I went to the onsen.  It also has a nice view of Mt Fuji.

Tatami mat room with scroll and LCD TV

Sitting area

using my joby tripod

View from porch - Mt Fuji is barely visible - in the center

What's in here?

Yukatas!

Gonna make some tea!  

We found some overjacket things for the yukatas, and went to dinner around 18:30 (they said they don't serve after 7pm?), which was huge!  We were stuffed and warm, and fell asleep about 8pm.

Yukata overcoat?

Big Dinner

Picture of the onsen from the internet
I didn't think cameras were allowed.

Another onsen pic