Mt. Fuji is a Shy Mountain

Day 7 ~ 11,500 Miles

We were told by our travel guide during our orientation meeting that seeing Mt. Fuji is unlikely because she is shy and typically shrouded in clouds. So I consider us fortunate to have had a glimpse of her today!

Now to backtrack a bit. We left Tokyo this morning and travelled by coach to Hakone. We took a quick break en route at a “Station of the Road” which turned out to be an amazing community run market, restaurant, and rest stop. Our next stop was at an Ashigara Village to visit the Seto Community House where we were greeted by a group of local housewives. These women lovingly provided a tour of this historic house that was once owned by a Samauri family and then proceeded to give us a traditional Japanese cooking lesson for miso soup and rolled sushi. Not to brag, but I received an A+ for my rolled sushi.

Final stop for the day, Hakone at the Recove Hakone Hotel in the foothills of Mt. Fuji. The Recove is tired and dated with old fashioned door locks, buckwheat pillows hard enough to injure an unlikely intruder, and beds that feel like plywood with a sheet. On a positive note I certainly won’t run out of shampoo, conditioner, and soap because there is a 30 ounce bottle of each conveniently located on the vanity across from the shower.

Last thought for the day: When traveling anywhere outside the borders of our beautiful country being unexpectedly asked about my passport undoubtedly will send a wave of panic through my body. My passport is in all alone in Tokyo but thankfully should catch up to me by the time we arrive in Kanazawa!Read more