Bentenno Hana

Having slept to the gentle sound of rain all night, we awoke to a perfect, sunny day. Perfect that is for a day outside in Hakone.

We started with a fabulous breakfast, Pic. 2, all dressed in Mt. View Hakone yukatas. Pics. 3-5. We then grabbed a bus into the local port where a “Pirate Ship” cruise allowed us a full tour of Lake Ashi. Pic. 6. Sarah volunteered to be cruise director. Pic. 7. The day was beautiful and everyone was in a good mood as we cruised down the lake. Pics. 8 - 13.

We hopped off the boat when I found that a local wood inlay store was near one of the drop-off ports. It was good fortune as we walked through an ancient cedar forest. Pic. 14. We enjoyed a successful shopping expedition just after one of ancient checkpoints used to ensure that female, court “hostages” were not trying to sneak back to their home castles. Margot and Ben bought a really nice inlay memento. The port was nearby allowing us to head to the next stop, a cable car to Owakudani:

“Owakudani is one of most famous viewpoints in Hakone, where you can observe the intense volcanic activity from up close. It is said that this place came to be thanks to a phreatic eruption and pyroclastic flow that occurred almost 3000 years ago. The peculiar sulfur smell that spreads throughout the area was the reason behind its second name from the past, Jigokudani (Hell Valley). One of the local specialties is the “black eggs”, whose main trait is in the shells that turn black due to a chemical reaction with geothermal energy and volcanic gas.”

Needless to emphasize, we dove into and enjoyed the local and famous black eggs. Pics. 16. As always, local school kids were on scene to enjoy as well. Pic. 17. Given that no safe building was anywhere around we enjoyed the posted warning message. Pic 18. Escaping through sulfurous mist we then caught the local Hakone Tozan train:

“The Hakone Tozan train was completed in 1923 to give visitors easy access to the cool weather in the mountains of Hakone during the humid and sweltering Japanese summers.”

We then caught our local bus back to Mount View Hakone; all pretty tired by now. Pic 20. Onsen and 20 minutes of rest before dinner at 6:30.

So many sights seen!
(So many steps we have strode)
Ah, there, the onsen!Weiterlesen