Arrival in Moto-Hakone

Prior to our arrival in Japan, I had booked a room at Moto-Hakone Guest House, and I also bought the Hakone Free Pass for JPY5500 on arrival at Narita. Both turned out to the excellent purchases; the guest house was friendly, homely and great value for money, and the Pass allowed unlimited rides within the Hakone area plus one return trip between Shinjuku and the Hakone area.

Leaving Shinjuku around noon on Thursday, we took the local train to the town of Odawara. From there, we took a bus to Moto-Hakone on the shores of Lake Ashi. Getting to the guest house was a breeze thanks to the detailed instructions, complete with pictures, on the guest house's website.

Arriving around 4pm, the friendly proprietor told us to hustle out to dinner immediately as only the Italian restaurant was open and they would close before 5pm. So, we headed into town - about a 15 minute walk - and had an salad, pizza and ice cream. After dinner, we strolled along the shore of Lake Ashi enjoying the cool evening - a wonderful respite from the heat in Tokyo - before heading back and turning in early.

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