My Amazing Time in Japan IV – Hakone

After having visited the beauties of Tokyo (here) and Kamakura (here), I moved to Hakone, one of Japan's premier hot spring areas, and home to the beautiful Mount Fuji. The sceneries that this place offers are simply stunning, but also interesting from a cultural point of view: Hakone was actually one of the 53 “check points” used by the Tokugawa government to control travels from Tokyo to Kyoto during the Edo Period (1603-1868).

One of the sculptures of the museum

From Kamakura, I took a JR train to Odawara, then changed on the Hakone Tozan Line train to Chokokunomori, then I finally changed at Hakone Yumoto. The journey is pretty long I have to admit, it took about 2.00 hours if not more, but believe me when I say it is simply wonderful. The mountain scenery you will be able to admire are breathtaking, especially if you are lucky enough to see them in Spring or Autumn.

A beautiful view of the museum and the park

White marble among the others

One of my favourite artworks

And another one of my favourites

In Hakone, before heading to the traditional Japanese-style guest house where I stayed overnight, I stopped to visit the Hakone Open Air Museum, a true wonder.

As the name suggests, it is an Open Air Museum, home to approximately 120 works by well known modern and contemporary sculptors. It also has an exhibition hall dedicated to Picasso, that simply is a must see. On the top of that, the museum contains some art pieces that children can play with, a foot-bath fed by the nearby natural hot springs, and a variety of restaurants and a small shopping centre. Take your time to walk in the park, enjoy the natural views as well as the works of art. I was very lucky that day, it was a beautiful sunny day, and I simply wished I could stay so much longer.

This was a fantastic artwork, and also a playground for kids

The Picasso pavilion

Some very original benches!

After having visited the museum I stopped to the lovely guest house that I booked, to rest before going for dinner. The Ashinoku Ichinoyu is a beautiful place, where people can enjoy a Japanese-style stay, with tatami floor, futon and public or private hot springs.

Detail of my room in the guest house

One of the outdoor hot springs

In a typical Japanese style, the guest house offers some public onsen, where guests need to follow the traditional rules: it is forbidden to use soap in the public bath, a person has to enter it without clothes, wash and rinse themselves outside the bath, and after their body is clean, they can enter the hot bath, together with the other hosts.

As this tradition might feel embarrassing to foreigners who are not used to it, the guest house also offers a private open air bath: guests can book a 40 minute slots during which they can enjoy alone the open air spring, and relax in the hot water under a starry sky. It is a wonderful experience, and I absolutely suggest you to have a go!

One of the amazing dishes I had the pleasure to try in a family run restaurant in town

Japanese-style breakfast offered by the guest house I stayed in. It was delicious!

As Hakone is a small town, you will mainly find family-run restaurants, offering a variety of home made food. That is a must try, I loved the food I enjoyed in Hakone maybe more than any other; also, you will be able to see how a traditional Japanese-style restaurant looks like, and that's another fantastic experience.

My day 2 in Hakone was all dedicated to the exploration of the National Park.

First of all, I took the cable car up to the Owakudani caldera, and as I was climbing up I was lucky enough to have a perfect view of Mount Fuji! I visited the caldera, and also tried a traditional “black egg”, which basically is a normal egg cooked in the caldera water, turning its shell black. Its funny though that according to the tradition eating a black egg gives you extra 7 years of life, so wasn't it worth a try?

Pretty big black egg

And the edible one!

Can you see Mount Fuji over there?

Volcanic activities at the top of the mountain

After having descended the cable car I took a pirate boat to the Hakone check point, and enjoyed a little cruise on the lake Ashi. The Hakone check point (500 yen entrance ticket) has been recently rebuilt to look exactly like the original one. You can see the areas where people where controlled, where passports were checked, where horses rested. Its very interesting, and beautiful from a landscape point of view. Around the check point is the forest with its secular trees, planted during the Edo period with the purpose of shading the path to the travellers from Tokyo to Kyoto (and the other way around).

Mount Fuji again, because he's simply beautiful

Lake Ashi

The Tori gate in the lake Ashi, part of the temple in the Hakone town

The Hakone check point, beautifully recreated

The path brings you to the Moto-Hakone town, where it is possible to see the lovely Hakone temple and enjoy some lunch/dinner in another local restaurant.

When I get back to the guest house that night it was simply fantastic to enjoy the hot spring bath, after having walked for so much. It is a must experience, I rarely tried something as relaxing, seriously.

Entrance to the Hakone town

The forest surrounding the path used by travellers during the Edo Period

The following day I took a train again, direction Kyoto. Stay tuned to know more about the city of geisha, the stunning ex capital of Japan, and possibly one of the most beautiful cities of the country.

M.