Hakone
This may seem odd to some readers. The ones that know I’ve just returned from a 6 day tramp across Japan . . . . well. a part of it anyway.
But first: Hakone.
Hakone is the prime viewing spot for Fuji-san. For those of you that haven’t been here long. Fuji san is Mount Fuji. It’s a big mountain. It’s a big freestanding mountain (well, it’s a vulcano really, and so it kinda grew there on its own) It’s one of those things that people could build a religion around. It’s the sacred mountain of Japan andeuhm . . . . fairly prominent in Shinto(one of the two main Japanese religions)
But we didn’t come to Hakone for that, as readers of this blog may be aware, I’ve seen Fuji-san from up close. Close-ups, however, do not do her justice. You see boulders, and outlines. It takes a bit of distance to view her properly, say 60 kilometers or so. And maybe a lake to mirror her in.
Hakone is a major tourist hub. And is therefor excellently equiped with public transportation galore. Next to that it has some beautifull scenery. Problem is: It’s a tourist hub, these are notoriously plagued by . . . well, tourists. So you go on a tuesday in winter and all is well. The beatifull scenery all to oneself.
This first public transport was: The train. Well, the train up to the cable car that is. It went back and forth. And some more back. And then some more forth. And while we kept changing direction . . . . the stations also kept changing names. Slightly unnerving and it gave us cause to wonder . . . “hmmmm, how does one say ‘excuse me sir, but do you know what the hell you’re doing’ in Japanese”
From the cable car, we had some excellent views. Though instead of a tourist trap it looked more like slavemines
Then, from a reststop between the two cable rides, we saw our old friend again. It almost distracted us enough to miss a most gruesome change in character. How the Kawaii have fallen.
Next was the lake. One has to cross the lake in style. Bad style. And so we did.
‘s kinda cold though
Next was the relaxing in one of Hakones favourite onsens. Strangely enough, they still don’t let you take pictures in there.
The evening ended with a most relaxed walk back to the bus station and finding out 30 minutes prior to your trains departure that the bus time-table the onsen has is not recent. A mere 10 minutes (by bus) away from the station this presented no problem however to seasoned travellers.
We made it back in time to see the high tech Japanese railway at work. At first we were puzzled. If I was sitting up front . . . . who’s steering. Well, they came up with something for that. Very smart, not to mention amusing. Well, all for the tourists eh.
Enjoy the rest of the photos. Turns out a monk had started a small fire just to give me something to photograph. Nice guys really.
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Quote of the Day:
Experience is a good teacher, but she sends terrible bills
– Minna Thomas Antrim