Hakone Round Course

Last week, I went on a day trip to Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture. The trip takes about 2h from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo using the Odakyu Line. There, I did the so-called Hakone Round Course (counter-clockwise), which involves going through the area using 5 modes of transportation (train, cablecar, ropeway, boat and bus), starting and ending at Hakone-Yumoto Station. Hakone offers great natural beauty, with mountains, a lake and the view of Mount Fuji, as well as historical sites, hot springs and museums, although I did not get to enjoy everything.

Above, in the morning, at the Hakone-Yumoto train station.

Above, aboard the Hakone Tozan Line train, on the way to Gora Station. I didn’t get to go this time but the famous Hakone Open Air Museum is at the next-to-last stop before reaching Gora.

Above, inside Gora Park.

Above, in Gora, boarding the Hakone Tozan Cablecar to Sounzan Station.

Above, on the Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan to Owakudani.

Above, sulfur mine in Owakudani.

Above, view of Mount Fuji.

Above, Black Egg Hello Kitty. Owakudani is famous for its eggs boiled in the hot spring in the mountain and whose shells are blackened by the sulfur.

Above, the hot spring where the eggs are cooked.

Above, school kids in front of Mount Fuji.

Above, pampas grass in the sunlight.

Above, view of Owakudani Station from the mountain.

Above, one of the famous black eggs, sold by packs of 5. Apart from the special color, it tasted pretty much like any other boiled egg.

Above, on the Hakone Ropeway from Owakudani to Togendai.

Above, on the shore of Lake Ashi (Ashinoko).

Above, aboard the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise ship.

Above, the cable car station at the top of Mount Komagatake. It is possible to hike there as well.

Above, Moto-Hakone, with the red Torii of Hakone Shrine visible on the left.

Above, arriving at Hakone-Machi Port, where I disembarked.

Above, Hakone Sekisho, a reconstruction of  a checkpoint on the Tokaido road, which used to link Tokyo and Kyoto during the Edo Period.

Above, inside the Onshi-Hakone-Koen Park (Hakone Detached Palace Garden).

Normally, the place above offers a great view of Mount Fuji but it was obscured by clouds that day (the earlier in the morning, the better the view is).

Above, the detached imperial palace.

Above, walking the Cedar Avenue, between Hakone-Machi and Moto-Hakone.

Above, in Moto-Hakone, on the way to Hakone Shrine.

Above, torii in front of the stairs leading to the Hakone Shrine.

Above, kyudo student and master inside the shrine.

Above, walking the Old Tokaido trail from Moto-Hakone to Hamazake Chaya.

Above, Hamazake Chaya. There, I took the Hakone Tozan Bus (K line) back to Hakone-Yumoto Station.

Above, Hakone-Yumoto in the evening.