Bachwig travellers: Leaving Tokyo and enjoying Hakone

Day 2 - Leaving Tokyo and enjoying Hakone

Tokyo, Hakone

Sunday, 29 June 2014
We all work up early...the joys of a 3 hour time zone difference. We headed out to look for breakfast. The Hotel has a Italian restaurant downstairs that serves a western breakfast but we thought we might find something in the area near the subway entrance. We did. There was a coffee house called Tullys and another further down which unfortunately I can't remember the name of.
Michael had bagels, Bruce a sandwhich and I had a kind of croque Monsieur. The Lattes were good (next time I'll work out how to ask for a double shot) and Michael enjoyed his hot chocolate.The whole lot cost around 1800 yen...way cheaper than the hotel breakfast.
We packed up our gear and headed back through the subway to Tokyo station. We found the centre where you change your JR pass and again it couldn't have been easier. JR passes done, seats reserved for the Shinkansen to Odawara...away we went! Bruce was very excited for his first Shinkansen trip even it is was a short one. It was just half an hour. Ar Odawara we bought our Hakone Free Pass - again a terrible easy experience. There is always someone around with great English whose Job is to help you out. Michael was a child's fare again. This pass is 4000 yen an adult and gives us unlimited travel on all the Hakone transport. We then jumped on a train to Hakone-Yumoto and we were there.
A very crowded train station and a difference of opinion from me and Bruce as how to get to the Ryokan. He wanted the train (which looked very crowded to me) and I was sure the Ryokan had recommended the bus. I think Bruce's concern about bus was knowing where to get off. The train has a 7 minute walk to the Ryokan and the bus 1 minute. So we got brave and caught the bus. We worked out that the sign out the front gives the stop name coming up in Japanese symbols and then western script. It is only a three minute bus ride, and then a walk down the hill and over the road. We were there! I think it was about 1.00pm and checking isn't to three...so we left our bags and backpacks and walked back into Hakone-Yumato for lunch. We found a small Japanese cafe and their sign said that they had an English menu inside. It was mainly donburi and udon and again - very affordable. Michael was getting a but techy..all he wanted to do was go to the hotel. But over lunch I gave him the area map and given it was turning out to be a lovely sunny day we asked him to choose how we would go to a Mt Fuji view.
So..after lunch we went off searching for Mt Fuji. We went on the train up the hill. This is is a very steep gradient with a couple of switch backs. The train is very crowded and Bruce had to stand but it gave him a better view. At the top of the train we changed for a cable car - again very crowded. There are men with microphones everywhere giving instructions and updates but that is all in Japanese. Sometime s we get the idea of what they are saying - for example the man at the cable car was getting the crowd the move up further. All the way up this journey there are little towns and hotels and ryokan. There is even a hotel right beside the cable car - I don't think that is for us! The foliage is very very green and it is hydrangea season so they are all out beside the train line. Very very pretty.
We then transferred to the Ropeway which was spectacular. There are three stages to the Ropeway and at one you have to change. The first stage travels over a thermal valley. After that stage the Ropeway goes done to Lake Ashi. We got off there...took a quick photo and turned around as we had to be back at our ryokan by 6.30 pm ( they asked us to be back by then for dinner). So..all the way back again. The delays seemed longer especially for the cable car and we made it by 5 minutes!
We checked in and went to our room. It was so cool. The Ryokan is very old. It is the Tonosawa ichinoyo Honkan and was founded in 1630. Luckily our luggage was in our room as we were on the third floor. The restaurant is on the 4th, and bar on the 1st. Our room Han an entrance foyer, then a main room with a low table and chairs. This is also where we slept. Then there was a small lounge area with two chairs and a view of the river - which was very loud! There was the usual flash toilet with toilet slippers in it. Then our bath outside with the shower beside. It. It was a real treat!
Dinner was in the dining room and a huge Japanese feast. There was a hotspot with Hakone pork and vegetables steaming away. There was no wine on the menu so we shared a special Inchinoyu cold sake. After dinner it was great to have a shower an shot bath. So relaxing!

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