We spent one day at Hakone on our way from Tokyo to Kyoto. Hakone is famous for its hot springs. At Hakone-Yumoto (箱根湯本), hotels are built on the hill along the river, most of them have public bath houses using water from hot springs and provide exquisite Japanese cuisine, normally meal and breakfast are included in the room price (一泊两食).
After three-day intensive walking in Tokyo, we decided to slow down and spent the first afternoon in Hakone-Yumoto. At night, we stayed at Hotel Okada. Its facility is relatively new, the service is good, and the food is delicious, good-looking, in small dishes but more than we can eat. We chose the Japanese style room (和室) and slept on the tatami. It’s a new and relaxing experience.
The second day, we took the popular round-trip route to see Hakone area. Along the road, on Lake Ashi (芦ノ湖), Hakone Ropeway and from Owakudani (大涌谷), there are a couple of spots we could see the famous Mt. Fuji. There was a surreal feeling, similar to when we visited Syndey Opera House, something we had seen so many times on calendars from our childhoods, now we stood next to it.
Stores in Hakone-Yumoto
A Japanese Garden in Hakone-Yumoto
A Japanese Style Room in Hotel Okada
Round-trip Route around Hakone
