Travel Entry - Hakone...finally!

Last weekend, Kaz and I FINALLY took a trip to Hakone. Hakone has been on the top of my "Must Visit" list since last summer. We'd actually planned this trip several times, but were forced to cancel due to poor weather. Hakone is one of the top recommended day trips from Tokyo as it allows visitors to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy some the outdoors. Hence the desire for nice weather! Hakone is famous for its hot springs (Japan loves its onsens!), beautiful views of Mt. Fuji (if the mountain is not in a finicky mood), and numerous outdoor activities.

I spy Fuji-san...do you?! 

We woke up early on Saturday morning and headed to Hakone. The drive took about three hours and Mt. Fuji made a quick and slightly obscured appearance on our drive. Little did we know this would be its only appearance during our trip! 

Once arriving in Hakone, we drove to Lake Ashi and began our weekend adventures. Lake Ashi is a crater lake that was formed after Mt. Hakone's last eruption 3000 years ago. The lake is beautiful and provides amazing views of Hakone Shrine, Mt. Fuji, and the basically untouched forests surrounding it! The ferry that we rode was designed to look like an Edo-era warship. But, I thought it looked a lot like a pirate ship. 

After disembarking from the ferry, we boarded the Hakone Ropeway - a cable car that took us to Owakudani. Owakudani is a crater that was also created by the last major eruption of Mt. Hakone. Much of Owakudani is an active volcanic zone and sulfurous fumes can be seen billowing up from the Earth. In May 2015, the tourist site was closed due to increased volcanic activity and it wasn't reopened until April 2016. Even after the reopening, however, guests are no longer able to walk the trails around the crater to view the naturally occurring hot springs due to the level of gases in the air. And, the site is often closed when the gas levels become too dangerous.

To me, Owakudani looked like 'The Badlands' straight out of the movie, The Lion King. The greenery that once existed was covered in sulphur and was a grey and lime-green color. Billows of gases rose up in some places - and spewed out with much intensity in others. One of the most popular things to do when visiting Owakudani is to eat black eggs. These eggs are cooked in the naturally hot water and a chemical reaction between the egg and the minerals in the water turns the egg shell black. These eggs are said to add 7 years to your life, so naturally we had to try them! Check out the video below to hear our verdict! 

Owakudani also had a small museum, which I found super interesting! Bear with me for a minute as I have a geeky moment and tell you a bit about what I learned. Ever since we've been in Japan, I've heard numerous times that Mt. Fuji is overdo for an eruption...about 100 years overdo. The thought is absolutely terrifying - especially with Tokyo's close proximity to the volcano. If you look at the image below - you can see that there is a gap between tectonic plate A and tectonic plate B. Mt. Fuji is on top of this gap - and was actually formed by the movement of these two plates thousands of years ago. Plate A is the one that scientists are most worried about - as it has been moving and increasing the volcanic activity of Fuji-san and the surrounding volcanoes. In 2016 alone, there were more than 10,000 earthquakes in this area. While most of them were small and went unnoticed by the general population, one large earthquake could awaken Mt. Fuji and cause the feared eruption to occur. 

Fuji-san...where are you?!

Owakudani is one of the best places to get a full view of Mt. Fuji - as Hakone provides guest with a partially obscured view. Although Saturday's weather was beautiful - the clouds surrounded Fuji-san and refused to move. We took some pictures pointing to Mt. Fuji - based on where the map told us it was supposed to be! The clouds marked the spot though! 

After taking the ropeway back down, we took the ferry into town - so that we could visit Hakone Shrine. Hakone Shrine is nestled in the woods surrounding Lake Ashi - and you probably wouldn't be able to see it if it weren't for its bright torii gates. Interestingly, when the shrine was built in 757, it was believed that the steam explosions happening in the Hakone area were due to an evil spirit - a nine-headed dragon living in the lake. A monk who practiced at the shrine is said to have converted the evil spirit into a protective being. 

After exploring the shrine, we stopped for lunch at a cute restaurant called  'Bakery and Table,' which offered not only amazing food, but also breathtaking views of Lake Ashi! A definite 'must stop' for any of you visiting Hakone in the future! 

Our last stop of the day was walking part of the old Tokaido road (which was lined with giant cedar trees) and ending at the Hakone Checkpoint. The Tokaido linked Tokyo to Kyoto (during the Edo-era) and was Japan's first well-policed road. Before the Tokaido, travel was dangerous and reserved only for bandits and samurai; so, the road made tourism and commerce possible for all - thus transforming Japan in the process. The Hakone Checkpoint has been recreated and includes a prison and lookout tower. When we were standing near the lookout tower, we heard probably the cutest question I've heard in a long time. A little boy was looking around - and asked his dad if Mt. Fuji used to be here hundreds of years ago - like the checkpoint! Because it was cloudy and the mountain wasn't visible that day! :)

We ended our day with some lovely time in the onsen (I had the whole thing to myself on Saturday night and Sunday morning - score!), some Hakone craft beers, and some yummy sushi! 

The next morning, we awoke to cloudy skies; however, the rain did us a favor and held off until early afternoon. We spent the morning exploring the Hakone Open-Air Museum. The museum was opened in 1969 and is Japan's first open-air museum. Visitors can walk around the grounds and explore sculptures and works of art scattered everywhere. There are also buildings that feature works of art by Picasso and others. I definitely think that there is something about mixing art with natural beauty that makes the experience even more powerful and enjoyable. Here's a few pictures! 

And, of course, in total Japanese style, there was also a foot bath where visitors could sit and soak their feet in the water from the natural hot springs. 

We ended our trip with a stop at a traditional Japanese restaurant for some yummy noodles and treats before heading home. Even though Fuji-san was stubborn, we still loved our trip to Hakone. There is just something magical about getting out of the city and spending time surrounded by natural beauty. The town was quiet, the people were friendly, and the sites were breathtaking. During some moments, I felt almost like I was in a small lake town in northern Michigan. I would say that Hakone is definitely a doable weekend trip from Nagoya - and seems like a place that can be enjoyed during any of the four seasons. We're definitely planning another weekend trip in the fall to enjoy foliage if we can squeeze it in!