Hakone And The Elusive Mount Fuji 16 to 21 June 08

Elusive Mt Fuji, originally uploaded by Lee Family

The allure of Mt Fuji beckons as Pat and I decided on an annual holiday in Japan. Last year we sighted the snow capped mountain every morning from our ryokan(family-run inn) window in Fujiyoshida, Japan's 5 lake district. This year we spent one week in Hakone. Alas, Mt Fuji proved elusive. Hakone is shrouded with the mountain mist and the sun hardly shone through the heavy cloud cover. We managed to catch but one fleeting glimpse of the mountain from inside the cable car at the Ubako view point. The view this time was not of a perfect white ice-cream cone. Instead it was picture of a peak streaked with snow melting under the early summer sun. This was the only sighting we had!

Hakone River
Originally uploaded by LeeFamily

We arrived at Sun Hotel Resorpia, our 6 nights time-share exchange after a A380 airbus flight, the Narita Express to Tokyo, Shinkansen Kodama bullet train to Odawara, the Odakyu line to Hakone-Yumato. From there we boarded the mountain train, the Hakone-Tozan rail to Gora.

The Hakone-Tozan mountain rail company celebrated its 120th anniversary this year having been founded in 1888. In summer one could call it the Hydrangeas (Ajisai) Trail since both sides of the tracks are lined with a plethora of colours from the blooms of this plant. This train climbed several hundred metres up the mountain on a switch back system. This probably reduces the length of journey. The small train zig zags its way back and forth with trains switching with each other at the end of 3 switchbacks.

The resort sits on the slope of Mount Sounzan. To reach it we had to travel on a funicular railway to Naka-Gora. In our haste we got out on the wrong side of the tracks. We needed to cross to the other side but there was no bridge. The only way possible was to wait for the next train to arrive and use the train as the linkway to cross over. Picture crossing the carriage crowded with tourist and dragging our luggage behind us!

Owakudani Sulphur Hot Springs
Originally uploaded by LeeFamily

A 3-day Hakone Free pass costing ¥4400 (S$57) allowed us unlimited travel around Hakone region and several discounts to museums and restaurants. We used it to our heart's content the next day, 16 Jan 2008. Starting from Naka-Gora station which is next to Resorpia we took the first Funicular railway trip up to Mt Souzan. We were too early for the cable car but took the liberty to refresh ourselves with the floral scented fresh air, mountain mist and slight drizzle. The double carriaged cable ride led us up the thick mountain mist to the peak with zero visibility of the valley below.

A brief stopover at the Owakudani sulphurous hot springs valley allowed us to buy the famous Kurotamago black eggs. These eggs are hardboiled in the hot watery mud of the springs causing the shell to be blackened. It is said eating one of these eggs would extend lifespan by 7 years. In which case, Pat and I added 21 years each since the smallest package is a bag of six consumed over 2 days. The air was filled with odorous hydrogen sulphide as we meandered our way between the hot sulphur beds. One must not stop for too long, they say because the gas can overwhelm the poor tired souls. So much for gaining 21 years each.

Lake Ashi and Hot Springs

LakeAshi View from Detached Palace
Originally uploaded by LeeFamily

At Togendai we boarded the Tokan pirate ship crossing Lake Ashi. This is a plasmodium shaped lake which was formed by the volcano's last eruption 3000 years ago. It is about 25m deep. There were supposed to have been two potential vistas of the revered mountain but thick clouds added to our disappointment. Lunch consist of mountain vegetable soup and cold green soba.

Hakone Checkpoint
Originally uploaded by Leefamily/

After lunch we visited the Hakone checkpoint which showed how the Shogunate controlled the only road from Kyoto to Edo. The diodoramas illustrated how guards controlled the traffic of merchandise and the passage of women.

Nearby, sited on a small island hillock is the Detached Palace, once the summer residence of the royal family. This is a small Victorian-style mansion which has a very good view of the Lake and on cle ar days, Fuji-san. We enjoyed the tranquil settings of a well-manicured Japanese garden. Eventually we found ourselves trekking under the shade of tall cedar trees of the Ancient Cedar Avenue. The Edo shogunate ordered the planting of these tall trees providing the weary Kyoto-Edo traveller shade from the warm summer sun and shelter from the wintry snow.

Japan08Tenzan
Originally uploaded by LeeFamily

We ended this long day with a refreshing dip in hot-springs. A visit to a Japanese Onsen is not for the shy and faint hearted. For one thing, the baths are communal and the next, bathers are supposed to indulge completely naked. It takes quite a while to get use to this lack of privacy but the Japanese use the bath for a good time of fellowship in a completely relaxed surrounding. One can presuppose that in these exposed surroundings, pristine settings lies the ingredients for honest unfettered relationships. The baths are separated between sexes of course for otherwise there will be no relaxation at all. So in the quiet wooded surroundings by the hillsides, we took our dips alternating between the hot waters of spring and the cold breeze blowing through the shaded forest. We enjoyed the sound of birds singing and the occasional butterfly flitting about the flowers leaves in the garden.