On the fifth day of our trip to Japan my boyfriend and I left bustling Tokyo for peaceful Hakone , a mountainous area west of Tokyo famous for hot springs and Mt Fuji views. In the morning, we bid farewell to Asakusa and successfully navigate our suitcases through the morning rush.
Because we would have to wait for another one for quite some time, we decided to take the taxi. After a short ride, we arrived to our accommodation. We left our luggage in the lobby and went out to explore the area. Unfortunately, the volcano just started to woke up from its dormant stage.
The Japanese agencies sensed its increased activities and closed the area for the safety reasons. Moto-Hakone is one of the places where you can observe the Mount Fuji. But, the Fuji-san, as it is sometimes nicknamed, is known to be a shy mountain. In spring, it is often hidden behind the clouds and fog and shows only for a limited amount of time.
The path is surrounded by the majestic cedar trees that are claimed to be more than years old. Walking on this ancient road was nice, but the whole experience was a bit spoiled by the traffic noise from the very busy modern road that runs just next to the cedar avenue. Fuji and Lake Ashi. There was a cafe, which was closed and an exhibition. Unfortunately the panels were in Japanese. We went there to buy some drinks and snacks, but we ended up buying sushi boxes. We took the food to the banks of Lake Ashi and had a lunch with the view.
Luckily, we did and we safely arrived to our ryokan. Ryokan is traditional Japanese inn and when staying there, there are some rules to be obeyed. We had to leave our shoes in the lockers by the entrance and wore slippers provided in the lobby. After a kind introduction to the house and the things we should be familiar with while staying there e. Our room was decorated in Japanese-style, with futon beds and tatami floors.
