Our Stay in the Foothils of Mount Fuji

Seeing Mount Fuji was one of the things on my wish list since day one of planing. It’s an ever eluding sight that sometimes greets visitors, but often times is hidden away behind clouds. In fact, during our two day stay in Hakone we would see all versions of Mountain Fuji (except the lava spouting one). Hakone, which is located in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park west of Tokyo, is a mountainous town known for its hot springs resorts (onsen) and views of the iconic volcano. I deliberately planned the road trip this way, so that could enjoy ourselves in the calm of nature and onsens after a long journey to Japan. But what I thought would be two relaxing days in nature turned out the be a introduction to the strain our feet would get on the rest of this adventure…

Hotel Green Plaza Hakone

After a 50 minute bus ride from Odawara we arrived at the Hotel Green Plaza. The hotel is conveniently located close to sightseeing spots like Owakudani (volcano crater) and Lake Ashi. We booked it mostly because the hotel is in the foothills of Mount Fuji and has a open air onsen. Counted as one of Hakone’s seventeen hot springs, the hotel is characterized by not only being great for high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and nerve pain, but the waters also include many properties that help make beautiful skin. If you want to be even more comfortable while enjoying the waters, then it may be a great idea to book a room with an open-air bath. We didn’t book that room, but did end up booking a tatami room, and slept on the floor with futons and the traditional Japanese bedding.

A Walk to Ashi Lake

The stay in the onsen happened at night (and taking photos there is forbidden), so before that time we made sure to explore Hakone, and hiked down to Ashi Lake. The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji, its numerous hot springs, historical sites, and ryokan (which are traditional Japanese inns). The lake is located on the Tōkaidō road, the main link between Kyoto and Tokyo. A number of pleasure boats and ferries traverse the lake, providing scenic views for tourists and passengers. Several of the boats are inspired by the design of sailing warships.

Lunch in Hakone

Before our hike through the nearby woods we went for lunch first. We had lunch at a small place called Amimoto Ooba restaurant. There you can enjoy local wakasagi fish caught by the owner himself. In the adjoining Ashinoko Fishing Center, you can try fishing also. It was a beautiful lunch, with delicious food (we had miso soup, fish, rice, various vegetables, tempura…) and great sights of the lake. It’s a traditional place, so you have to take your shoes off, and you sit on the ground with the food spread out deliciously in front of you.

Sunset at Lake Ashi

Just as I was surprised at the early sunrise in Tokyo on that morning, I was equally surprised at the early sunset. We were high up in the mountains but in a valley so the sun did hide behind the mountains quickly. I was still in anticipation of seeing Mount Fuji. From the shore of the lake it’s hard to see fully. Before the sun set, we ventured to the Hakone Kuzuryu Forest. It is a nature park along the eastern waterfront of Lake Ashi. It is a bit out of the way from the Hakone round course, but it does mean you’ll meet fewer people.

Hakone Kuzuryu Therapy Road

To get to Hakone Kuzuryu Forest, you can enter from the trail at the car park of Hakone Kojiri Terminal (there is a spot called Hakone Kuzuryu Forest Therapy, which marks the start of the trailhead), or you can enter from the small trail from The Prince Hakone Ashinoko (This spot on google maps marks the start of the trailhead). From those points, it is 20-30 minutes by foot through a calming “forest therapy”. Forest therapy is the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, which is literally translated as “forest bathing”, but it just means taking a slow walk in nature and appreciating nature through the senses. The trail is truly amazing, with high trees that ever so slightly give a peek of the lake.

Seeing Mount Fuji

The walk back to our hotel was uphill and at on point the lake, trees, houses and roads cleared and we spotted Mount Fuji. Just as the sun set we got a glorious sight of this volcano. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, and is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest peak of an island on Earth. I was amazed that there were no clouds in the sky and that the views were completely unobstructed.

Mount Fuji is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains” along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku. It is a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and one of Japan’s Historic Sites and was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site in 2013. According to UNESCO, Mount Fuji has “inspired artists and poets and been the object of pilgrimage for centuries”. We greeted the holy mountain and made our way to the hotel, ready for the onsen and a good night rest.

The Next Morning

After a unusually sweet breakfast at the hotel (the image below showed the most regular parts my European self could find) we headed back to Odawara with the same bus that got us to Hakone. The morning was foggy, cloudy and rainy. Mount Fuji was hidden away again. At Odawara Station we waited for our Shinkansen train that would take us to our next destination…

…which was Kyoto! My heart was pounding. A two hour bullet train ride was ahead of us, and would bring us to our first big city where we would spend three days. Of course that story will be in the next part. So stay tuned 🙂