12 Japan DAY 5 – HAKONE, TOKYO, JAPAN (28 April, 2014)

The first on our things to do in Hakone was the gondola (or gondola lift or what you simply call a cable car, bit bigger in size with a capacity of 16 persons) which would give us a view of the mountains, lake and Mt. Fuji. But the drive was long and though it might have been a bit boring such thoughts of boredom were quickly set aside for along the way we got a spectacular view of Mt. Fuji on the side we were seated in the bus and I again found myself taking shots on the move. Unexpectedly the images were beautiful even in that situation; I display one of them below.

Mt. Fuji. A view from bus on the way to Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

   

     About half an hour later, we were informed that due to the bad weather, the gondola we decided to go was closed, as such was the circumstance the guide instead brought us to another gondola at Togendai station of Hakone rope way. 

At Togendai station of Hakone ropeway, Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

     

     After 15 min of ropeway travel, we arrived at Owakudani station (via Ubako station). As luck would have it, the gondola chosen wasn't that good; it hardly showed us anything though Lake Ashinoko and Mt. Fuji were visible. It was hard to take shots as the gondola obstructed me. 

A beautiful view of the Lake Ashinoko from gondola, Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014.  

     At Owakudani station, first we visited the nearby souvenir shop where I was really fascinated with the small wooden hand-crafted magic boxes.

     Then we took a few shots of the Owakudani volcanic valley of Mt. Hakone. Fumes with sulfur smell were still coming out, indicating that the volcanic zone is active.

    

A view of the Owakudani volcanic valley of Mt. Hakone, 

Hakone. Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014. 

     

     Okay, let's stop with the cable car because it wasn't the intended one for the tour and it was boring; so let’s go to my favorite part of the whole tour. A cruise..!

    

     I think I started dreaming right after I stepped out of the little building, Hakone Kojiri Terminal, at the small harbor of the Lake Ashinoko. The sky has always interested me; nature has always… when their beauty combines, I am amazed. Then again what kind of an artist be itself proclaimed, be if I hadn't been interested in the beauty that was before me. Here is a picture, it’s a bit dark as it was taken from my iPhone, but the sky was the same.

   

Hakone Kojiri Terminal of the Lake Ashinoko, Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014.  

     

     Already excited getting on the boat only made me bounce more and regardless of the cold I took as many pictures as I could till the very end. My poor hands, but what mattered the most was, I was very happy; I can conclusively say that this was one of my happiest moments in Japan.

     

Cruise on Lake Ashinoko, Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

     However that was the last stop. So we started heading back to Tokyo. Shot several pictures as I was heading back, since by then the sun was already setting, but offered the best views for me.

Cruising on Lake Ashinoko, Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

     Again dark most likely this was taken from the bus but it doesn’t the sun and the sky are the highlights here.

Cruising on Lake Ashinoko, Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

A beautiful view of the Lake Ashinoko from cruise, Hakone. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014.  

A beautiful view from the bus, on the way back to Tokyo. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014.  

     

     Similar to the morning we reached the innards of Tokyo, where we had requested the guide to drop us at a shopping centre. As requested the guide left us at Shinjuku, the largest shopping district in Tokyo as we later learned. But we weren’t there for long; we left a while after we had bought my father a sweater so that he would not get frozen in Sapporo where we were heading the day following the next.

At Shinjuku shopping mall, Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014.  

    

    By the time we had reached the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay hotel all the way within Maihama I was drooping which had become recurrent in Japan. 

In train, on the way back to Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay hotel, 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014.  

     

Dinner.  Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014.  

    

     But the day had been wonderful so I did not complain or grumble about my tired state, that night I lay to sleep thinking about how I would love it to visit Mt Fuji again..!

11 Japan DAY 5 – MOUNT FUJI, TOKYO, JAPAN (28 April, 2014)

I am not a morning bird, it should be a little obvious now, so it would make sense that my day started with irritation. But soon, I was captivated by watching the amazing view of sea from the hotel room. My parents already started shooting and taking snaps. Our hotel was just on the shore of the sea; frankly speaking we had a disturbed sleeping on the previous night as even small sounds made us reminding of earthquakes and tsunamis.

A view from Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay hotel room balcony, 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

As Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay hotel did not have a complimentary breakfast like our previous hotel in Osaka, we have managed with bread and noodles which we stocked already! The time was 6.10 am when we left the hotel. From the hotel we had to take monorail to Maihama station.

Tokyo bay view from Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay hotel room, 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

All was well. We reached Maihama station safely without any problem until we saw the Tokyo morning rush. No need to say, it was a Monday, first weekday of working; all were in formal dress rushing and pushing. I, in my life, have been to many places but nothing could compare to the people crushed against the doors of the train.

Tokyo bay view from Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay hotel room, 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

We fortunately were able to get on the rapid service which got us on to Tokyo station faster. From Tokyo station, we took another local train to Hamamatsucho station where we have to join with Mt. Fuji-Hakone 1-day tour (JTB Sunrise Tours). We quickly found our site of meeting which was in the annex of the World Trade Centre, a building connected with the station. The only hardship traveling was the power of Tokyo morning rush.

JTB Sunrise Tour Bus to Mt. Fuji. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

On the way to the Mt. Fuji my time was spent mostly asleep. It seems the time I woke up was timely as a while later Mt. Fuji came into view. From my point of view, Mt. Fuji looked like a mountain of myths; it was just so beautiful to my eyes. It might be because I have not seen other mountainous countries but even if I do, I think, Mt. Fuji will always be special.

Mt. Fuji. A view from bus on the way to Mt. Fuji. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

Soon enough we reached Fuji Visitor Center, a small station from where we had a wonderful view of Mt. Fuji. After thirty minutes though we left.

 

Mt. Fuji. A view from Fuji Visitor Center. Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

Mt. Fuji. A view from Fuji Visitor Center. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

Along the way to Mt. Fuji 5^th Station, our tour guide talked about the strangest souvenirs one could buy which included a bottle in which you can trap Mt. Fuji air and take it home with you; it was amusing. 

Beautiful road on the way to Mt. Fuji 5^th Station. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

Our trip to the 5^th station was enjoyable. On the way, we passed a road which made a nightingale sound when the bus went over it. According to our guide, it was caused by the uneven flooring reverberating sound below the cement of the road.

Mt. Fuji 5^th Station was cold, so much so that I felt my hand slowly going numb. The only thing keeping my attention was the ice and the top of Mt. Fuji which peeked over the trees. Other than that it was the ice which I was not interested in as the guide advised us not to touch the ice on the floor as an ice-melting chemical was sprayed over for melting quickly. As that did not sit well with me I didn't go near it except for a picture that too coaxed by my parents.

Mt. Fuji. A view from 5^th Station. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

I wanted to buy a souvenir however it seemed there was no necessity to do so as instead of souvenir I got 'lucky bells' bought with a coupon given by the guide. I had three coupons as my parents did not want theirs.

 

Mt. Fuji 5^th Station. Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

After I finished going around the shops we left and decided to go to the bus especially my father who wasn't wearing a sweater, why, he thought that he could survive the 'light' cold of Japan.

Mt. Fuji. A view from 5^th Station. 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

Near the bus was the place I liked a cliff wall with railing from where you can look at the Japanese alps. I'm not going to describe again I've run out of words so let's leave it at, 'it was .......'.

That was where my fun began. From then till we reached Hotel Regina Kawaguchiko, where we had to have lunch, I tried to take as many good pictures. This was hard as I was trying to take from on board a moving bus. But somehow I managed.

Traditional Japanese lunch at Hotel Regina Kawaguchiko, 

Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

For lunch we had a traditional Japanese style cuisine served with soup, sushi and rice. I was satisfied with the choice while my father thought the rice smelled weird; I was convinced that it was probably the smell of raw tuna.

 

Eating raw tuna. At Hotel Regina Kawaguchiko, Tokyo, Japan. Apr. 28, 2014

After lunch we proceeded to Hakone.