A Journey Through Hakone: Nature, Culture, and Culinary Delights.

Personally, I prefer lawns that are vibrant green and perfectly smooth. I would love to lie on one whenever I come across it.

Luckily, Hakone has exactly what I imagined: the Hakone-en Fuji Ashinoko Panorama Park. I found this spot on Google Maps and would love to add it to my Hakone itinerary. Here is what I imagine: I would feel very relaxed when lying on it. With my eyes closed, taking a nap, there would be no pressure in my heart. When I open my eyes, I would see the sky and white clouds. Looking down, I could see the entire Lake Ashi and the surrounding mountains. This is what I envisioned when I planned my trip to Hakone; however, it didn’t happen. I know it’s a disappointing story, but I would still say that my trip to Hakone was wonderful and amazing. It is a pity that I did not get to lie on the lawn. So, I have a suggestion for you: spend more days when traveling in Hakone.

The trip is a bit long when starting from Nishi-Kawaguchi Station. I need to go to Shinjuku Station from my home, where my friend Chris is waiting for me at the Odakyu Line in Shinjuku Station. We prepared the Hakone Pass, which cost me 6,100 yen. We scanned the QR code, which is quite different from the Nikko Pass. For the Nikko Pass, the staff just look at your ticket or scan it visually. The journey takes about 90 minutes from Shinjuku Station to Odakyu Station. Some trains take 100 minutes, while others take 80 minutes. You may need to transfer, so be mindful of that. It can be very annoying if you don’t know in advance. However, it’s okay if you miss one, because the next train will arrive in 10 minutes. When we arrived at Odakyu Station and exited, we saw the bus stop. We took the bus from there, which brought us to the Lake Ashi Pleasure Boat Moto-Hakone Port. This trip takes about an hour. The journey was a bit bumpy and crowded.I saw the port and the boat when I got off the bus. This is not my first time coming to Hakone, but I still felt amazed when I got off the bus. The trip, taking various forms of transportation, felt so nice. You won’t have to walk much when transferring to another vehicle. That’s is very nice for lazy guy.

We queued up for the Pleasure Boat immediately after getting off the bus. As you may already know, there are first-class and economy-class tickets. We needed to take the economy class since we had the Hakone Pass. the economy-class is kind of crowded, someone taking pictures, and shooting. you should take the first-class if you want a more beautiful view, less crowded deck. That day is weekend day, It would be very crowded if it is holiday, I think so. We can take a more space for shooting and photographing.

We took the boat trip just like everyone else. First, we boarded at Moto-Hakone Port, then we went to the Hakone Pirate Ship Tōgendai Port, and finally, we arrived at the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise Port. The view was stunning—the water was a deep azure, the sky was a brilliant blue, the clouds were fluffy, and we could see the green mountains and the ropeway. You can find many scenic spots on Google Maps, such as Onshi-Hakone Park (恩赐箱根公园), Benten-no-hana Tenbodai (弁天の鼻展望台), and the Old Tokaido Road Ancient Cedar Avenue (芦ノ湖畔旧東海道杉並木), among others. You can see Mount Fuji from the observation deck in Onshi-Hakone Park. It is an excellent spot for viewing and photography. You might feel a bit disappointed that Mount Fuji is not snow-capped yet, but it is still worth seeing. Another spot I highly recommend is the Old Tokaido Road Ancient Cedar Avenue. Walking along this road, surrounded by over 400-year-old cedar trees, you can truly feel the forest. The walk is not very long, about 500 meters. Some trees have a circumference of 4 meters, and it takes three people to hug one.

Enjoying the food

When traveling, everyone yearns to sample unfamiliar cuisines - dishes with unique ingredients, distinctive flavors, and authentic local tastes. Japanese cuisine often brings to mind iconic dishes like sushi, udon, and soba noodles. Personally, I’m not a big fan of sushi due to its raw fish content. However, I can tolerate small amounts of raw fish, and I make an effort to taste it. For me, it’s about more than just the food; it’s an opportunity to explore and appreciate Japan’s rich culinary culture.

Trying new foods, even those outside our comfort zone, is an integral part of the travel experience. It allows us to connect with a country’s traditions and way of life on a deeper level. While raw fish might not be my preferred choice, I believe in embracing these culinary adventures as they offer invaluable insights into Japanese gastronomy and cultural practices.

By pushing our boundaries and being open to new tastes, we not only expand our palates but also gain a more profound understanding of the places we visit. This approach to food during travel enriches our overall experience, creating lasting memories and a greater appreciation for global culinary diversity.

I found a restaurant on Google Maps. Yep! It’s a kind of sushi place, serving raw fish. I can see raw fish, rice, and eel (unagi) in the pictures. The restaurant’s name is Daimasa (大正). It’s a small restaurant with only one staff member and 12 seats (10 seats inside, 2 seats outside). Last time I came to Hakone, I just got some bread from Family Mart. I’ve already forgotten what kind of flavor it was. From the pictures provided by Google Maps, it looks nice and delicious. Despite my initial uncertainty about the flavors, the full restaurant and the care shown by the staff were promising signs. It made me eager to taste the food and create new flavor memories of Japanese cuisine.

The serving time was a little longer than I expected, but it was worth the wait. The food was even nicer and more gorgeous than what I had seen on Google Maps. The actual dishes surpassed the pictures I had viewed online.

I ordered a dish with raw fish and eel, while my friend Chris opted for raw fish with shrimp. Despite my initial hesitation about raw fish, the presentation and quality of the food were impressive. When I finally tasted the dish, I was pleasantly surprised. The raw fish was remarkably fresh, and the eel was quite delicious. This experience challenged my preconceptions about raw fish dishes.

One more thing worth noting: the staff could speak English, which was a relief. It meant we could feel free to ask the waiter any questions about the menu or dishes. This level of service added to the overall positive experience.

The price was a bit high at 1800 yen, but it felt affordable and acceptable considering the location. Hakone is, after all, a world-famous sightseeing destination in Japan. The quality of the food and the unique dining experience justified the cost.

As I mentioned before, the food here is not just a treat for your taste buds but also for your social media. The beautifully presented dishes would certainly polish your Instagram, Xiaohongshu, or WeChat moments. The vibrant colors, artistic arrangement, and the backdrop of this cozy Japanese restaurant make for perfect photo opportunities.

Hakone Shrine and Torii Gate

Shrines and Torii Gates are iconic symbols of Japanese culture, and Hakone is no exception to this tradition. The area boasts the beautiful Hakone Shrine and its famous Torii Gates, including the First Torii Gate and the Heiwa no Torii (Peace Torii).

These structures, especially the Heiwa no Torii, have become must-visit spots for travelers. It’s common to see visitors eagerly taking pictures with friends and family, striking various poses in front of these majestic gates. This desire to interact with such cultural symbols is understandable; we all want to capture and preserve these happy moments. So the queue line is quite long. Maybe we need to take 30 mintues or 1 hour for the shooting. Chris and I just taking a few picture, we don’t want to queue in line.

After visiting the Torii Gate, we headed to the Artist Museum. While Chris went to purchase the tickets, I decided to take a quick detour to the First Torii Gate. Initially, I hadn’t planned on taking any pictures there, but sometimes, nature presents us with unexpected gifts.

As I approached the First Torii Gate, I was struck by a breathtaking sight. The sunlight was falling perfectly on the gate, creating a stunning interplay of light and shadow. The majestic mountain in the background added depth to the scene, framing the gate in a way that seemed almost too perfect to be real.

In that moment, I realized this was exactly the kind of scene I’d want to remember forever. It was one of those rare instances where everything aligns just right - the lighting, the composition, the atmosphere. Despite my earlier intentions, I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity pass. However, reviewing my photos later, I was disappointed. The images failed to convey the true majesty I had experienced. This ‘failure’ taught me that some moments are too profound for photographs. While I didn’t get the perfect picture, I gained a deeper appreciation for being present in nature rather than always trying to capture it.

Extra

In just one day of traveling in Hakone, as I’ve mentioned before, you can only see small pieces of Hakone. You won’t fully enjoy the sightseeing. For the next sightseeing spot, we simply skimmed through it. It was dawn, and the ropeway was about to close soon. We took the last ropeway and arrived at Gora Station. Thank God, Buddha, we caught the train just before the doors closed. Otherwise, we would have missed it and had to wait 10 minutes or more for the next one.

Hopefully, I wish that I can travel again with a three-day vacation.