Hakone

So the weather here in Kanto has been slowly sputtering and lurching towards balmier conditions week by week. The fact that it has been an unusually warm winter - it didn't snow even once! - means that we can enjoy spring traveling a little earlier than usual. With that in mind, the lovely Kazumi - making her first appearance here on the pandablog - and I headed over to nearby Hakone for a day long vacation that included cable cars, pirate boats and even a half dozen magical black eggs.

Hakone is a resort area located up in the mountains west of Tokyo and centered around beautiful lake Asahiko. It is famed for its onsens and ryokans, as well as lush nature and fresh mountain air. Easily accessible from Shinjuku station via the private Odakyu Odawara train line, it is very popular with stressed out Tokyo-ites looking for a quick getaway from the daily grind of big city life. It is normally quite crowded on the weekends and during peak travel times (oh the irony) but during the slower periods - such as when we went - it is entirely possible to lose yourself amongst all the green trees and quiet mountain surroundings. On particularly clear days, you can even catch glimpses of the majestic Mt. Fuji rising up from the trees and ridges in the distance, looking particularly grand if you view it from the pirate boat (err) while crossing the central lake.

The closest we got to an onsen...

There's not much else to say about Hakone other than it's a beautiful place and if you're ever in Tokyo and want a quick day trip change of pace, this (or else Kamakura) would be high on my list of recommendations. As for this entry, it's mainly just a bunch of pictures. Enjoy!

The view from the ropeway

Little dolls lined up for sale

Kazumi wanted to steal this dog...

The lovely Kazumi

They had employee uniforms to try out and pose in for some reason...

Train conductor panda...

Minerals give the hotspring water this distinctive white colour - and distinctive sulfur smell.

Steamah steam!

Kazumi dubiously considers eating a black "onsen tamago" (eggs boiled in the mineral springs)

Each egg you eat is supposed to add 7 years to your life...

Reflecting on what to do with her recently extended lifespan...

Being regarded suspiciously by little children...

Pirate ship on right, steam ship on left. Which shall we take?

Oh c'mon now, you didn't think I'd pass on a chance to ride with PIRATES, did you?

My hair doing crazy things.

I wanted to be a pirate when I was younger. True story.

But my ship would have been crewed by decidedly less bored looking people.

Land Ho!!! Kazumi excitedly spies the end of our journey.

And what better way to end a day out than with some fried squid?