#Hakone Ropeway

[emaadsidiki]

Mount Fuji 🗻

[merpmonde]

Hakone Ropeway

The gondola lift up the Schauinsland is very good, but my favourite so far is definitely the Hakone Ropeway. After the train into Hakone, another train to Gôra, and a funicular, the last leg up the mountain is covered by this funitel, on which cars are suspended by two cables rather than one.

The Ropeway carries passengers up to Ôwakudani through the forest... at least as far as that ridge.

Mount Hakone is an active volcano and "Ôwakudani", 大涌谷, literally means "great boiling valley", featuring bright yellow sulphur deposits and gas vents. Going from lush green slopes to the mineral hellscape of the crater in an instant is a breathtaking contrast, and one of my all-time favourite moments from my travels.

The Ropeway can obviously only run when the volcano isn't too active. When I first rode it in 2016, staff handed out damp tissues for passengers to cover their nose and mouth and protect themselves against the gases. After traversing the crater, the Ropeway continues down the other side of the mountain to the North end of Lake Ashi, where one would continue a tour by boarding one of the "pirate ships" that cruise on the lake.

[sweetbeagaming]

Sweetpea 🌱☁️ DA-5107-2587-3406

A little slice of warm Japanese summer- a love letter to the hydrangea-filled Kanagawa prefecture in Japan. View Mt. Fuji, enjoy a treat at the natsumatsuri, take a stroll around town, explore the shipyard and more. This island means so much to me I couldn’t possibly put it into words. If you visit, please tag me or leave a note- I’d love to see it. 💛⭐️ Sweet dreams!

More island photos here, map and more info below ↩️

Sweetpea was finished in January 2022 but I look back very fondly on creating it so it’s been fun to see it get new life on Tumblr. I created it throughout 2020 when I was missing traveling and Japan. It honestly kept me sane. At the end of 2021 I was having a really tough time mentally. When things felt hopeless the goal of finishing Sweetpea pulled me out of it and gave me a reason to keep going. The friends I’ve made in this community are irreplaceable. Thanks to anyone who visits, you are honestly visiting a piece of my heart! 💛

There’s some goodies in the plaza train station & matsuri beach. All houses are fully decorated. Various overlook spots and pipe to Hakone Ropeway are marked on the map with white dots.

[tokidokitokyo]

神奈川県

Japanese Prefectures: Kantō - Kanagawa

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

神　かみ、かん～、こう～、シン、ジン、かな　gods, mind, soul

奈　いかん、からなし、ナ、ナイ、ダイ　Nara

川　かわ、セン　stream; river

県　ケン　prefecture

関東　かんとう　Kanto, region consisting of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures

Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Yokohama (横浜市)

Kanagawa Prefecture is located just south of Tokyo. It is home to many day trip destinations from Tokyo, including the cities of Kamakura and Hakone. The prefectural capital of Yokohama on the Pacific coast is Japan's second largest city and its major port, including many multicultural influences such as a China Town and the Minato Mirai building. The port areas are also major centres of bonito and tuna fishing. Inland, Kanagawa has a flourishing agricultural area producing flowers and dairy products for the Tokyo market.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット The Great Buddha of Kamakura - 鎌倉大仏

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (source)

At the Buddhist temple Kotoku-in (高徳院) in Kamakura stands the 11-metre tall 13th-century bronze statue of Amida Buddha. Initially housed in a wooden hall, it was restored in the Edo period (1603-1868) after being damaged over the years by typhoons and earthquakes and now towers over the grounds of the temple. The Great Buddha of Kamakura is the second largest seated Buddha in Japan.

After you visit the Great Buddha, you can also find other Zen Buddhist temples, which are among the oldest and most beautiful in the country, and most in walking distance from each other. Enoshima and the Kamakura beaches are also nearby.

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理 Kuro-tamago (Black eggs) - 黒卵 (くろたまご)

Kuro-tamago or Black eggs (source)

It may seem strange, but this popular souvenir from the Owakudani (大涌谷 or Great Boiling Valley) in the resort town of Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture gets its distinctive black color from being boiled in natural hot spring water for 60 minutes at a temperature of 80°C, then steamed at 100°C for 15 minutes in steel baskets over natural hot spring water. The natural hot spring water contains sulfur and iron, thus turning the egg shells black. The Kuro-tamago, or Black Eggs, have a slight sulfur smell (although the whole valley has this smell so you might not notice). They are safe to eat and are said to add 7 years to your lifespan! (You shouldn't eat more than two at one time though, as the lifespan elongating effects will then be nullified, or you might just feel slightly sick).

Owakudani is an active volcanic valley that is known to locals as Jigokudani (地獄谷 or Valley of Hell) due to the sulfurous volcanic gasses and steam from the natural hot spring waters. There are many resorts nearby in Hakone which tap into these natural hot springs. The valley was formed due to the last eruption of Mt Hakone about 3,000 years ago. On clear days, you have a great view of Mt Fuji. There is also a ropeway that will take you over the active volcanic area, but sometimes it can be closed when the volcanic activity picks up and the volcanic gasses increase, so check before you visit.

Kanagawa Dialect・Kanagawa-ben・神奈川弁

Kanagawa-ben is a basket term used to describe the dialects spoken in the prefecture, but there is no single unified dialect.

1. うんめろ　unmero very, a lot

うんめろ美味しい (unmero oishii)

Standard Japanese: たくさん、とても　(takusan, totemo)

とても美味しい (totemo oishii)

English: very, a lot

very delicious

2. あんきだ　anki da　I'm relieved, it's a relief

おめーらガ、みんなこどまーでけーからあんきだなー (omeera ga, minna kodomaa dekei kara anki da naa)

Standard Japanese: 安心だ　(anshin da)

お前の家は、みんな子どもが成長しているから安心だな (omae no ie wa, minna kodomo ga seichou shite iru kara anshin da na)

English: I'm relieved

It's a relief because all the children in your home are growing up well

3. あっちかし・こっちかし　(acchikashi, kocchikashi)

椅子を並べるのはこっちかし?　あっちかし？ (isu o naraberu no wa kocchikashi? acchikashi?)

Standard Japanese: あちら側・こちら側　(achiragawa, kochiragawa)

椅子を並べるのはこちら側?　あちら側？ (isu o naraberu no wa kochiragawa? achiragawa?)

English: that side, this side

Should I arrange the chairs this way? That way?

4. うっちゃる　(uccharu)

ゴミをうっちゃる (gomi o uccharu)

Standard Japanese: 捨てる　(suteru)

ゴミを捨てる (gomi o suteru)

English: to throw away

Throw away your trash

5. かったるい　(kattarui)

遠くて歩くのかったるいな (tookute aruku no kattarui na)

Standard Japanese: 面倒くさい、だるい　(mendoukusai, darui)

遠くて歩くのだるいな (tookute aruku no darui na)

English: bothersome, tiresome

It's so far that it would be a pain to walk there

More Kanagawa dialect here (Japanese site).

[ultimateaclrecovery]

Japan Day 6 Hakone!

Today we traveled to a mountain town called Hakone.

We got to see mt Fuji on the train and honestly the train ride of just having a full two hours to sit and not do anything was really nice

Then we saw an ad for the Hakone open air muesuem and it was really cool! Highlights including the foot bath, giant fried egg that you could stand on, a stained glass tower, a hilarious interactive display where they put your face on a digital artwork in the museum background and a Picasso room.

We then got to take a gondola up to the mountain top and down to the lake where we got to take a pirate ferry boat across!

And then after some brief chaos with the bus system (it just never came) and taking a taxi (that also went to the wrong place at first) we finally got to check in at the Ryoken and enjoy our private onsen. We also got to enjoy this many courses traditional dinner. There was a lot of sea food and my boyfriend kept trying to get me to keep trying it so I didn’t have the best time. But the non sea food parts were very good and everything was super pretty.

Overly long and tmi travel diary

We get up early to catch a two hour train to Hakone. My tummy is just a little a bit upset this morning. Between travel, stress, being on my period, and lots of new food it’s been through a lot. I also feel like I haven’t been pooping enough. But they could just be not eating enough for how much walking we’ve been doing.

The train is really nice and we get some lovely views of the sun rising over the mountains. I update my travel diary, take a nap and then we get to see a view mt Fuji through the window. It is impressively taller than everything else around it.

We transfer to a smaller train and then a another mountain train. And then it’s a cable car.

5000 yen for Hakone free pass for transit. I am down to 1000 yen in cash. (Really 3000 as I later find another 2000 yen note in my pocket that I didn’t see before)

5000 yen for Hakone free pass for transit. I am down to 1000 yen in cash. (Really 3000 as I later find another 2000 yen note in my pocket that I didn’t see before)

We see an ad for Hakone open air museum and decide to get off a stop early and go see it. (I think I paid by credit card, 1200 yen each including a 200 yen discount from our Hakone passes).

The museum has a couple galleries where you can’t take pictures (although my bf tried) but mostly it’s big outdoor sculptures. There’s a fun star maze and some garden areas, and the whole place is set up with a great view of the surrounding mountains. I love the Picasso room. I hadn’t realized he did so many ceramics. We stop at a foot bath where we get a towel out of a vending machine for 100 yen. It’s small but a surprisingly nice towel and is branded to make it a souvenir. There’s a big tower made of stained glass that’s really fun. And a fried egg sculpture that you can stand on! I deeply love getting to stand on or interact with art.

After the museum we go grab lunch at a little road side restaurant. Ignoring the delightful ninja cafe next door full of authentic delicacies such as spaghetti and ninja ice cream.

Foot bath and a vending machine towel for 100 yen from Anthony

I get pork ginger and rice for lunch in the card.

After lunch we take the ropeway (hanging cable car) to the top of the mountain. On the side of the mountain are a bunch of thermal vents venting steam. You can see the yellow sulfur deposits around it. Supposedly you can get a black egg cooked in the sulfur water that adds seven years to your life, but we don’t get it.

We spend a little time at the top looking at the mountain and then head down the other ropeway to the lake. And then we get to ride a pirate ship!

The pirate ship we get is called queen ashinoko and is gold and red. We take it across the lake. I love all the sights and being on a boat and my bf tolerates it and enjoys the view. It does get a little chilly but is otherwise a delight. I see a lady take a bunch of silly titantic esque photos on one of the interior balconies. Sometimes it’s such a delight to watch other people live their best lives.

After the ferry we try to get on a bus to go to our hotel but it’s super delayed and the lines are insane so we give up and hail a taxi. Anthony impresses the taxi drive with his handful of Japanese and good pronociation and they have a good chat. The taxi ride ends up being just shy of 5000 yen which is more than I thought it would be (and we get a little turned about by the directions. Anthony gave the hotel name but written in English and just said like Japanese so we go to a bit of the wrong place first and then have to give the actual address which gets us to the right place.

We head into the rykone and They take your shoes and give slippers. The ryokan has a very traditional feel. We are shown where our private onsen will be and then to our rooms. Our rooms have yakata (?)robes in them to wear around. Mine is pink and my bfs is blue. They both have blue overcoats. We head down to the onsen before dinner. The sun is starting to set and the view is really pretty. The leaves are mostly either green or fallen but it’s still so peaceful. We shower first in the attached shower and then step into the sulphuric mineral water. It’s so cloudy and so hot but also feels so good. It would be better if it were like five degrees cooler but it’s still lovely. We hang out for a bit stepping in and out to cool off as needed. They’ve also put a thermos jug of cold water which is perfect.

We rinse back off and head back to our room for dinner.

Dinner will be served in our room and is a traditional set meal.

It starts with appetizers and is mostly fish which makes me sad. I knew this was likely that I wouldn’t like a good portion of it but it still makes me sad. The plates and the way everything is presented is so lovely. I try to focus on how fun it is and not how gross all the fish is. I get talked into trying a piece of the raw tuna and it’s awful. I also try a piece of sushi, the first bite is okay but when I take the second bite I realize that the first bite had way less fish in it and I Gag a little and almost throw up. I also try one of the little fish eggs since my bf claims they are mostly salty and not fishy. False. Very false and very gross. Combined with new and questionable vegetables I’m way past my limit of new food. Luckily there are some things that I like too. There’s a beef dish that is so delicious and comes with the cutest little wedge of cheese.

There’s also a hot pot like thing with pork and milk that is so cool and delicious.

We get sweet pudding for dessert.

After dessert we go have more onsen time. It’s fun to be in it at night with it being all dark. Unfortunately it’s too hot to really cuddle in the onsen which bums we out.

We head back up to the room and watch Japanese tv before bed. We get to see some sumo wrestling, a cooking show and some weird childrens tv show. I get a little sad because I had such high expectations for this part of the trip and then I didn’t get to cuddle or do more than cuddle and didn’t like a lot of the food.

It’s a traditional style hotel room so it has two twin beds. We push them together(I push mine into his) but it’s not really what I wanted. I take a moment to cry a little in the bathroom and I feel a bit better. It’s hard when you feel disappointed in something you feel like you should really be enjoying.

[drstonetrivia]

Chapter 7 Trivia

A-Hakone we will go, A-Hakone we will go, Heigh-ho, the volcan-o, A-Hakone we will go.

Senku seems determined to break all the pots even if, to me, it doesn't match up with what his goals are.

However I'm imagining whoever Tsukasa revived next was using pots crafted by Tsukasa's hand. (If they decided to remake any)

~80km, or about 17 hours of walking (at about 5km/hr), basically as the crow flies. Taiju could run it in 5 hours, going at 16 km/hr. They stop for one night and probably do the trip in two days.

The Tokyo <-> Hakone route becomes pretty important down the road.

With Senku's crude sextant, he just lines the sights up with the sun and reads the angle that way. A proper sextant has mirrors, so you adjust the angle until the horizon and sun are aligned in the view piece.

If we assume the sun rises at 5:30AM (it's currently around springtime), then 35,970 seconds later is 10 hours later, making it about 3:30PM.

Modern buildings simply aren't built to last thousands of years. Needs change, and thus things are only built to last ~100 years, so it makes sense that there's nothing left.

If you wanted to build something to last 3,700 years, check out the Great Pyramids for inspiration!

Interestingly, skyscrapers may last longer because of the amount of glass in them and the strength of the concrete. This is probably why Roppongi hills is still identifiable but people's houses aren't.

Obviously this doesn't account for severe natural disasters.

If they're in Kamakura, they did not go as the crow flies, and the whole trip becomes 94km (20 hours of walking).

Fun fact: if you visit the Great Buddha, you can peek inside the hollow structure from the back.

Bronze can last an incredibly long time. the Antikythera Mechanism survived for around 2000 years despite the seawater thanks to bronze's resistance to corrosion. Like Senku says, bronze will also leach copper into the soil, which can kill plants if there's a high amount present.

Prunus yedoensis is one of the most widely planted cherry cultivars, and they're all clones of the same plant. This works by grafting a branch onto another tree, making the "top half" a cherry tree, or alternatively just using cuttings.

The tree itself has a short lifespan.

These are Japanese Horsetail, better known as tsukushi. They're similar to asparagus in appearance and taste, but have hollow stems.

Senku needs one hand on his stick to check stability, so he holds his shoes in one hand. Yuzuriha can hold her shoes in both hands. Taiju needs both hands to hold all their stuff, so his are tucked into his belt.

I thought it was a nice detail :)

Nitric acid burns skin, so I assume RF would too, but Yuzuriha is saying it's cold? Is she talking about the stone feeling cold? If that part of her foot is fully stone, how is she walking if she can't bend her toes? Is it just a stone layer on top of skin?

I've got questions.

Detective Tsukasa is on the case! He seems to have some basic tracking knowledge, but more impressively he can predict Senku's moves very accurately using both his knowledge of science and possibly fighter's instincts. Senku doesn't stand a chance…

Hakone is in a volcanic region with lots of natural onsen and a view of Mt. Fuji to the northwest. This scene resembles Owakudani - a geothermic area north of Mt. Hakone, along the Hakone ropeway route.

Owakudani natural hot springs seem to range in temperature between 36.3 and 96.0°C. There's no telling what the exact temperature of the pool they chose is, but Senku obviously can't take the heat.

Senku uses the terms "gunpowder" and "black powder" interchangably. This isn't technically incorrect, as up until recently they were the same thing. Nowadays, we also have smokeless powder that can be used for the same purpose.

(Also, if you don't recognise the tune at the beginning of the thread it's "A-Hunting We Will Go", a folk song/nursery rhyme.)

Finally, several of these were taken directly from Caleb Cook's trivia, so credit where it's due.

[mandbtravels]

Day four, Hakone-Yumoto

Out of the hotel and on the train to Hakone-Yumoto from Shinjuku by 10am.

Dropped our bags at the hotel then hopped on a bus to the Hakone checkpoint, from here we walked lakeside through the forest to two viewpoints, the second was wonderfully private with an amazing view. An even better view was when I turned around to see that Michael was down on one knee and was asking me to marry him, I guess I had to say yes 😉

We continued walking through the forest and then along to Motohakone-Ko and got on a ferry boat to Togendai to get the Hakone Ropeway towards Sounzan.

Once there we had to get off to change lines but there was a viewpoint that had an onsen footbath which was lovely! We wandered out of the station and came across a temple which was unfortunately closed but still just as beautiful!

Back to Sounzan and onto the Hakone Tozan cable car towards Gora. Then onto the Hakone Tozan train back to Hakone-Yumoto.

A quick pit stop at the hotel to freshen up and change our shoes was what we had thought but as we were staying in a ryokan (traditional Japanese living) we were pounced on by one of the maids who explained everything to us in perfect Japanese with some hand gestures and nodding to make sure we understood her completely, which well we got a little bit of!

For dinner we stumbled across ‘Hinomaru-tei Scott’ a very small family run restaurant. Michael ordered sake which came in a very full cast iron kettle and then a pork ramen, I had a beer and fried shrimp with white rice. The food was delicious and the owners were so lovely!

Back to the hotel for an evening onsen dip, we booked the private open air onsen which was wonderful!

[pix4japan]

Hell Valley (Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan)

Until 1873, this area was known as Hell Valley or the Great Hell due to the constant spewing of sulfuric gasses that kill off plant life and paint the reddish brown earth with a tinge of yellow or lime-green.

However, prior to a visit to the site by Emperor Meiji, who had an imperial retreat nearby, the name was changed to Owakudani (boiling water valley) out of sensitivities to the emperor.

Formed over 3,000 years ago, this active volcanic zone draws tourists by the busload and has a ropeway that carries visitors from the shores of nearby Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) over the steaming vents up to the top of the lava dome that formed between 80,000 and 130,000 years ago.

These days, the hot springs and steam are used to slowly boil eggs that are sold at souvenir stands throughout the Hakone area. The hot spring waters are also piped further down into the valley for use by local hot spring resorts.  

Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter ISO 250 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0 Provia/Standard film simulation

[konradnews]

Hakone Tozan Cable Car and Hakone Ropeway introduce priority boarding gates with Web reservations during the fall holiday season.

The Hakone Tozan Cable Car and Hakone Ropeway operated by Odakyu Hakone will offer priority boarding on weekends and holidays in November. The dates are November 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, and 24. Since the demonstration test of this system was well received during the Golden Week holidays in the fall of 2023 and 2024, the system will be put into full operation this fall with priority boarding…

[satgurutravelae]

Mt. Fuji: A Guide to Japan's Elusive Icon

Japan holiday packages from Dubai, UAE and Japan holiday packages from Dubai, UAE offer incredible opportunities to explore this enchanting country. From the bustling metropolis of Tokyo to the serene beauty of Mt. Fuji, Japan has something to offer everyone.

Understanding Mt. Fuji's Moods

While the best time to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji is during the colder months (November to February), even then, it's a gamble. Summertime often brings humidity and haze, making it difficult to see the mountain. However, the surrounding areas of Mt. Fuji are well worth exploring, regardless of the mountain's visibility.

The Best Spots to See Mt. Fuji

Lake Kawaguchi: This picturesque lake offers stunning views of Mt. Fuji, especially when the mountain is cooperative.

Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway: For a bird's-eye view, take a ride on this ropeway.

Hakone: This scenic area offers breathtaking vistas of Mt. Fuji from Lake Ashi and the Hakone Ropeway.

Tokyo: On a clear day, you can spot Mt. Fuji from tall buildings like the Tokyo Skytree or the Metropolitan Government Building.

Day Trips from Tokyo

Kawaguchiko: Enjoy a day trip to this picturesque lake, exploring its shores, visiting the Kubota Itchiku Art Museum, or riding the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway.

Hakone: Discover the beauty of Hakone, taking a pirate ship cruise on Lake Ashi or exploring the Open-Air Museum.

Mt. Takao: For a shorter hike with potential Mt. Fuji views, consider visiting Mt. Takao.

Overnight Adventures

Kawaguchiko: Stay in a ryokan with a private onsen bath overlooking the lake.

Hakone: Enjoy a traditional ryokan experience with kaiseki meals and onsen baths.

Oshino Hakkai: Discover this charming village with spring-fed ponds and stunning views of Mt. Fuji.

Climbing Mt. Fuji

Climbing Season: The official climbing season for Mt. Fuji is from July to mid-September.

Trails: The Yoshida Trail is the most popular, but there are other options.

Preparation: Be prepared for the challenging climb with proper gear, including sturdy hiking boots, warm layers, and a headlamp.

Mountain Hut Stays: Consider staying in a mountain hut overnight for a unique experience.

Beyond the Mountain

Hakone Open-Air Museum: Explore this unique museum with world-class sculptures in a beautiful outdoor setting.

Kubota Itchiku Art Museum: Admire stunning kimono art at this museum near Lake Kawaguchi.

Kawaguchi-ko Music Forest: Enjoy a quirky experience at this museum and performance space with automated musical instruments.

Sake Tasting: Sample local sake at breweries like Ide Sake Brewery in Kawaguchiko.

Onsen: Relax in a hot spring with potential views of Mt. Fuji.

Conclusion

While Mt. Fuji may be elusive, the journey to see it is half the fun. Whether you're climbing its slopes, exploring the surrounding areas, or simply enjoying the scenery, Mt. Fuji offers a truly unforgettable experience. Remember, the beauty of travel lies not just in the destination, but in the journey itself.

[tokyotravelbureau]

Best Japan Tour for Senior Travelers

Traveling to Japan is a dream for many, and senior travelers are no exception. The allure of its rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture make it a top destination for all ages. For seniors looking to explore this fascinating country comfortably and enjoyably, the Tokyo Travel Bureau offers the best Japan tour tailored specifically to their needs.

Why Choose Tokyo Travel Bureau for Your Japan Tour?

At Tokyo Travel Bureau, we understand the unique requirements of senior travelers. Our Japan tour packages are meticulously designed to provide a seamless, enjoyable, and enriching experience. Here’s why we are your best choice:

1. Comfortable and Senior-Friendly Accommodations

We prioritize your comfort by selecting accommodations that cater to senior travelers. Enjoy staying in top-rated hotels that offer excellent amenities, easy accessibility, and a relaxing environment after a day of exploration.

2. Easy and Convenient Travel Arrangements

Navigating a new country can be challenging, but with Tokyo Travel Bureau, you don’t have to worry. Our tours include convenient transportation options, ensuring you travel comfortably between destinations. Our experienced guides are always available to assist you, making your journey hassle-free.

3. Customized Itineraries with a Relaxed Pace

Our itineraries are thoughtfully crafted to ensure you experience the best of Japan without feeling rushed. We include ample rest periods, leisurely paced tours, and flexible schedules so you can enjoy your trip at your own pace.

4. Cultural Immersion and Unique Experiences

Japan is a country rich in culture and tradition. Our tours offer opportunities to immerse yourself in Japanese culture through activities like tea ceremonies, calligraphy classes, and kimono dress-ups. Visit historic temples, beautiful gardens, and local markets to get a true sense of Japan’s heritage.

5. Health and Safety Prioritized

Your health and safety are our top priorities. Our tours follow strict health protocols, and we provide detailed information about medical facilities and emergency contacts. We also offer travel insurance options for added peace of mind.

Highlights of Our Senior-Friendly Japan Tours

1. Tokyo: A Blend of Tradition and Modernity

Explore the bustling capital city of Tokyo, where ancient temples stand alongside modern skyscrapers. Visit iconic sites such as Senso-ji Temple, the Imperial Palace, and Meiji Shrine. Enjoy shopping in Ginza and savoring delicious sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market.

2. Kyoto: The Heart of Japanese Culture

Kyoto, with its serene temples and picturesque gardens, offers a tranquil escape. Experience the beauty of Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), stroll through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and participate in a traditional tea ceremony.

3. Hakone: Relax in Hot Springs and Scenic Beauty

Hakone is known for its hot springs and stunning views of Mount Fuji. Take a relaxing soak in an onsen (hot spring bath), cruise on Lake Ashi, and ride the Hakone Ropeway for panoramic vistas.

4. Hiroshima: A City of Peace and Resilience

Visit Hiroshima to learn about its poignant history and see its remarkable recovery. The Peace Memorial Park and Museum offer a moving experience, while Miyajima Island, with its famous floating torii gate, provides a serene escape.

Testimonials from Our Senior Travelers

Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of our senior travelers have to say:

Jane D., 68: “Traveling with Tokyo Travel Bureau was an unforgettable experience. The tour was well-organized, and I appreciated the slower pace and comfortable accommodations. The cultural activities were a highlight!”

Robert M., 72: “The team at Tokyo Travel Bureau made our trip to Japan easy and enjoyable. The guides were knowledgeable and attentive, and we felt well taken care of throughout our journey.”

Book Your Senior-Friendly Japan Tour Today!

Embark on the best Japan tour designed especially for senior travelers with Tokyo Travel Bureau. Explore the beauty, history, and culture of Japan in comfort and style. Contact us today to book your dream vacation and create lasting memories.

Contact Us: 📞 Phone: +91-9818601809 📧 Email: enquiry@tokyotravelbureau.com, sales@tokyotravelbureau.com 🌐 Website: www.tokyotravelbureau.com

Tokyo Travel Bureau – Your Best Choice for Senior-Friendly Japan Tours!

[emaadsidiki]

Mount Fuji 🗻

This place where You are right now, God circled on a map for You. ~Hafiz

[merpmonde]

What to do at Ôwakudani

... or what to do on the summit of an active volcano. As inauspicious as that sounds, as long as Mount Hakone's activity can be described as moderate (localised fumaroles and hot springs) and a full-blown eruption doesn't happen, and that hasn't happened in thousands of years, it's possible to settle some permanent attractions. The Ropeway is undoubtedly one of them, and the Geomuseum, housing explanations about the mountain's history and geological peculiarities, was a very pertinent addition 10 years ago.

However, the summit's biggest draw has to be its black eggs. No, black eggs aren't what you get when you raise chickens at the top of an active volcano, but it's what you get when you boil eggs in the natural volcanic spring water on Mount Hakone.

So a few restaurants have popped up in Ôwakudani to serve these curious delicacies. To be clear, it's just the shells that turn black due to the minerals in the hot spring water; they still protect the inside from those minerals, and the egg cooks perfectly normally, and the edible parts are still white and yellow. Apparently, I don't eat hard-boiled eggs.

The eggs are cooked in the steaming plant next to this fumarole further up the hill. It can be visited via a trail through some less stable ground. If I remember correctly, this trail is only open at certain times for a limited number of people at a time. Although it's only 300 metres from the main part of Ôwakudani, half a dozen shelters have been installed in case of emergency (one such concrete structure can be seen behind the steaming plant).

But how do the eggs get up there if the trail isn't always open? With their own lovely little ropeway! White eggs go up, black eggs come down, ready to be served in the restaurants!

[ultimateaclrecovery]

Japan day 7 (11/16)

More Hakone and then Tokyo!

Started by trying to watch the sunrise from the onsen. We mostly missed the actual sunrise but it was still really pretty

We then got breakfast in the room which was this cute little bento box.

We then went back up the ropeway and it was so clear and we got a great view of mt Fuji! One of the legs up we even got a car to ourselves which was cool and the views were great.

We then tried to get a picture with the water Tori gate, but the line was crazy long and so slow moving so we took a quick pic from the side and moved on. But I still got a cute pic by an adorable bridge! Sadly my eyes were closed so you get the slightly blurry Live Photo from when they were open 🤷‍♀️

When we finally made it Tokyo station I got dipping ramen and it was the best ramen I ever had and it was like 7 dollars which is crazy.

I also found this adorable penguin in a Christmas tree which I managed to not buy the first time but then went back later to get it 😂

We then wandered around took in the city views and the lake in park. We got drinks at this adorable owl themed brewery my bf likes and then got dinner and then magi carp custard for dessert

Overly long travel diary

Day 7

In the morning we try to catch the sunrise in the onsen. Official sunrise time is 6:18 and we get down there like 6:05 but it’s already pretty light and not very many fun colors. It’s still pretty tho. A little while later the sky gets some nice pink to it.

After we get all our onsen time in we head back up to the room. We still have like an hour before breakfast and finally get some quality time. I am annoyed by how much better this makes me feel, but here we are.

Breakfast is also a lot of fish and I’m over having food I don’t like.

Sunrise onsen.

Breakfast in cute little bento box.

Rooeway which is extra great because clear day and can see my Fuji.

After breakfast we head back to the rooeway. It’s like 9am so it’s pretty empty here and we get a car all to our selves on the way up which is really fun. It’s a clear day today so we can see my Fuji from the rooeway car which is fun too see. It really sticks out above the rest of the landscape. All of the other mountains are full of trees and green on top and then there’s Fuji looming in the background with its giant snow covered peak.

We also get a great view of the sulphuric vents.

When we get to the bottom we go to hike around the lake to a water Tori gate. Some of our way there is on a lovely path through the woods where you can see the lake. And some of it is along the road where you try not to get hit by cars

Try and take pic with the Tori water gate but the line is too long and moves too slowly. Everybody has waited for a while so they want their full photo shoot and it takes like five minutes per group. We don’t want to wait for a picture for like 45 minutes So instead we just take pictures and a selfie from the side and it’s fine.

As we walk back we do cross a really cute bridge and my bf offers (actually offers! ) to take a pic of me on the bridge. I had been wanting a cute bridge pic so I love it.

And then we take a bus and two trains to Tokyo.

We stop at Tokyo station to get ramen. We have to wait in a line for about 15 minutes. Then we quickly order at the vending machine and are seated. The music playing is very fast paced and it feels like everything is rushed. But it is very efficient. We get dipping ramen Where the noodles are in a separate bowl and are cold, and then you dip into the bowl filled with hot broth. It’s so delicious. Sometimes I don’t get the timing of the dip amount right and the noodles end up too hot or too cold but mostly it’s perfect. Anthony paid on his suica card. Mine was 1040 yen. Which is so crazy cheap for the best ramen I’ve ever had.

After we walk through the Tokyo station character street. It’s filled with adorable shops. I find the most precious penguin stuffed animal that’s wearing a Christmas tree and I nearly die of cuteness. (I don’t get it because I do not need a 30 dollar stuffed animal that will just sit in the pile in my room)

There’s also a bear themed store where I find a bear cutout that can be used to make bear shaped pancakes or omelette a. And at 1300 yen I have to have it.

Hotel

Walk around streets

Laundry

Izakaya for dinner

We head to the hotel to check in and then walk around the streets. I think walking around the streets of Tokyo is one of my favorite parts of the trip. They are all lined with so many little stores and there are just people everywhere bustling about. The streets are all really clean and everyone is really polite. Like the queues for things are always so well organized even when they aren’t marked it’s remarkable.

We do laundry at our hotel and then head out to izakaya, which is a Japanese things where you get drinks and grilled items, small plates style usually for sharing. They typically require at least one drink and food item per person. It’s so weird to me that there are places in Japan that will require you to order a drink. It doesn’t have to be alcoholic but as someone who rarely orders drinks and almost never non alcohol with meals it’s a bit odd to me. It’s usually places that are really busy.

The place we go to seems rather American food themed but all of the other people in there are Japanese and not tourists. Our waiter tho has excellent English. I get a mango beer and Anthony gets about her highball, his favorite Japanese thing. And we get garlic bread and a meat sample plate. There’s way too much food and we struggle to make it through most of it. Anthony keeps pushing for us to eat more because he’s convinced it looks bad or something to not eat most of it or is wasteful. I’ve clearly been spending too much time on the intuitive eating side of Instagram so I’m just like my body is not a trash can. Also if I’m too full for it to taste good why bother eating it? We eventually give up on it and head back to the hotel.

[alexyssc13]

May 12 - Hakone Day Trip

It was a pretty long day today, but a lot of sights made all of the travel worth it. Throughout the day, we made multiple transfers and rode various modes of transportation. I believe we rode the subway train, a train that took us up the mountain, a ropeway to take us higher, a pirate ship, and a bus. Don’t forget the walking as well.

First, I thought the train that went up the mountain was really cool because it switched tracks several times, which allowed it to go higher and higher. I probably loved the ropeway the most because of different reasons. I enjoyed how high it took us, the views were amazing from that height, and we got such good pictures of Mt. Fuji from it. Once we got to the final stop, the stinky sulfur was pretty strong. Thankfully, Dr. Smith let us shop at the main store there, which actually sold these black hard-boiled eggs that were cooked in the hot springs. After the class photo was taken with the big black egg and Mt. Fuji in the back, we headed back down.

At the station, we broke for lunch. However, we didn’t have a lot of time to eat because we needed to catch the pirate ship to the next location. It was cool riding it, but the cold wind made it difficult to enjoy. When we landed, we walked to the Hakone Checkpoint, which was supposed to be an Edo-era military checkpoint. We also climbed some steep stairs to the lookout point.

After a short break, we went on a pretty long scenic walk. We followed various paths, so I got to see rows of tall trees, a good view of the lake, wisteria, and koi fish. We also went up lots of stairs in order to see Hakone Shrine. After spending some time here, we went back down the stairs and ended up waiting in a long line to take pictures at Heiwa no Torii, which is a really large torii gate in the water. It was getting cold and windy, so we had to hurry our class photo and individual pictures.

Finally, we took a bus back to the main train station that was going to take us home. We  were given some time to eat dinner, but then that time ended up getting cut short. Therefore, Joey, Skylar, Sadia, and I were forced to eat our dinners so fast. Womp womp. At least we were going home.

[maddieonthemovee]

May 12 — Hakone

Today started bright and early at 6:45 AM! Our group went to Hakone and took a variety of means of transportation. First, we took the train to Shinjuku. From there, we took a RomanceCar, which is an express train with rows of two pairs of seats on either side of an aisle. I learned that this is unusual for trains here in Japan. After an hour and a half on the RomanceCar, we took a steep train ride up to Sounzan Station. There, there was an observation terrace.

Next, we walked to the ropeway gondola platform. We took the gondola from which we could see Mount Fuji! We could also see a mountain with lots of sulfuric smoke rising from it.

We arrived at Owakudani Station. Near the station, there was a store, Oowakudani Kurotamagokan, which sold black eggs (due to being boiled in sulfur) and other souvenirs. I tried one of the eggs with my friends and got some Sanrio x Owakudani merchandise for my family members. We then broke for lunch; I had a chicken panini and a matcha latte.

Our next activity was taking a pirate ship across Lake Ashi. We were able to walk around a replica of Hakone Seshiko, an inspection facility placed by the Tokugawa shogun to protect Edo. We walked up a small hill to a watchtower; we could see the shore of Lake Ashi from there!

We walked to Hakone Shrine, where I purchased some charms and a fortune. We also saw a husband and wife-to-be taking marriage photos at the shrine. I learned that couples in Japan often take wedding photos with their families before their wedding actually takes place. Lastly, we walked to the world famous torii of the Hakone Shrine. I am currently on the RomanceCar back to our hotel, but I think my friends and I are going to try Japanese McDonalds and watch a movie! My feet are killing me, but going to Hakone was such a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Academic Reflection:

I learned that at the Hakone Checkpoint, the guards displayed threatening weapons to scare away criminals and/or smugglers. We were able to see these weapons today: a pronged barbed spear, a pronged sasumata, and a stave. I also found it surprising that a function of these seshikos was to regulate the passage of daimyos’ wives. The fact that these women and their daughters were “kept as virtual hostages as insurance against the insurrection of their husbands” was very disturbing to learn.

We were able to walk a road that used to be one of the main roads of the time; it was mostly dirt and rocks. Directly next to it was a modern, paved road that was busy with cars. One thing that has surprised me pleasantly about Japan is its efforts to maintain pieces of history aside from the main tourist-attracting photo spots and landmarks. This small detail really stood out to me and speaks to Japan’s emphasis on tradition and respect for history.