#Togendai

[emaadsidiki]

Pirate Cruise, Hakone, Japan.

[tokyodailyphoto]

箱根海賊船 桃源台港 Hakone Pirate Ship Tōgendai Port #箱根 #桃源台 #hakone #togendai (at 芦ノ湖 / Lake Ashinoko) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmxwedMhkO3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[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!

[coreytravelogue]

Hakone, Japan - August 25, 2024

Today is my last day in Hakone, I figured I would write up my time now while waiting for my laundry in the dryer to finish drying but also I imagine Monday will be too much of a crazy day trying to get to Tokyo and from there navigate Tokyo to my hotel, drop my bags there and rummage through Tokyo till check in time then rummage through Tokyo some more.

I will be in Tokyo for technically 7 days, I feel I needed that much time to get the gist but thinking about it now I wish I set aside one more day here in Hakone. I am not really ready to leave to be honest I just love this place. Mind you I don’t love the heat but the heat is all over Japan and that can’t be helped but Hakone has won me over with its beauty, chill nature and it’s love for Evangelion or maybe acceptance of Evangelion as that is one of the main reasons why I came here.

About the same with Kyoto but I always heard good things about Kyoto, Hakone I heard of through Evangelion lore. The more I looked into this place the more it seemed like it was worth going.

My first day was the open air museum which I was hoping was going to be like the Sapporo Open Air Museum in that I could Jayne hat whatever I liked. Hakone’s was much prettier but also most restrictive in that many of the statues could not be touched, some have pictures taken of. I was still able to get some Jayne hatted but that was a bummer. Went from breakfast/lunch at a restaurant and for once the server seemed to genuinely like me there versus uncertain. After being around many other white tourists lately I can understand how the Japanese are a bit tired of visitors, I get it.

After checking in I decided to walk around the Gora neighbourhood and was continuing smitten with the landscape and countryside. The day ended with a communal dinner where I met a few French people and one Czech. A lot of French and German people seem to travel to Japan.

Yesterday I hit the ground walking through the old Tokeidai Road to the Hakone checkpoint. I am not a hiker but that was a fun hike. From there I walked the harbour side then took a pirate ship ferry across to Togendai. From there I took a gondola to the active volcano there and immediately got reminded of the Magma Diver episode of Evangelion. Ate black eggs to extend my life by 28 years (ha) then made my way full circle back to the main station to have Eva ice cream and ice drink. From there I decided to go and have the area’s craft beer and immediately enjoyed it. Best witbier I have had in Japan along with best vegan pizza. I am not vegan but I felt like having something a little healthier for once since much of my food lately has been ham and cheese wraps for breakfast and ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner.

So here I am what is left to do here, I was going to go to Gora park to check that out and the glass blowing thing there. Followed that up with Chisui Falls, go to the Eva store for more ice cream and ice drinks because I am such a mark for Evangelion, head back to Gora and maybe have a few beers at the Gora Brewery.

I would like another day here just to chill and area walk but time is shorter and my wallet is starting to cry. I just feel at home here, I feel like if I was Japanese and spoke Japanese I would love to live here.

One thing I have noticed that is unique to Hakone outside of the other two places I have been to is that it runs rather short hours. I sort of like that about the place like you run by our time we do not run by yours. Just because you are on vacation it doesn’t mean we are at your whim. The area closes pretty early which is fine by me anyway since I am a early bird and early sleep so it fits with my schedule perfectly. This whole place fits my schedule and me perfectly.

I needed this bit of quiet. Tomorrow and the remainder of my time I Japan will be go go go. So happy I chose to come here, I will definitely be back here someday if I come back to Japan that is. Either way if I come back to Japan I will be back here. Laundry should be done now.

Shazbot nanu nanu

[loganinjapan]

Day 13 ACTIVITIES + Goodbye Tokyo!

Today was my second free day and my final day in Tokyo. I had a lot planned, but I decided to go at my own pace and just enjoy the day. Sumo VIP Experience: Let the record show it. I'm 1-0 in sumo. Yes, they probably let me and everyone else win, but still. Count the wins as Shaq would say. This was one of my favorite experiences so far! The two retired sumo wrestlers were very funny and demonstrated the training/rules very well. We got to go into the ring and do training and a 1-on-1! Afterwards there was a Q&A session and a lot of good questions were asked. This was a win! Earthquake Museum: I finally got to "experience" an earthquake and let's just say I think I'll pass on any more earthquakes. I did not realize how much the ground shook in the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake! It was both cool and absolutely frightening at the same time. I have to give massive props to the guide for working with me and my groupmate through a translator and being fair game. The simulators for the earthquake and smoke experience were both fun, and it was also just cool to go a bit outside of the Tokyo bubble and go to the quiet area of Kita City. Everyone was super friendly and it was a fun time. Lunch: I'm going to miss Yuragi. I ate my final bowl of their delicious white curry today and while no tears fell, it was felt. This definitely was my favorite food from Tokyo. Wandering in Ueno: I was SUPPOSED to go to the National Museum of Science and Nature, but nah. I grabbed some coffee and a cinnabon and just chilled, then went and got some sushi. Sushizanmai: After failing to get fatty tuna sushi at Tsukiji Market (I didn't really fail, I just wasn't ready), I knew that I had to bite the bullet at some point. When you're in Idaho, you have a potato. When you're in Japan, you eat sushi. I headed to Sushizanmai, a step above conveyer belt spots and not too expensive. I ordered with the tablet and got to work - two fatty tunas, two salmon, one shrimp, one crab, and some ice cream. Not bad work. My favorite was the fatty tuna. I would've skipped the crab next time. Solid 8/10. Ichiran: It was okay. I guess after you have it once, the luster wears off and you just have a basic bowl of ramen. Maybe it was a location thing, maybe it was the time I went, maybe it's Maybelline. Who knows. I won't revise my rating. And that's a wrap on Tokyo! Congrats to Yuragi for winning best restaurant (I'll do a separate Kyoto ranking). Here's some superlatives: - Best Group Activity: Wagashi/Tea Ceremony & Musashi University - Worst Group Activity: Meiji Shrine & Mt. Takao - Best Day: Day 6 (Rural Trip to Aomori) - Biggest Regrets: Not taking time to enjoy Meiji Shrine, losing to Mt. Takao, not getting sushi at Tsukiji Market. - Biggest Culture Shock: No trash cans or public bathrooms! SUPER CROWDED SUBWAYS!!! I tried a lot of restaurants in Tokyo, as food was one of my priorities for my study abroad. I rated each one out of 10 to see which one would come out on top. The good, the bad, I wanted to try it all. Here's the final rankings for Tokyo! - Yuragi: 10/10 - Big Iowa BBQ: 10/10 - Tokyo American Club: 10/10 - Tonkatsu Hinata: 10/10 - Ginza Grill Cardinal: 10/10 - Cedar Chop House Bar & Grill: 9/10 - Kurauzo: 9/10 - Le Blanc: 9/10 - Ichiran: 9/10 - Oreryu Shio Ramen: 9/10 - 中華キッチン刀削麺 登龍閣: 9/10 - Jan's Curry: 9/10 - Togendai View: 9/10 - Mochizuki Curry: 9/10 - I-Kitchen: 8/10 - McDonald's Lunch/Dinner: 8/10 - Sushizanmai: 8/10 - Ristorante Cavacavallo: 8/10 - Katsushin: 8/10 - Hope-ken Sendagaya HQ: 8/10 - McDonald's Breakfast: 7/10 - Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San: 6/10 - Brisk Stand: 5/10 - Hamburg Steak HIRO: 4/10

[kaelula-sungwis]

箱根・桃源台 ∣ Togendai・Hakone by Iyhon Chiu

[el-pollo-gigantes]

Ashi Lake / Japan "EXPLORE" by Việt Nam và Nhật Bản / 日本とベトナ Lake Ashi , also referred to as Hakone Lake or Ashinoko Lake, is a scenic lake in the Hakone area of Kanagawa Prefecture in Honshū, Japan. It is a crater lake that lies along the southwest wall of the caldera of Mount Hakone, a complex volcano that last erupted in 1170 CE at Ōwakudani. The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji, its numerous hot springs, historical sites, and ryokan. 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. Most visitors to Lake Ashi stay in one of the hotels or ryokan located in the area to visit some of the local attractions. There is also a campsite at the north end of the lake. Hakone Shrine is a shrine that has been visited by shōgun, samurai, and many travelers over the centuries. Large sections of the Old Tōkaidō road are preserved here. Onshi Park was the summer retreat for the imperial family that is now a public park. Taking the aerial tram Hakone Ropeway to The Great Boiling Valley. From Togendai on Lake Ashi, the Hakone Ropeway aerial tram connects to Sounzan, the upper terminus of the Hakone Tozan Cable Car funicular railway. This in turn connects to the Hakone Tozan Line mountain railway for the descent to Odawara and a connection to Tokyo by the Tōkaidō Shinkansen. Visitors can also take the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise with its pirate ships from Togendai to Moto-Hakone Port and Hakone-Machi Port on opposite ends of the lake. The cruise line began in 1950. The name means "lake of reeds" in Japanese: 芦 (ashi) is "reed", and 湖 (ko) is "lake". The abundance of nature makes it popular with hikers. There are many trails with different levels of challenge. Lake Ashi is emptied by the Fukara Aqueduct toward Susono, Shizuoka since its completion in 1670, not by the Haya River toward Odawara, Kanagawa. https://flic.kr/p/2ozURGN

[konradnews]

Hakone Ropeway to Revise Fares on April 18. From conventional sectional fares to uniform one-way fares of 1,500 yen/round trip fares of 2,500 yen.

Hakone Tozan Railway will revise passenger fares for the Hakone Ropeway on April 18. The existing section-based fare (between Sounzan Station and Togendai Station) will be changed to a flat fare that is easier to understand. All tickets allow stopovers, and one-way tickets can be used in one direction from the station where they were purchased. The revised fares are as follows read more © Source…

[willyrachmat]

: Fog at the dock : Location: #togendai : #japanigram #visitjpn #japaneseculture #instagramjapan #travelasia #explorejpn #attjapan #japanmagazine #unknownjapan #travelgram #travel #traveling #letsgoeverywhere #travelphotography #socialenvy #photooftheday #instagram #day4you #theworldguru #instagramjpn #exploreasia #japanwaits #globe_visuals #photography #iphonegram #attjapan #tokyocameraclub #japan #bestjapanpics (at 箱根海賊船ビクトリー) https://www.instagram.com/wr1611/p/BvQRmw7AJFs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=k24az090zgrj

[nobu11051991]

BEST LAKE VIEW HOTEL in Hakone near Tokyo

BEST LAKE VIEW HOTEL in Hakone near Tokyo

‘BEST LAKE VIEW HOTEL in Hakone ‘I stayed hotel ‘HANAORI’ in TOGENDAI Hakone .It’s opened 2017 a new clean hotel. We can see the beautiful ASHI lake view and sightseeing boat ‘ Pirates’ from the room . You can go out at the reception area where there is a foot bath and pool with flower rings .We can see the ASHI lake from here too. Foot bath Sightseeing boat Pirates I think this is one of…

[yukusaki]

Day trip/overnight from Tokyo: Hakone

x

It’s been about a month since I started my job at the travel agency and I already know more about things to do in Hakone than anyone who’s never been to Hakone should know.  It’s a small but popular town near Mt. Fuji with some pretty good things to do.  If you’re going between Tokyo and Kyoto, this is a good stop on the way.  It’s also a good opportunity to splurge a bit and stay at a nice ryokan with an onsen.  There are even a few—but not many—open-air onsen with views of Fuji (many of those are at ryokan, but may be open to day guests not staying there overnight).  

There’s lots of stuff to do here so I’ll try to keep it short.  Anyone wanting a more detailed description (especially prices and logistics on getting from place to place), feel free to send an ask!  

Getting there from Tokyo:

The shinkansen is only 40 minutes from Tokyo Station to Odawara and for such a short distance is not too expensive (3,000 for unreserved, 4,500 yen for balls-to-the-wall luxury with seats in the premium car).  Take the Tozan train from Odawara to get into Hakone proper--a particularly gorgeous ride during hydrangea season (mid-June to late July).

The Odakyu Romancecar (limited express) from Shinjuku to Hakone Yumoto is a bit longer (80 minutes). It’s a bit cheaper than the shinkansen (in the range of 2,500 yen), but they’re close enough that it’s better to just decide based on convenience--unless you have the Freepass, in which case the Romancecar is only about 1,500 yen.

If you’re staying overnight or for 2 nights you should absolutely get the Hakone Freepass (2- and 3-day passes available) which give you free public transport basically anywhere in Hakone, and discounts for a bunch of stuff.  

Suggested route:

Train from Hakone Yumoto or Odawara to The Hakone Open-Air Museum: art museum with some pretty notable exhibits (admission 1,600 yen)

Walk (15 min) to Sounzan station and ride the Hakone Ropeway to Togendai station (￥1,480 one-way): some good views going up the mountain.  Easily accessible from Odawara and Hakone Yumoto via bus and cable car (all free with the Freepass).  Stop at Owakudani station (￥920 +￥1,140 from there to Togendai) on the way up to try the famous black eggs—eggs boiled in a sulfur spring with the shells turned black, which are said to add 7 years to your life:

Photo by David Monniaux x

From the top of the ropeway (Togendai station) take the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Ashi/Ashinoko to Motohakone port for Hakone Shrine or Hakonemachi for Hakone Sekisho (the two ports are within walking distance of each other so you can visit both--￥1,040 one way, free with Freepass, cruise/ropeway day pass also available).  On clear days you can see Mt. Fuji, such as in the picture at the top of this post.  

Hakone shrine: some gorgeous views, of course.  One of the torii gates is on the lake.

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Hakone Sekisho (Hakone inspection point): historically used to prevent weapons from coming into the city and the wives and daughters of feudal lords from getting out of the city. Now restored as a museum.

Then take a bus back to Hakone Yumoto/Odawara/your hotel, etc.

If the Hakone Ropeway is closed, you can try the Komagatake ropeway instead (go to Hakone Shrine or Hakone Sekisho by public transport first, then take the Izuhakone cruise instead of the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise to Hakone-en port; alternatively, just take a bus to Hakone-en.  There’s fewer Freepass discounts with this route).

That’s a pretty good day trip right there, but if you’re staying longer try some of these:

Yunessun onsen complex: One side of the complex is a bit more traditional, while the other (swimsuits required) has rooms with coffee baths and wine baths, just to name a few (3,500 yen for admission to both parts).

And the Venetian Glass Museum.

If you’re going by shinkansen, take some time in Odawara to go to Suzuhiro Kamaboko Village. Kamaboko is a traditional Japanese food made from pureed fish paste, formed into loaves and steamed.  At Suzuhiro, you can try making your own kamaboko at the museum (1,500 yen depending on the workshop.  I recommend going through the Japanese version of the website if you’re able to do the workshop in Japanese, as there are more options).  There are some other food-related places at the village, like a soba restaurant and a craft beer brewery.

Also in Odawara is Odawara Castle, where you can try on some armor!

[emaadsidiki]

Mount Fuji 🗻 Hakone Lake ⛵

[tokyodailyphoto]

箱根海賊船 桃源台港 Hakone Pirate Ship Tōgendai Port #箱根 #桃源台 #hakone #togendai (at 芦ノ湖 / Lake Ashinoko) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmy7anNBbTb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[syncopatedid]

Kazetsuyo Novel: Excerpt from Chapter 8: Winter Arrives Again

Sharing a delightful excerpt from the Kazetsuyo novel because these pages sparked joy for me so I thought you should be reading it too, but aye, why no English version to share? What fun would it be to ああああ alone? It covers Episode #17′s timeline, but do bear in mind that it is still somewhat different from the anime canon, so it’ll be new information if that’s the only version you’re familiar with.

Disclaimer: This is a Mandarin to English translation and I do not have an original Japanese copy to compare and reference from, so nuances may vary between the two.

Without further ado! 

Chapter 8: Winter arrives again (page 228, 229)

(This scene takes place at the Lake Ashi/Ashinoko Lake area. The squad had run into Sakaki, who started insulting them while they just stood there and let him, etc. and then Sakaki left. Begin Kakeru’s inner monologue):

Why can’t I think of a single comeback? What’s the point of only being good at running? A cheetah or ostrich could run fast as well. How does that make me any different from an animal?

Kakeru was dejected at first, and then he was indignant - he was angry with himself for allowing Sakaki to just walk away after belittling them and saying whatever the damn hell he pleased.

“The guy’s earnest in a way…” Yuki admitted as he eyed Sakaki leaving.

“The fact that Kakeru didn’t charge at him to beat him up means he’s made progress. That’s good enough.” Kiyose’s usual poker-face remained as he spoke.

That’s true, thought Kakeru to himself.

In the past, if Sakaki had run his mouth off like that, I would never have let him off the hook so easily. This time, it was because I was thinking about how to refute him that I forgot about punching him.

“I should’ve just slugged him once.”

The more Kakeru mulled over it, the more it frustrated him. At the same time, he was also baffled by his own change.

To think that I would choose to resolve things without resorting to violence…

Kakeru was overwhelmed. On one hand, he felt like a tiger that has had its fangs pulled out. On the other, it felt like the distance between Rikudo U’s Team Captain Fujioka and himself had gotten a little closer. It was a liberating feeling.

“Don’t let it get to you.” Kiyose turned to everyone. “Come on, we’re almost at Lake Ashi. Let’s move.”

Standing tall before them was Mount Fuji, its peak covered in pure, white snow. With one breath, the members of Chikusei-so sprinted towards the final slope just in front of Ashinoko Lake.

“You said not to let it get to us, but it bothers me!” Jota muttered as he ran, with Joji next to him nodding aggressively.

Kakeru took that to heart. It was as if the chasm between the members of Chikusei-so had grown deeper because of Sakaki’s words.

After resting at Lake Ashi for a bit, they were ready to continue with the return route back down the mountain path.

Kiyose had just decided this on the spot, so even Kakeru was caught by surprise.

“We’re not going to spend the night here?”

“Like we have that kind of money?” Kiyose replied.

Prince couldn’t help but recoil in fear, so terrified that he was slowly backing away towards the bus-stop with the signage for Hakone-Yumoto*.

Kiyose noticed this and smiled.

“Relax, Prince, you don’t have to run down the mountain. It’s easy to get injured when navigating slopes, so only those who could potentially represent us for Section 6 need run. The rest of you can take the bus back to Hakone-Yumoto.”

Kiyose had singled out the twins and Yuki to run.

Yuki was incredulous.

“So it doesn’t matter if my leg were to get injured?! Is that what you’re saying?”

“You and the twins took the ropeway up here from Togendai to Owakudani*, didn’t you?  Did you think I didn’t see that? So you three should still have the energy to run.” answered Kiyose.

“Besides, you were trained in Kendo, so your centre of gravity and lower core are stable. That makes you very suited for running downward slopes.”

Yuki was silenced, but the twins continued to grumble among themselves.

“We’re dead tired as it is, and he still wants us to run?”

“Do we even need to train so hard?”

“You two. If you have something to say, just spit it out.” 

The twins shook their heads in unison.

Finally, Kiyose decided he would run together with Yuki and the twins. But Kiyose’s right leg was injured, and that worried Kakeru.

“Haiji, I’ll run with them instead. It’s better that you don’t force yourself.”

“I’ll run slowly so it won’t be a problem. The bus is here, go on.”

At Kiyose’s insistence, Kakeru and the rest boarded the bus.

In the end, the bus was stuck in a massive jam, and Yuki and the twins who were running down the mountain road soon caught up to the vehicle. Kiyose, who had assured that he would take it slow, came dashing down the slope following closely behind the three, nagging and going through all the things they needed to take note of when they’re running.

Kakeru and the others looked out of the bus.

Comparing the bus’ speed with the speed of Yuki and gang, one could say they’re almost neck and neck.

“Maybe we should get off and run. Who knows, we might actually be faster.” Nico-chan muttered, irritated by how slow the bus was moving.

“I’m not budging, you hear.” Prince declared, having secured himself a seat on the bus.

=============

Footnotes:

1. In the anime, the impression I got was that the squad rode around in Haiji’s van all the way from Section 1 to the half point at Lake Ashi and back. But in the novel, it’s pretty obvious the squad didn’t take the van all the way! From what I had gathered, the van was parked at the base of Hakone-Yumoto station while they covered the rest of the mountain course on foot (Aka Hakone-Yumoto stn -> Lake Ashi -> Hakone-Yumoto Stn).

*Togedai and Owakudani are stops along the Hakone Circle Route, which is a popular course for visitors and where ropeway cable car rides are available (so yeah, Yuki and the twins took a shortcut and totally got called out by Haiji).

2. The growing resentment the twins have towards Haiji is still unresolved at this point in the novel, and the part where they were told to cancel their soccer date only happened after this scene, but for the life of me I am still unable to trace the part where the twins had bailed on them, and Kakeru had to chase them down and tackle them to the ground, which was why I was even reading this chapter in the first place, hah. If this is an original scene added by Production IG I just wanna give all my kudos and cookies to the team, bless.

#Kaze Novel Translations

[giovy]

#japan #lakeashi #togendai #hakone #honeymoon (presso Lake Ashi)

[traveling-couch-potato]

Japan Day 7

The end to my first official week in Japan. We took it relatively easy today (partially not our choice) and I didn’t realize how much I needed this break day. We had a more set plan but woke up to a landscape of snow.

We were extremely sleepy but since we’re all from California so snow is a rare treat which meant we practically sprung up to run to the onsen so we could enjoy the hot waters under the falling snow.

After the onsen we headed to another amazing buffet set up from Restaurant Hananowa which featured a mix of Japanese and Western fare. The best part is definitely the eggs though. Ever form of runny egg I could ever want. Once again, heaven.

With our bellies full we were finally ready to head out. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions the Hakone Ropeway that would allow us to get to the Owakudani Valley was out of service so we couldn't visit. Luckily the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise was still in operation so we proceeded to the next part of our itinerary. Due to the rain we were in for some cold traveling conditions ahead but seeing the beauty of Lake Ashi in the snow made the numb feet worth it. The boat departed from Togendai-Ko with its first stop at Hakonemachi-Ko. Since it was pouring so hard we weren't able to explore far beyond the station. We grabbed some warm snacks, dried off our feet with all the cafe napkins we could grab, and explored the shops for a bit.

The next and final stop of the sightseeing cruise route was Motohakone-ko. Our original plan was to explore the Hakone-Jinja but all the rain made it difficult to fully enjoy the area. We did take a quick look before continuing our wak through the forests a bit then down the stairs to enjoy the view of the Heiwa-no-Torii.

About an 10 minute walk along the shore brings you to the opposite side of the lake and allows for some stunning photos.

There was some construction going on but it made for some interesting photos.

As we headed back to the station we decided to grab lunch at one of the random restaurants on the way back to the station. Quite a few were closed randomly and we ended up at a place called Ashinoko Tea House. While we weren't hungry the warm soba and dons they served were so comforting and gave us the energy to continue through with our day.

Hakone is known for their soba. I'm a little sad we didn't get to visit a specialty shop but the broth here was still really delicious.

Throughout our visit to Hakone there have been Run with the Wind anime stamps at several stations. We weren't originally planning on completing the set but you win a small prize if you finish collecting the stamps and we were only one away. Since the weather cut our itinerary short, we decided to visit the Hakone Kowakien Yunessun station/resort. This place was surreal. The weather seemed to thin out the crowd here so even though there was a special event going on (something called The Pink Festival) the place was eerily quiet. We collected our final stamp, got our prize (a cute sheet of stickers), and explored the resort a bit before hopping on a bus back to our hotel.

Collect all 5 stamps and get a prize!

From the bus stop we had a short walk back to our hotel which was long enough for us to refreeze. Luckily the hotel had welcome drinks waiting for us including a lovely hot yuzu vinegar drink.

We then headed up to our rooms and made a pot of tea and had some of the free snacks the hotel provided for us including shrimp crackers and umeboshi sheets. It was so cathartic just lounging around for a few hours and recooperating from our cold journey out.

The rest of our night was equally relaxing. One final visit to the onsen followed by another delicious dinner at the buffet before a visit to the gift shop and a night of just rolling around in our comfy beds. It's so nice to finally have some down time before heading back to our intense itineraries.