Hakone is a beautiful place. The natural beauty is difficult to describe relative to other places I've visited around the world. It's peaceful, tranquil and seemingly not spoilt by being one of the major tourist attractions outside of Tokyo. I must admit that when I first heard of Hakone my major question was "what's there to do". Doing is not as important in Hakone as seeing, and there are a lot of things to see. If you enjoy nature and the simplistic yet magnificent beauty of the natural environment then Hakone is where it's at. In short, if you're a tree hugger then head to Hakone ASAP.
Lake Ashi, or Hakone Lake as it's also called, is probably the most beautiful lake I've ever seen. The beauty, again, is difficult to convey with words. It's a place where the demands of the modern world disappears and you get a glimpse of life as it must have been hundreds of years ago when the emphasis was on being one with nature. Rising in the distance is the towering Mt. Fuji in all it's majesty. The best time to go to the Lake is in the fall when the leaves are changing and the sky is completely clear. This will give you the best possibly views of the surrounding mountains and the foliage of the tress.
When at the lake there are a few cruise ships masquerading as pirate ships that take you from one end of the lake to the other. It's $10 but absolutely worth it. I spent most of my time on the top deck of the ship starring out at the panorama of trees and water. Pictures absolutely do now do this place justice, neither does vide. It's best to just go there and see for yourself. If you're in Tokyo and have a day to burn, then hop on a Shinkansen and head down to Hakone.
Getting There:
- From Shibuya take the JR Yamanote line to Shinagawa (160 JPY). If you're already at Tokyo station then just take the Shinkansen from there.
- At Shinagawa transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen to Odawara station (2940 JPY)
- At Odawara station take the Hakone-Tozan Line to Hakone-Yumoto station (300 JPY)
- At Hakone-Yumoto station you can take a bus to the Lake (1150 JPY).
- You can also take a tram to Gora (350 JPY)
- Then transfer to the cable car to Soounzan at the top of the hill (425 JPY)
- Then take the Hakone ropeway, which I highly recommend, from Togendai to the lake (1490 JPY).
Note:
The transfers are time consuming and taking the tram, cable car, and ropeway takes about 2 hours longer than the bus but is totally worth the view from the ropeway - see my other post.
Enjoy!
