Hakone
6-20-2012 8:54:59 AM
Wednesday, June 20th
Finally. We made it to Hakone. But it turns out that the storm caused landslides, which restricted bus and train travel. Our hotel was on the side of a mountain, but we could not reach it. We found a nearby hotel, Hotel Asuka, and we were able to change the booking through booking.com to the hotel that was close to the downtown area. By this time, it was about ten in the morning and we hadn’t eaten a real meal since lunch of the day before (not to mention our lack of sleep from being stuck on that train). We left our luggage at our hotel and began to explore the area. We found a nice resort nearby that had a lunch buffet filled with many scrumptious treats. Since it opened at 11 and we had been walking for a while so we were able to eat- and we did. We were too hungry to take pictures, but Garden Restaurant Himeshara’s buffet was amazing.
Update: We finally reached Hakone after a terrible night in the typhoon. The pictures show the train station in Hakone and a bridge across the rushing river that separates the city in half.In Hakone, they had a localized tram that ran around the mountain. One of the stops was the Venetian Glass Museum. They had an outdoor garden with crystals decorating each bush and flower. This made the entire outdoor area sparkle, which was really enjoyable after the typhoon.
The pictures for the museum: The Glass Museum grounds. The white tree on the island is made completely of blown glass. They put crystals in flowering bushes for a neat effect.
A close-up of the crystals on the bridge. When the sun lit this up, it was amazing, but hard to catch on camera.
One of the open areas in the massive museum. We loved the marble fountain.
The ceilings, the light fixtures, the fountain… the whole place was beautiful.
Hakone-Ichinoyu Ryokan
6-21-2012 9:09:18 AM
Thursday, June 21st
Ichinoyu Ryokan was the most expensive place we stayed the whole month- but it was worth it! It was a traditional ryokan with a private onsen on our balcony. A onsen is a hot spring and it is what Hakone is famous for (like Hot Springs, Arkansas). The water is amazing and my skin was incredibly soft after this little trip.
Hakone
The train station in Hakone.
Hakone
We finally reached Hakone after a terrible night in the typhoon.
Hakone
A bridge across the rushing river that separates the city in half.
Venetian Glass Museum
The Glass Museum grounds. The white tree on the island is made completely of blown glass.
Venetian Glass Museum
The side of the glass museum.
Venetian Glass Museum
The crystal bridge and the museum restaurant.
Venetian Glass Museum
A close up of a bush mixed with crystals.
Venetian Glass Museum
They put crystals in flowering bushes for a neat effect.
Venetian Glass Museum
A close-up of the crystals on the bridge. When the sun lit this up, it was amazing, but hard to catch on camera.
Venetian Glass Museum
The restaurant on site.
Venetian Glass Museum
A window looking out in the museum.
Venetian Glass Museum
The ceilings, the light fixtures, the fountain… the whole place was beautiful.
Venetian Glass Museum
One of the open areas in the massive museum. We loved the marble fountain.
Ichinoyu Ryoken
The Bamboo pail for adding cooled water to the hot pool on our balcony.
Ichinoyu Ryoken
The rushing river outside of our balcony. Because of the typhoon, the water levels were really high.
Ichinoyu Ryoken
Our onsen on our balcony. The water was piped directly from the hot spring.
Ichinoyu Ryoken
The door to our balcony.
Ichinoyu Ryoken
The short table and leg-less chairs.
Ichinoyu Ryoken
The front of the room. They would convert this area to the sleeping area around bedtime.