More Japan: Sunday

Sunday,we took a combination of trains to get to Hakone, which is apparently a well-known getaway just outside of Tokyo.

On the down side, as it was a three-day holiday weekend for the vernal equinox, things were rather crowded and we ended up sitting in traffic for approximately half of our time there. On the up side, the weather was lovely; we had some fantastic views of Mt. Fuji; and we ended the day at the amazing Tenzan Onsen, where we scrubbed up and then soaked (nekkid and segregated) under the stars in the natural hot springs.

I think I'd recommend against getting whatever bus pass we got, at least for times likely to be busy: ours were ¥3900, which got us a city bus (in a nearly perpetual, if generally scenic, traffic jam, until we were dropped off to walk the last half mile up to Owakudani--and then back down the mountain) and a ferry ride, individual trips that could presumably have been had for approximately a third of that. In general I prefer trains, and would suggest that in Hakone, too.

An onsen soak, on the other hand, is definitely unmissable.

Here are pictures (full album here):