Fuji 5 Lakes

After our great Hakone transportation adventure, Jaime and Brian had to get back to work on Friday, but Davin and I stayed in Gotemba, with plans to visit the Fuji 5 Lakes, a chain of small lakes dotting the north side of Mt. Fuji. We parted ways on the train at sunset, half back to Shizuoka, half off to the Gotemba Kogen Brewery (My glass looks bigger, but his was bottomless).

Kawaguchi-ko looked inviting the next morning, but boating would have to wait. After Indian food, our afternoon was spent spelunking two of the area's many lava tubes formed from volcanic eruptions.

Some great info on what to expect from our cave experience:

Saturday was the epic day of obsessively observing Fuji from every possible vantage point, framed by every beautiful flower or tree. Leaving the pension and hiking toward the Kawaguchi lakeshore:

Along the north side of Kawaguchi-ko, gorgeous weather bringing out anglers and waterskiers galore:

Hiking along the east side of the lake (OMG cherry blossoms!) to visit lavender fields and eat lavender twist ice cream:

Then, out onto the lake in the most cheerful vessel! I have since looked into the cost of these things, however, and I think I can kiss my dreams of owning one goodbye.Our last stop was Fujiyoshida, to visit the radar dome that was first stationed on Fuji's peak in 1936, where it collected life-saving meteorological data for decades (It now looks back at its former home in the distance). We had a spicy hotpot, with a lump of tofu resembling the radar dome, across the street at the Fujiyoshida bierhall, then made a wide curve around the mountain by train to our home on the southwest side.

We ended up seeing only 3 out of 5 lakes: Yamanaka-ko, Kawaguchi-ko, and Sai-ko, but not bad for only 2 days, and for relying on public transportation!

Putting the fun in funicular.

Ahoy, matey.

Thursday, April 29 was a national holiday, so Brian, Davin, Jaime, and I took off for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, where the main attraction is transportation. With the purchase of the Hakone Free Pass, visitors can enjoy unlimited use of four different modes, in fact—boat, alpine railway, funicular, and cable car—which together make a complete loop around the area, offering views of clear lakes, forests, sulphurous hot springs, and snowcapped Mt. Fuji if the weather cooperates.

Not even windy, rainy weather could dampen our pirate ship fun on Lake Ashinoko; we had run of the deck since the other passengers were all huddled inside. Fire the cannons!

Land ho! In the village of Hakone, a reconstructed checkpoint of the Old Tokaido Road, the historic coastal route from Tokyo to Kyoto.

Recovering from the incident five minutes prior when a fisherman cast into the wind and hooked Brian's pants, wrapping him with line:

Then on to Japan's oldest alpine railway! It switchbacked slowly up one side of a huge hill by moving back and forth on graded tracks.

All that pirate ship excitement took a lot out of my groupies.

But next came the FUNicular. This elevated railway took us from the alpine train station higher up in the hills to connect with the cable car system.

The Hakone Ropeway holds the Guinness Book record for "World's Busiest Gondola Lift"! The day we visited, it had been shut down all morning due to rain and high winds, but the late afternoon sun showed up and the weather calmed just enough for the ropeway to open for a couple hours.

It was still quite gusty, causing our gondola to sway as we passed over a valley dotted with wisps of steam venting from sulphur hot springs.

We reached the crest of the hill, and there was Fuji, gorgeous in the glaring sun. The eight or so of us in the gondola gave a collective gasp :)

Then the ropeway descended to the lakeshore where we'd boarded the ship that morning, the loop complete.And in the ropeway ticketing area, we found the perfect destination for our next mini-vacation:

A spa near Hakone with a variety of themed bathing pools—including red wine, green tea, sake, coffee, and more—each bath with specific health-enriching qualities (so they advertise). Oh, Japan!

The White Heron

Himeji Castle, known as "the white heron” for its whitewashed plaster walls, is the best-preserved castle in Japan, and the most visited. Built in 1346, it sustained some damage over the years, including being bombed twice in 1945, but always remained mostly intact. I'd never seen it, and when I finished teaching in Kansai I figured this could be the last time I’d be so close. So off I went, past Kyoto, past Kobe, to see it...even though it was pouring. At least the trains were empty.Across the moat and through the front gate...Lots of winding, strategically-designed paths to slow any advance toward the main building...And heron-themed sewer covers, naturally!