{"id":23899,"date":"2015-09-15T07:55:38","date_gmt":"2015-09-14T23:55:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/?p=23899"},"modified":"2019-05-24T08:29:10","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T00:29:10","slug":"diy-japan-hakone-part-3-beautiful-hakone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/2015\/09\/diy-japan-hakone-part-3-beautiful-hakone\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Japan \u2013 Hakone Part 3: Romance in Hakone (Lake Ashi, Mount Komagatake, Gora Park, Ancient Cedar Path and Hakone Open Air Museum)"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been deliberating on this last post of Hakone for a while. We\u2019ve shared about our first Onsen<\/a><\/strong> experience, our encounter with the Little Prince<\/a><\/strong> and introduced you to the beautiful flora at Hakone Botanical Gardens of Wetlands<\/a><\/strong>. Now reluctantly, it’s time for our final post on Hakone…a place we’ve fallen so in love with and I can’t really describe why.Well, like most love encounters do\u2026it started with some flirting\u2026with the Grand Lady herself, Mt. Fuji.<\/p>\n

Like a shy Geisha, she\u2019s been known to be illusive this time of the year (rainy season) but Angie, knowing I am a \u2018World Heritage Site\u2019 junkie, took a gamble, booked a Ryokan<\/a><\/strong> famed for its view so that her husband could have a 50-50% chance of catching a glimpse of this beauty.<\/p>\n

From Tokyo, we took the JR Train to Odawara and transferred to the Hakone Tozan Railway which brought us through the picturesque hillside of Hakone to Lake Ashi which was formed on the caldera of Mount Hakone after it erupted 3000 years ago (I did say I like heritage stuff!).  Angie and I seem to have a penchant for volcanoes since we had our honeymoon on Mauritius (a volcanic island) and later, went on our 2nd<\/sup> Honeymoon in Hawaii (more volcanoes!).<\/p>\n

\"Hak283School girls waiting for the Mountain Train. It’s not only for tourist.<\/p>\n

\"Hakone<\/p>\n

How not to fall in love with a place like this? Railroad lined with awesome greenery and flowers.\"Hakone<\/p>\n

Before we boarded the cruise to ride the Hakone-en ropeway up to Mount Komagatake, we had to \u2018refuel\u2019 at a nearby restaurant.  Now, this is one of the wonderful things about having a local guide \u2013 Mr. Yoshida just stuck his head into a nondescript little shop then waved us in. Inside, an old lady and her son owned the little eatery and THERE,we had the most awesome TEMPURA meal! OMG! The batter was so fresh and crisp.  After soaking up the miso broth, the flavours  just exploded in our mouths. The accompanying soba was so light and fresh as it was handmade. Little did we expect to find heaven in a little Hakone shop!<\/p>\n

\"Lake<\/p>\n

Heavenly tempura and soba…all from a non-descript shop along Moto Hakone, along Lake Ashi.<\/p>\n

\"Hak233\"Hak234<\/p>\n

After our satisfying meal and what seemed like a thousand \u2018Oishi\u2019 to the nice elderly lady, we went for our catamaran cruise across the 3000 year old caldera, Lake Ashi. There across the tranquil lake stands the iconic Torii Gate leading up to the Hakone Shrine which is shrouded by the dense greenery. The shrine, built on top of the Mount Komagatake was relocated to this site in 1667. In its heyday, it was very popular with the Samurais (whoa!) but today, we could only catch a brief glimpse of it through the shrubbery as the cruise slowly moved along.<\/p>\n

\"Hak242I don’t think these ‘ducks’ know they are sitting on a 3000 year old caldera…neither did we, until now.<\/p>\n

\"Hak243The Lake Ashi Cruise, a great way to slow down and take in the breadth of the place.<\/p>\n

\"Hak244Seriously…I don’t mind having his job.<\/p>\n

\"Hak251Taking the Ropeway we were able to see the awesome bird’s eye view of the Hakone Hillside.<\/p>\n

\"LakePhotos from a calendar? That’s the beauty of Japan. Everywhere I turn, I’m tempted to shoot.<\/p>\n

\"LakeJack Sparrow? No…just a pirate ship for fun to take us across Lake Ashi.<\/p>\n

\"Hak238Torii Gate of Hakone Shrine, an Edo period shrine frequented by Samurais.<\/p>\n

Alas, when we reached the foot of the Ropeway we were greeted by dense fog. Mt. Fuji was obviously playing hard to catch! Nevertheless, we took the Ropeway up and in its unique way, it gave us a stunning view of Mount Hakone and the surrounding lake. The fog gave our ride a sense of mystique, perfect for that illusive romance we seem to be having with Mt. Fuji. We returned after a stopover at the top, taking in the canopy view of the forests. Honestly, even without seeing Mt. Fuji, the Mount Komagatake Ropeway has offered us an unforgettable view.<\/p>\n

\"Hakone-enKomagatakeThe Hakone Ropeway…a wonderful way to see Mt. Fuji and the stunning view of Lake Ashi and its hillside.<\/p>\n

\"Hakone-En\"Hakone-enKomagatakeThe rolling hills of Hakone: One of my fav shots that shows the various shades of green with a tinge of the evening sky on the top left.<\/p>\n

\"Hakone-enKomagatake<\/p>\n

\"Hakone-EnEven the leaves are pretty here. (Taken at Onshi Hakone Park overlooking Lake Ashi)<\/p>\n

\"Hakone-enKomagatake
\nSensing our slight disappointment at not being to spot Mt. Fuji, our guide Mr. Yoshida suggested we visit the old Hakone Checkpoint which served as an \u2018immigration\u2019 check point for travellers going between Tokyo and Kyoto during the feudal Edo period. Here, the wooden structures remained largely intact with re-enactments and pictorial guides to show us the process of immigration checks that the people and their horses had to go through\u2026much like our ports and airports today. It was quite surreal. Almost like a step back into time.<\/p>\n

Time is the real commodity, for right next to the Checkpoint, we saw a timeless skill that was passed from generations of master craftsmen \u2013 the skill of making \u2018Yosegi Zaiku\u2019 or puzzle boxes made from Cedar-wood. These puzzle boxes are amazing \u2013 they looked normal from the outside but inside are a series of drawers for hiding jewellery and secret paper messages which can only be revealed through subtle shifting and moving of the joints (like a magical rubric cube!).  You have to try it to believe it. Even more amazing is that these boxes come in all shapes and sizes, with some as large as cabinets! We had loads of fun with the craftsman who was trying to trick us with the boxes. Laughter breaks barriers!<\/p>\n

\"Hak255<\/p>\n

Quaint little shops close to Hakone Checkpoint<\/p>\n

\"Hak263 \"Hakone<\/p>\n

Dana having a go at the puzzle boxes and seeing the master at work.  These Cedar wood boxes are amazing! Even more amazing is the craftsmanship involved.<\/p>\n

\"Hak259<\/p>\n

Not far from the Checkpoint , we walked a short distance and climbed some steps up to the Onshi Hakone Park. Here, a small stately bungalow with white-washed walls which used to be the former summer resort house of the Imperial family sits among a large garden of finely manicured plants and rows of splendid roses.  With birds chirping and overlooking the lake, it tempts you to pause for a moment to take in the air of peacefulness, serenity and balance.<\/p>\n

\"Hakone-En\"Hakone-En<\/p>\n

Big, bright and beautiful roses at Onshi Hakone Park which once was the summer home of the Imperial family.<\/p>\n

\"Hakone-enKomagatake<\/p>\n

After our stopover, we headed down to catch the Hakone Tozan Railway but had to bypass one of the most \u2018magical\u2019 places we\u2019ve ever stepped foot into – The Old (Ancient) Cedar Path. Built in the Edo period, the path used by ancient travellers is lined with hundreds of gigantic 500 year-old Cedar trees that seem to shoot straight up to the sky  (as high as 40 metres!). Some of these Cedar trees have a girth of 4 metres! We felt like dwarves from a Tolkien movie.  I can\u2019t help but to touch these ancient giants and just take in the refreshing Cedar-wood scent. I can only imagine the stories they would tell of Japan\u2019s metamorphosis.  This is an unforgettable walk but it\u2019s not suitable for the elderly or the very young as the paths are uneven and steps rather steep.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneCedarWalk17<\/p>\n

Take a magical walk back in time to ancient Japan along this stone-paved roads (may not be suitable for very elderly or the very young)<\/p>\n

\"HakoneCedarWalk28\"HakoneCedarWalk<\/p>\n

It’s hard to imagine that we walked along the paths of the ancient Japanese as they traveled between Kyoto and Tokyo.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneCedarWalk05\"HakoneCedarWalk500 year-old Cedar trees that shoot up almost 40m into the sky. We absolutely loved this place! It left us speechless. That’s how tiny we are (above)<\/p>\n

\"HakoneCedarWalk23\"HakoneCedarWalk36\"HakoneGoodwillGuide\"<\/p>\n

When in Japan…travel with a Japanese: me and our goodwill local guide who made a big difference to our trip! Thank you Mr.Yoshida!<\/p>\n

\"HakoneCedarWalk13Everywhere we turn, flowers flowers flowers…Beautiful flowers in their natural state.<\/p>\n

Although we didn\u2019t get to \u2018meet\u2019 Mt. Fuji at Lake Ashi, we were pleasantly delighted by what her \u2018neighbours\u2019 had to offer – the chance to peep into Japan\u2019s ancient past and natural diversity. What a bonus.<\/p>\n

Soon, it was time to make our way back to our hotel. Will we finally \u2018meet\u2019 the Grand Lady ? My heart sank when the hotel staff informed us that Mt. Fuji did not appear for the past week due to the rain and mist. Today was no exception.  I was about to resign to my fate that the only way I can \u2018see\u2019 Mt. Fuji would be through the hotel\u2019s posters pasted strategically along the hotel corridor windows where the iconic volcano would usually be sighted.<\/p>\n

The next day was just as cloudy.  We took the Hakone Tozan Mountain Train to Gora Park- the French Styled Landscaped Rock Garden.  There, we were greeted by the panoramic view of the Hakone hillside and the incredible array of flowers planted in a symmetrical formation.  Our guide then brought us  for a brief Japanese Tea Ceremony and we treated ourselves to some Lavender Ice Cream in a cone – a must try in Japan.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneGoraPark06<\/p>\n

Gora Park, a French-styled garden opened in 1916.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneGoraPark07<\/p>\n

The layout here is symmetrical and balanced. Nicely laid out.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneGoraPark08 \"HakoneGoraPark32Once a year, pilgrims will come to the hillside, offer prayers and celebrate ‘humanity’ by lighting the figurine along the hillside.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"HakoneGoraPark37<\/p>\n

We participated in a simple tea ceremony here at Gora Park amidst the lush greenery.<\/p>\n

\"Hakone\"Gora \"GoraParkWhen in Japan, eat Lavender Ice-cream…shiok!<\/p>\n

After lunch, we headed to the Hakone Open Air Museum. This is another magical place where modern man-made art sculptures co-exist with Mother Nature. Opened in the late 1960s, this place has become an icon of Hakone even as residents themselves (including our guide) remembers coming here as a youth and then bringing his own children here.  The amazing thing is that all the sculptures and permanent exhibits here remain virtually untouched by time.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum52I was intrigued….What’s in Open-Air museum??<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum<\/p>\n

Simply put…it’s an Art Museum with gigantic and authentic pieces of modern art placed alongside nature. It was surprisingly refreshing.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum10\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum45<\/p>\n

Yes…there is a sizable collection of Picasso pieces here.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum42<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum08\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum \"HakoneOpenAirMuseum36\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum05<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know what to expect from this Hakone Open Air Museum initially and was wondering if Dana would appreciate these art installations.  That worry was unfounded as the beauty of the place lies in how these huge sculptures were put to perfectly balance the outdoor environment it sits on, captivating both child and adults alike. Visually, these exhibits can be provocative but aesthetically, they are stunning. You would need a good 4 hours at least to enjoy the Museum, including its indoor gallery with seasonal exhibits on display.  On the day we visited, they were showcasing Bamboo Art and we got to see the marriage of art and science in that collection.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseumDo pay a visit to the indoor exhibits here. They change seasonally.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum04<\/p>\n

One of the highlights for us was Symphonic Sculpture which is a huge 3-story giant kaleidoscope where we could enter it and be part of it.  It was nothing short of awesome.  Quite an experience!  There are also other art installations where children and adults can enjoy (read: touch and feel). One such are the giant Sunny-side up eggs entitled La Victoire de Villedaneuse and Garden of Stars \u2013 a huge indoor gym concept art installation where kids can go in and play. Whether you\u2019re an art lover or not, there is something to take away from this very unique, one in the world place \u2013 The Hakone Open Air Museum. A must visit definitely.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum19<\/p>\n

These are Fried Egg shape benches \"HakoneOpenAirMuseum18 \"HakoneOpenAirMuseum47<\/p>\n

Inside here is the Garden of Stars, an indoor children’s playground of sorts (and an art piece) unfortunately it was closed when we visited.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum<\/p>\n

Have you been IN a Kaleidescope? We have! <\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum32The Symphonic Sculpture – a 3-story high glass sculpture making us feel like we are in a Kaleidescope!<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOpenAirMuseum28But…the most remarkable of all, is Mother Nature’s handiwork – the flowers and leaves with beauty lies within diversity.<\/p>\n

Finally, as another day ends, the question remains, will I be able to say \u2018hi\u2019 to the illusive Grand Dame? When we returned in the evening, we gasped as we walked past the \u2018strategic spot\u2019 in the hotel, there she was! Mt. Fuji \u2013 the clouds slowly lifting to reveal her regal beauty that has graced the Japanese landscape for millions of years…and finally we meet! The next 1 hour, the clouds slowly parted and we could see more of her. Though the Summer heat had melted her signature snow-caps, her symmetrical cone was clearly visible.  With nightfall looming, we quickly snapped away, including views from our room balcony. When it was too dark to shoot anymore, we settled down for dinner, right next to the looming silhouette of Mount Fuji.  Next morning, it rained and we didn\u2019t see her again.  Our ‘meeting’ was brief but memorable.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneOnsen10\"Finally…the Grand Dame showed herself..and I checked off another item on my bucket list. Thank you for gracing our trip.<\/p>\n

Hakone is more than just the view of Mt. Fuji. It offers travellers a taste of the relaxed and idyllic countryside of Japan \u2013 a much needed respite from the intensity we\u2019ve experienced the past few days at the Theme Parks.<\/p>\n

This is our last post for Hakone, for now and\u2026I feel sad. Honestly, Hakone has been a gem for us. It has part nature, part community, part heritage and every part Japan. For that, it was extra meaningful that we included Hakone in our trip \u2013 the natural beauty and wonder of Japan that has captured our hearts.<\/p>\n

\"HakoneGoraPark19Us at Gora Park. Another memorable family portrait in a place we love so much.<\/p>\n

Our DIY Japan Trip 2015 (Summer):<\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 1: Tokyo in a Heartbeat: Tsukiji Market and CupNoodle Museum<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 2: From Medieval to Manga – Touring Asakusa, Sumida and Odaiba<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 3: DIY Japan – Maximising Your Day at Tokyo Disneyland<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 4: DIY Japan – Maximising Your Day at Tokyo DisneySea<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 5: Hakone Part 1: Naked Truths from the Onsen<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 6: Hakone Part 2: Enchanting Botanical Garden of Wetlands & The Little Prince Museum<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 7: Osaka Part 1: Nara Park and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Post 8: Osaka Part 2: Maximising Your Day at Universal Studios Japan<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Post 9:Osaka Part 3: Swissotel Nankai Osaka<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n

Post 10: DIY Japan \u2013 Kyoto…and a fond farewell<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been deliberating on this last post of Hakone for a while. We\u2019ve shared about our first Onsen experience, our encounter with the Little Prince and introduced you to the beautiful flora at Hakone Botanical Gardens of Wetlands. Now reluctantly, it’s time for our final post on Hakone…a place we’ve fallen so in love with and I can’t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":23915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,333,24,323,25],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Hak283-copy.jpg?fit=1140%2C761&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p59hHF-6dt","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23899"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23899"}],"version-history":[{"count":74,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46109,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23899\/revisions\/46109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}