Hakone - Mount Fuji

Stayed in a hotel in Hakone for 1 night and went to see Mount Fuji the next day. My friend told me we were very lucky to be able to view Mount Fuji and the weather was unbelievable. It was sunny, clear blue sky, the wind was fresh and not too cold. Mount Fuji which is known as a shy mountain, showed herself. Complete with a little bit of snow at the tip of it, just like in painting. It does look like a painting, God's painting. Let's see if I can see Mount Fuji once again if I have opportunity to revisit Japan.

Odawara Station is your first stop to Hakone

There are couple of ways to travel to Hakone tourist areas, take train to Odawara Station (from Yokohama Station by JR Shinkansen is only under 30 minutes), which is like the gate to Hakone areas. From here, you either continue with Hakone train (have to buy special Hakone pass for one or two days)  then cable car, ropeway car, bus to take around the trip to Lake Ashi, romance train (I think you can ride it from Shinjuku, but it is quite expensive) or rent a car from Odawara.

My friend drove us to the hotel, Lake Ashi, then a stop where I can't remember the name, which allows us to see Mt Fuji closer then to an aquarium and Shizouka area (Looks like a quiet town, went there on Sunday, where I still can see rice paddy.

Tea ceremony

Tatami room -inside the empty open house where the tea ceremony was hold

To be honest, I don't understand the meaning of tea ceremony. It was my first and I didn't ask or get explained the meaning of it. While we are waiting, sitting on tatami floor with our feet tucked in Japanese style, a lady in kimono brought us the tea which she made inside the kitchen, some show you how to do the tea, but this one didn't so I was disappointed. She also brought us a sweet because the green tea is bitter. Then that's it...we just drank tea and ate the sweet. It costs ¥500.

The two photos of Mount Fuji (taken from Lake Ashi) was taken by my phone because my camera's battery went flat.
I just found out that buying Hakone Pass (one day is ¥3900) entitled you to take the big pirate boat (or the other one, there are several, some are covered by the pass, some aren't). Cost0-wise, it is good as it covers the transports you need to go around to see Mount Fuji (not to the famous 5th station which is where people usually start when they want to climb the mountain). 

A day is enough, but it is recommended you stay a night where you can possibly see try to catch the Mountain in sunset and sunrise.