HAKONE: Days 5 and 6

FUJI-SAN ELUDES US IN THE MISTS

One of the major hopes of this trip was to view Mount Fuji in all of her majesty. So far this has not been possible. Most of our time in Japan it has been rainy and cool. We could handle that in the city, but we had planned our time in Hakone as a prime opportunity to view the great mountain. The fog reduced visibility to less than 50 feet at times and clouds were omnipresent throughout our stay within the invisible shadow of this magnificent icon. Nevertheless we were able to enjoy the spa treatment at the gracious old Fujiya Hotel. This is as close as we are likely to come to the Grand Budapest Hotel of Hollywood notoriety. As we arrived after our short walk in the rain from the bus stop, several hotel employees ran out to great us, to offer us umbrellas, and to wipe us down with dry towels taking our bags for us to the hotel and settling us in to this grand old mansion. The hotel was founded in the 1870s and has functioned as a hotel, spa, and thermal mineral baths since that time. 

The Fujiya Hotel

Famous guests include names as diverse as Margaret Thatcher and Twiggy, several heads of state, Emperors and royalty, Charlie Chaplin, Dwight Eisenhower, Helen Keller, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It also was home to the International Mustache Club. Thanks to Keith Hirata, Chaplain at Meriter Hospital in Madison, who was so helpful to me in planning this trip; the Fujiya Hotel was one of his Mother’s recommendations.

We had taken our first shinkansen, or bullet train from Tokyo to Odawara. The bus to Hakone from Odawara Station wound its way up into the foothills of the mountains. It was a tight fit in there with our wheeled luggage items, which tended to roll around at will unless we “sat” on them.

We explored the town of Hakone, which is primarily a resort area for Mt Fuji views. We purchased a free pass, which allowed us access to transportation via bus, train, cable car, ropeway, and pirate boat (no, really!) The mists engulfed most of our visit. Although preventing our coveted Fuji view, there was an eerie atmosphere about the place that we enjoyed. Up in the mountains we could see steam rising up from the thermal hot springs. A local treat there are the black eggs which are cooked in the thermals.

One marvelous chance event that we got to witness was the annual local Shaolin Temple Festival. Priests carried a heavy temple piece for 5 kms around town. Fortunately for us they stopped at the Fujiya on their way.

Our favorite spot was the Hakone Open Air Museum. Acres of land spotted with some of the most magnificent sculptures by some of the world’s most famous artists. After the museum we found a quaint little restaurant named “Woody’s.”

Woody's Cafe