Let's go wandering....Japan#4- Hakone(箱根) & Mt. Fuji (富士山)

Hello steempeeps,

We’re back to wandering about Hakone and we wanted to talk about the Hakone Loop which is considered the main sightseeing attraction in Hakone. Through the loop you get to explore the area with great views of Mt. Fuji via the Hakone ropeway (on a clear day), you can even get on a pirate ship and also visit the volcanic valley Owakudani (大涌谷), and have the famous “black eggs” or Kuro-Tamago (黒卵). One egg can add 7 years to your life! For 500 yen, you get 5 of these eggs so feel free to share, or not. (don’t blame us for eggy breath :P) To complete the loop can take anywhere between half the day to the whole day if you go wandering off to explore each stop. We recommend getting the Hakone Free pass which give you access to all the local transportation in Hakone. Another variation to this pass is the Fuji-Hakone pass which gives you access to buses in the Mt Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes area for an up close and personal experience of Mt. Fuji.

Here we are at the Hakone shrine looking out into the water. :)

Here you can see the active sulfur gases coming out of the ground. Owakudani sits in a volcanic valley/crater on Mt. Hakone. Pretty cool!

Here is the infamous black eggs! Don't let the outer appearance intimidate you. They are definitely edible and tastes like a regular egg. Maybe a bit more sulfur-yyy smelling. If you know what we mean. They look like little planets and galaxies with the sulfur coating on the outside. I'll call them, "Galactica Eggs"! :P

Pirate ship!

We were definitely lucky on this trip to be able to see Mt. Fuji and out of the 3 days we were in Hakone, we were only able to see her once. The best time of the year to see and be able to snap pictures of this majestic mountain is usually during the winter time. During summer it is almost impossible and in the Spring you have to battle clouds and rain (usual spring weather). Quite shy she is.

But lucky for us we were able to get a glimpse of her majestic beauty. Due to the rain and overcast, we were giving up our hopes of seeing Mt. Fuji but on our way to Owakudani, as we were moving towards higher elevations up Mt. Hakone, she made her appearance! It was definitely an awesome sight and surprising treat for all of us!

There are a lot of shrines in the Hakone area and at the entrance of the torii gate you get to "purify" your hands and mouth at what they call the "temizuya" or water pavilions.

Here we are enjoying our view of Mt. Fuji. ^^

Hope you guys enjoyed these photos of Mt. Fuji and the Hakone area. Follow us to see where we're taking you next :)

Keep wandering!