Day trip to Hakone with Hakone FreePass / Family Travelogue16 March 2016 Part 2
Lake Ashi Sightseeing cruise, Hakone, Japan
I so love nature! Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in Japan. It is known for onsen (hot spring) and Mt. Fuji views. There was a snow fall during our visit, Mr. Mt Fuji never showed to us. Too bad :(. Notwithstandng, we had a blast exploring this mountainous region, took most of the available transports: Tozan bus, pirate ship, ropeway, cable car and the mountain train. Further, we were able to visit the not so ordinary museum, Hakone Open-Air Museum. Situated in scenic Hakone, the museum features over 120 works by modern sculptors in Europe and in Japan plus the ceramic artworks of one of my favourites, Picasso, with over 300 works in the PIcasso Pavillon.
The 30-minute sightseeing cruise started at Motohakone-ko and ended at Togendai-ko. Aside from the pirate ship, more transports exploring Hakone available at Togendai-ko. Hakone Tozan Bus, Odakyu Hakone Highway bus and the Hakone Ropeway. The Ropeway takes you to Ubako, to Owakudani and to Sounzan. Due to volcano alert, the Ropeway ended at Ubako. From Ubako, there was a bus to Sounzan.
Hakone Ropeway boarding area is on the 2nd Floor and the other transportations are on the 1st Floor level, all accessible by stairs and escalators.
view from the restaurant at Togendai-ko, View Restaurant
View from the restaurant at Togendai station, View Restaurant .
view from the restaurant at Togendai-ko, View Restaurant
View Restaurant is on the 1st Floor. Meals served in this restaurant are very simple. You may find appetizing though with the enchanting views of the mountain from the inside.
Hakone Pirate Ship. view from the View Restaurant at Togendai station
The Hakone Pirate Ship, one of the attractons in Hakone, ferries people around the Lake Ashi between Togendai Port to Motohakone Port or Hakone-machi Port mainly for a mountain scenic cruise.
Hakone Ropeway (from Togandai to Ubako)
There are two routes to explore Hakone with the different means of transportation. Most visitors starts from Hakone Yumoto by mountain train to Gora, followed by cable car to Sounzan, by bus to Ubako, ropeway to Togendai, ship to cruise the lake to Motohakone and ends to Hakone Yumoto by bus. We did the reverse route and we arrived Hakone Yumoto at 9am. The sightseeing rides: ships and gondolas were not crowded. We even enjoyed the gondola ride ourselves. Inside the aerial lift indeed was so relaxing seeing the beautiful views.
Hakone Ropeways are gondolas with a capacity of 18 passengers operate with a one-minute interval from each station.
*During operating hours, the ropeway leaves one station after the other at the abovementioned intervals. However, passenger safety is our priority so, on occasion, the ropeway service will either be suspended or unable to operate as scheduled because natural hazards such as snow or strong winds are forecast. Please be forewarned.
*Passengers are also permitted to stopover on the way. *Discount fares apply for foreign visitors traveling in groups (25% off for groups of 15–100, and 35% off for groups of 101 or more) *Adults: 12 years old and above, Children: 6–11 years old
source: Hakone Ropeway site There is nothing much to see at Ubako station. Had the volcano Owakudani not active, the ride and views from Ubako to Owakudani would be so amazing. From Ubako we took the bus to Sounzan station. You could opt to go back to Togendai by ropeway. From Togendai there is also a bus that would take you to Sounzan station or Hakone Yumoto station.
From April 16, 2016, the ropeway between Togendai and Owakudani has resumed. However, the passengers are not allowed to get off at Owakudani station.
Ubako station
views from Ubako station- arrival area
views from Ubako station- arrival area
views from Ubako station-arrival area
Ubako station
Tozan bus from Ubako to Sounzan station
from Ubako stn to Sounzan stn by Hakone Tozan bus in Japan
We had stayed outside the Sounzan station for a while to feast our eyes with the majestic scenery. We can't help not to admire the beauty of the mountains Hakone has many to offer not only the famous onsen. It would also be so great had Mr. Mount Fuji shown.
outside Sounzan station, Hakone, Japan
outside Sounzan station, Hakone, Japan
outside Sounzan station, Hakone, Japan
I wonder what is this character symbolizes.
outside Sounzan station, Hakone, Japan
Hakone Tozan cablecar entrance/exit
Life is the best gift from our creator. Let us not worry much about the future, enjoy the present. Live life to the fullest.
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