Hakone was the destination of the day. It is less than 100km from Tokyo and is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Japan. It's famous for hot springs, natural beauty, view of Mount Fuji (on a bright and sunny day), and outdoor activities. We took the express train from Shinjuku station. We bought the 2-day Hakone Pass (5000yen) at the Odakyu Railways ticket counter in the Shinjuku station. Although we planned to spend just one day in Hakone, it was worth buying the 2-day pass because it includes a round trip from Shinjuku station to Hakone Yumoto, unlimited use of Odakyu affiliated buses, trains, boats, cablecars and ropeways within the Hakone free area, and discounted admission to selected tourist attractions.
This is the bus that goes around the Hakone area. All you need is to show the pass and you can hop on and off the bus as and when you like.
We hopped off the bus near Lake Ashi and had our lunch there.
Next, we crossed the lake by taking the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise.
Cruising..... After about 15-20minutes, we reached Togendai.
We then hopped onto the Hakone Ropeway and went up the hill. According to travle blogs and the brochures that we had, we were supposed to get a glimpse of Mount Fuji while we were on our way up. We kept looking....looking....for the most famous mountain in Japan....but sadly, we didn't see it. It was quite cloudy that day.... arrrrgggghhhhhh....
At the Owakudani stop with Sherlyn.
It is still spewing and bubbling with sulphur and thermal smoke about 3000 years after the last volcanic eruption of mount Hakone.
Photos of Owakudani craters taken from the Hakone Ropeway car showing smokes still coming from the crater thousand of years after eruption and ongoing construction works on the crater.After snapping some photos, we went on the second leg of the Hakone Ropeway which brought us to Sounzan where we caught the Hakone Tozan Cablecar to Gora. From Gora, we took the bus to Yunessun.
Yunessun is a Natural Hot Spring Spa Resort and water amusement park in Hakone National Park which is one of the most popular and famous Onsen (Hot Springs) area in Japan. The admission price is 3500yen per person. I chose to go there because it was the only onsen I could find that does not require people to go in naked! Sherlyn was ok with the idea and suggested me trying the onsen in downtown tokyo but I refused to do so. NO WAY!!! So, Yunessun was the best choice! Definitely....Thank GOD!!!
There are more than 25 different kinds of spa related services and fun water recreational activities in Yunessun. It's not the traditional onsen type where you go in naked and soak your body in the pool. It's not a place to see and t be seen. It's a place to have fun. Lotsa fun, I mean!
This is the green tea spa....you can drink the water if you dare to....
Drinking green tea from the EXTRA big teapot... Bathing in green tea helps to enhance the immune system.
The Japanese sake spa.....real Japanese sake was dripping from the cask behind me...
The wine spa....Fancy bathing in wine? It's cool man! It's been said that even Cleopatra loved to bath in wine! It helps to rejuvenate the body.
Hey, what's that? Let's check it out...
Oh, it's the charcoal spa.
This is the coffee spa...yes....real coffee made with hot spring water...(M) Boxappy's Jungle Gym
Yunessun.....a place not to be missed.....
We were back at the Shinjuku station at 11 p.m. and it was still busy.... Don't the Japs need to go home and rest after a long day at work?2 July, 2008
We woke up at 5.30 a.m. No, we were not insane. We knew we had had very little time sleeping but we knew we just had to do it or we would regret not doing so. No, we were not going to see the sun rising. We were going to the Tsukiji Market - the largest wholesale fish market in Japan and one of the biggest in the world. Boats begin arriving from around Japan, Africa, and even from America at about 3 a.m. every morning. The market handles about 450 kinds of seafood. Wholesalers will then walk up and down the rows and tuna auction will begin at about 5.30 a.m.
We reached the market at 7 a.m. We missed the auction (which we had predicted) and wandered around the market. Suddenly, we saw 'these' on the wheelbarrows. Dead bodies???? Haha....relax....they're tunas!
Huge, frozen tunas were uploaded from the dock, laid on the ground, and numbered, This way, the wholesalers can jot down the numbers of the tunas that they want so they can auction for the them.
The machine which is used to slice the tunas...
Some prefer to do it manually...
Some need help....
Chopping and slicing.......ewwww!
You'll see these transporters everywhere....zooming here and there....zig-zagging along the aisles. So, be careful when you are there, ya?! This market is really an eye opener for me and I really think it's worth a visit. If you are thinking of visiting this place, please do go early. You need to understand that it is a market and the people there will not welcome you with a broad smile. However, you are allowed to go in and see what they do. You can also take pictures but do not use the flash please.
A visit to Tsukiji is not complete without eating breakfast there. There are many retail shops and stalls where you can buy the freshest seafood in town, plus dried fish and fish products, seaweed, vegetables, knives, and other cooking utensils. Some restaurants are really pricey so you've gotta find one which is within your budget. Just wander around the streets and check out the prices. What you see in the picture above was my brekkie for that day. Imagine eating sushi and sashimi at Tsukiji....the freshest fish....YUM YUM!!!!!
Mini pineapples....
RM300 for 1 box of cherries??
RM45 for grapes???
A vacation is not complete without going on a shopping spree. Well, that's for me la...First, we took the train to Harajuku station. We took the Takeshita-dori Exit and walk to Takeshita-dori Street, which is crammed with shops for clothing, accessories, and souvenirs, as well as crepe shops, cafes and restaurants. It is the symbol of Harajuku and birthplace of many of Japan's fashion trends. Things are not so expensive there but if only you dare to wear them.....Then we walked to Omotesando, a one kilometer long, tree lined avenue, which is referred to to as Tokyo's Champs-Elysees. There are many things to see and buy there. Sorry guys, I was too busy shopping and i didn't take any pictures there! Summer sales....that's why....
3 July, 2008
That was our last day in Tokyo. We went to the airport at 7 a.m. for our flight home. Many people have said that Japan is a very expensive country. I do agree with that. However, Japan can be affordable, if you know where to stay and plan your routes well. RM3700 for an all inclusive trip to Tokyo is definitely DOABLE.
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