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Photo gallery: Hakone (February 2012)

Posted by in Japan, Photo galleries, Photography | July 16, 2012

Hakone is a mountainous area about 100km south-west of Tokyo. It is a very popular touristic destination because of its many onsen, beautiful scenery and its proximity to Tokyo. You can get there easily by train (JR East or Odakyu).

Hakone is one of my favorite places around Tokyo. I visit there from time to time, but I like it especially in winter. One of the best experiences you can have is being at a rotenburo (an open-air hot spring bath) while it’s raining or even snowing

More after the break.

Hakone Tozan Railway

This is a train line operated by Odakyu Railways, and the one you’ll most likely use when you go to Oowakudani, Lake Ashi and Moto-Hakone. The part between Odawara and Hakone-Yumoto is quite unremarkable, but between Hakone-Yumoto and Gora it runs very small trains that climb a narrow valley over bridges and through tunnels.

At Gora you will change to the Hakone Tozan Cable Car to Sounzan, and then you’ll take the Hakone Ropeway to Oowakudani and later Togendai in Lake Ashi.

The Fujiya hotel

This is a historic hotel near the Miyanoshita station of the Hakone Tozan Railway. It was built in 1891, and consists of many buildings in a mixture of western and traditional Japanese styles.

Owakudani

This is a volcanic valley with sulphuric vents and hot springs. It is reachable by the Hakone Ropeway. The local speciality are the kuro-tamago: eggs that turn black when hard-boiled in the sulphuric hot springs. It is said that eating one of them adds 7 years to your life. It is also said that you can eat up to two and a half eggs, but eating the whole third one is not a good idea (superstitions!).

Moto-Hakone

The last stop of the Hakone Ropeway is the Togendai station. From there you can take a boat to Moto-Hakone. This is a small town by the lake, with very beautiful views of Mount Fuji on clear days. It is also known for the remains of the Hakone Checkpoint in the old Tokaido.

Photo gallery

You’re welcome to use any of these photos for any purpose (even for commercial purposes). Just be nice and mention where you got them from.

All the photos taken with a Nikon D7000 camera. High-resolution originals and RAW files available under request (just send me an email if you’re interested).

Miyanoshita station in the Hakone Tozan line

Roof of one of the Fujiya Hotel buildings

Kumano Shrine, nearby the Miyanoshita station. This is a very small, but very beautiful shrine almost hidden behind a few buildings before reaching the Fujiya Hotel

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine

Tenoyu onsen, a few minutes walk from the Miyanoshita station. I come here from time to time.

Tenoyu onsen

Tenoyu

An abandoned building next to the Tenoyu onsen

Almost!

Hakone Tozan Railway at Miyanoshita station

Hakone Tozan Railway at Miyanoshita station

Hakone Ropeway. It is often foggy here. Sometimes you can’t see anything a few meters in front of you. Scary.

Hakone Ropeway

Hakone Ropeway

Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani

Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani

At Owakudani. This is the actual place where they boil the black eggs. It is about a 1km walk from the Owakudani station in the Hakone Ropeway.

Owakudani Station

Lake Ashi. Going towards the Togendai station of the Hakone Ropeway

Lake Ashi. Pirate ship ready to leave towards Moto-Hakone!

Moto-Hakone from the boat

Pirate ship

At the pirate ship

At the pirate ship

 

Kanji reference

Places

  • 箱根:Hakone
  • 小田原:Odawara
  • 箱根湯本:Hakone-Yumoto
  • 強羅:Gora
  • 早雲山:Sounzan
  • 大湧谷:Owakudani
  • 桃源台:Togendai
  • 芦ノ湖:Lake Ashi (Ashinoko)
  • 元箱根:Moto-Hakone
Companies
  • JR東日本:JR East (JR higashi-nihon)
  • 小田急:Odakyu
  • 箱根登山鉄道:Hakone Tozan Railway (Hakone-Tozan Tetsudo)
  • 箱根ロープウェイ:Hakone Ropeway
  • 富士屋ホテル:Fujiya Hotel

Common names

  • 黒卵:Black egg (kuro-tamago)
  • 温泉:Onsen
  • 露天風呂:Open-air hot spring bath (rotenburo)

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