Hakone Ropeway and Lake Ashi 箱根ロープウェイ・芦ノ湖
|
|
|
Hakone is one of Japan's most famous and popular tourist spots. Hot spring baths, views of Mt. Fuji, and more.With the Hakone Freepass, ride the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku, Tokyo directly to Hakone-Yumoto. Take the Hakone Tozan Railway train to Gora. Ride the Hakone Tozan Cable Car up the slope to to Sounzan. Then take the Hakone Ropeway high above to Lake Ashi for a cruise on a pirate boat to Hakone-machi Port or Moto-Hakone. Dramatic views of Mt. Fuji. Photo: Odakyu Line's Romance Car at Shinjuku Station.
|
|
Sold by the Odakyu Line, the Hakone Freepass is a great deal for people coming from Tokyo on the Odakyu Line.I got the two-day pass (¥5,140) which covers roundtrip express train (Romance Car) fare from Tokyo to Hakone and covers the trains, buses, and ropeway in the Hakone area. Hakone is a great getaway for Tokyoites. It's possible to see most everything on a day trip to Hakone, but an overnight stay gives you more time to see more.
|
|
Limited Express tickets are sold on the train platform if you haven't bought it yet. Making advance reservations is recommended though.
|
|
Inside the Odakyu Romance Car train.
|
|
After passing through Odawara, we approach Hakone-Yumoto Station at the end of the Odakyu Line.
|
|
Hakone-Yumoto Station is the main gateway to Hakone.
|
|
From Hakone-Yumoto Station, take the Hakone Tozan Railway train to Gora.
|
|
Hakone Tozan Railway train
|
|
Inside Hakone Tozan Railway train.
|
|
Hakone Tozan train line stations
|
|
Kowakidani Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway. Near my ryokan.
|
|
Kowakidani Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway.
|
|
Kowakidani Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway.
|
|
Hakone Tozan Railway
|
|
Gora Station is the end of the line for the Hakone Tozan Railway and the starting terminal of the Hakone Tozan Cable Car.
|
|
Gora Station
|
|
Hakone Tozan Cable Car at Gora Station
|
|
Hakone Tozan Cable Car at Gora Station
|
|
Inside Hakone Tozan Cable Car. If you like to ride in trains, cable cars, boats, etc., visit Hakone.
|
|
Going up in Hakone Tozan Cable Car
|
|
|
|
Hakone Tozan Cable Car runs on a single track most of the way.
|
|
Hakone Tozan Cable Car
|
|
Sounzan Station is the end of the line for the Hakone Tozan Cable Car and starting terminal for the Hakone Ropeway.
|
|
Hakone Tozan Cable Car at Sounzan Station
|
|
Hakone got a bum rap in May 2015 when volcanic rumblings forced them to close the ropeway going over the steaming and bubbling Owakudani valley.The number of tourists dropped.
|
|
When I visited in Nov. 2015, the ropeway was still closed between Sounzan and Owakudani. So at Sounzan, we boarded a bus for Ubako.
|
|
This is Owakudani, now a danger zone and off limits. These photos were taken from an earlier trip. Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
|
|
The ropeway goes right over a dramatic and steaming valley.
|
|
|
You can get off at Owakudani and see some steamy puddles.
|
|
Owakudani
|
|
Mt. Fuji
|
|
Mt. Fuji from Hakone.
|
|
Explanation of Hakone ropeway's closure.
|
|
The substitute bus brought us here near Ubako Station, a ropeway station beyond Owakudani.
|
|
A short walk to Ubako Station.
|
|
|
Ubako Station. On Oct. 30, 2015, they partially restarted the ropeway service on the last segment where it goes down from Ubako Station to Lake Ashi. Good views of the lake and Fuji-san.
|
|
Old ropeway cars once used by the Hakone Ropeway.
|
|
Ubako Station where we boarded the ropeway to go down the slope to Lake Ashi (Togendai).
|
|
Mt. Fuji as seen from Ubako Station in Hakone. It was a clear autumn day in early Nov.
|
|
Lake Ashi is visible from our ropeway car.
|
|
Mt. Fuji again.
|
|
Getting closer to Togendai Station on the shore of Lake Ashi.
|
|
Togendai Station
|
|
Our pirate boat awaits on Lake Ashi.
|
|
Stand in line to board the boat.
|
|
Dunno why they are pirate boats.
|
|
Our boat named "Victory."
|
|
The other pirate boat's name was "Royale."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top deck
|
|
Back of our boat.
|
|
|
Leaving port
|
|
|
Heading for Hakone-machi on Lake Ashi in Hakone.
|
|
Lake Ashi (Ashinoko)
|
|
|
|
|
Looks like there are three pirate boats on Lake Ashi.
|
|
Mt. Komagatake
|
|
Hakone Shrine's torii
|
|
The famous torii of Hakone Shrine.
|
|
The famous torii of Hakone Shrine.
|
|
Lake Ashi's famous torii of Hakone Shrine with Mt. Fuji in the background.
|
|
Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi
|
|
Hakone-machi Port
|
|
Hakone Sekisho Checkpoint
|
|
From Togendai, you have the option of going to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone. I wanted to go to Hakone-machi first to see the Sekisho Checkpoint.
|
|
Inside our pirate boat.
|
|
|
Our boat at Hakone-machi Port. The boats run quite often.
|
|
Near Togendai is Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel with good views of Lake Ashi.
|
|
Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel
|
|
Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel
|
|
Foot bath with a view of Lake Ashi at Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel.
|
|
Outdoor hot spring bath at Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel.
|
|
Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel lobby with a ukiyoe mural of Hakone Pass.
|
|
Buffet at Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
