Japan - Hakone

 Thursday, September 18, 2025

Breakfast at the hotel.

Bus to A Day in the Life. On the bus ride, we got our official view of Mount Fuji. We drove by a love hotel. Japan is very crowded, including housing. When couples want some alone time, they go to a love hotel

Along the way, it was funny to see something so American in Japan as a Denny's.

Arrived at the Tea and Rice farm and listened to a lecture, translated by Remi. The chairs were a bit wobbly on a dirt floor. At one point, we looked around and saw Donna on the floor. Surprising and luckily, no injury. The day was quite warm. The fans helped keep us cool.

We walked to the rice field. Rob rode the tractor to help cut the rice and shuck it.

Moved to the tea field, where we all pinched tea leaves (for our lunch, later). Fuji was visible in the distance.

Tim rode the tractor to add manure to the field. Many funny comments. Matt drove the tractor back to the barn. Bobbi wanted to drive it, but all the opportunities were gone. 

We made rice balls and ate them. Lunch was tempura tea and vegetables with tofu.

After lunch we could buy kimono pieces and t-shirts.

Afterward, we went to the local community house and explored. Tatami matts on the floors. A beautiful garden. A display of a water wheel from the past.

Drove to Hakone and checked in. Hakone is known for hot baths. Most of us went down for a bath before dinner. Baths are very serene in Japan. Men and women bathe separately. Loud talking is discouraged. Take a complete shower before and after the bath. The baths are fed by local springs. We all wore our kimonos to dinner.

Hot pot for dinner with veggies and tofu. 

Friday, September 19, 2025

Drove to Lake Ashi. 

Hopped on a ferry for a short cruise across the lake.

Passed the location of Tim's "Fuji" photo. Unfortunately, Fuji was not visible on this day either. 

We could see the cables and tower for the gondola as well as the pirate ship on the lake.

Went to the outdoor museum that Tim had visited so many years ago. 

The train station for the Gondola was down the street.

We went to a wood worker who creates the puzzle boxes. The same technique is used to create scenes. We bought a scene like the view of Fuji that would be visible on a clear day. We bought some chopsticks, too. Bobbi bought a lovely necklace. The streets of the town had tiles in the sidewalk that looked like the wood art.

During the time, Tim was given a puzzle box to try. He was able to open it, but not close it.

Lunch at a local hotel with a hot pot of veggies and ramen with rice. The hotel was next to a stream with rapids. The hotel had a koi pond.

Met with two geishas in the afternoon. We had an interesting discussion and were given two dancing demonstrations.

Back to the hotel for baths, watching sumo and a buffet dinner. Most people skipped an optional evening of caligraphy and origami with Remi. The center console between the beds at the hotel, had lots of buttons and lights. Some of them weren't working. We called the front desk and a couple of workmen came to fix it. There were wires all over the place from the console. They were able to fix it.