After we reached Hakone at Hakone-Yumoto station by Romancecar. Now it’s time for the trip.
We saw the life size of Doraemon models when we got off the train. Odakyu is sponsor for the Doraemon’s latest movie so they put the models at Shinjuku station and around Hakone area.
Before we really begin the trip. We have to leave the luggage at the hotel first. We can take the bus at the opposite bus stop which takes 5 minutes from the station to the hotel.
However there was the traffic jam on that day. It seems that 2 lanes road of Hakone can’t take a large amount of visitors’ cars although it’s a working day.
We waited for the bus around half an hour. The bus is 20 minutes late from timetable. Finally we were in the hotel. Left our luggage and take 3G SIM we ordered earlier for GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus. Too bad there aren’t much signal here.
From our plan. After we go to the hotel. We will take the bus back to Hakone-Yumoto station, take several trains to Owakudani on the mountain then take the ship at Lake Ashi before we take the bus back to the hotel.
However almost sightseeing places and services will be closed around 5 PM. If we follow the plan, we may miss the ship at Lake Ashi and the dinner at the hotel. So we go to take the ship at Lake Ashi first then Owakudani before go back to the hotel instead.
Although most of transportations in Japan are usually on time. Add the exception to Hakone Tozan Bus. They are quite late.
After the bus took us through many crooked and steep roads. We were finally at Hakonemachi-ko to take Hakone Sightseeing Cruise for travel through Lake Ashi.
The EVANGELION@SCHOOL vendor machine. I think EVANGELION used to be the mascot for Hakone. Now Doraemon is the new mascot during the time of its movie promotion.
Another Doraemon.
Other than Doraemon model. Odakyu has the Doraemon Stamp Rally event which you can collect the stamps in coupon book you got at Shinjuku station. If you got all stamps in coupon book, you can send it for the prize.
Queue for the ship.
There is the chart show the detail of area on each ships. Red is ordinary cabin which you can enter with Hakone Free Pass. Green is first class cabin which you have to pay additional surcharge.
Today ship is named “Victory”.
Although its design comes from the pirate ship. The system under its hood is the modern ship. It can turn and reverse.
One of the features of Lake Ashi is you can see Mount Fuji from afar. There are two point that you can see it clearly. One is near the Tori gate of Hakone Shire shown in this photo.
Due to bad whether. We don’t see anything but the fog from afar.
That building is Odakyu’s hotel. If my memories serve me right, there is the outdoor onsen which you can see Mount Fuji from here.
Other point that you can see Mount Fuji from the ship is around here.
If you see this Tori gate, you may pass the second point.
The weather was so bad on that day so we don’t see much. Also it’s very cold for people from country that is hot almost of the year like us. Even long coats from UNIQLO can’t help us much.
Almost at Togendai-ko. Our destination.
Really want to be in first class cabin like that child.
The real pirate !!
Next time we will have the taste of famous black jewel egg at Owakudani. Please look forward to it.