Today we woke up a bit later because our train from Tokyo leaves at 12, and after all, we won’t have much time to do anything interesting before leaving. So, we finish packing, check out, and head out. Here in Japan, there is a service where, for about 2,000 yen (approximately 12 euros), you can send your suitcase to your desired destination. It’s called TA-Q-BIN, operated by a company called Yamato. They pick up the suitcase at your hotel, you tell them the destination hotel, and they take care of delivering it the next day or within two days. So, we pack the large suitcase with dirty clothes and things we don’t need and have it sent to our hotel in Kyoto. In the small suitcase, we keep a change of clothes for the next two days and the essentials. Traveling lighter. It’s especially useful for the Shinkansen (bullet train) since they have strict rules about large suitcases.
With no rush, we head to Shinjuku, the station where we need to catch our train. But due to a wrong indication from the mobile and then incorrect directions from people we asked, we end up—without realizing it—at a station on the same train line but one where our train doesn’t stop. With just 15 minutes before the train’s departure, I notice something is off because I see our train pass in the opposite direction without stopping at our station. I go ask someone, and indeed, we need to be at Shinjuku. Fortunately, there’s an express train that gets us there in less than 10 minutes, and we reach the platform at 11:56—cutting it incredibly close!
After that scare, the rest of the day went great. The Romancecar train we had reserved was incredibly smooth and, as expected, exceptionally on time. Trains here are impressively punctual. The downside? I booked the wrong fare, and upon arrival, I had to pay the difference + a 1,200 yen surcharge—oops!
Upon arriving in Hakone around 1:30 PM, we store the suitcase in the station locker (another super handy service called Coin Lockers—easy to use and priced at 400, 600, or 800 yen, depending on size, for as long as needed). Check-in isn’t until 4 PM, and since our hotel has no staff, we prefer keeping the suitcase secure rather than leaving it unattended. We then go for lunch at one of the most appealing restaurants on Hakone’s main street—an excellent choice, serving soba or rice dishes, all delicious. I believe it’s called Kinosuke, located right on the town’s main street.
After lunch, we return to the station and take a bus ride (45 minutes) to the foot of Lake Ashi. There, we board a pirate ship that takes us across this beautiful lake, which was formed inside a volcanic crater after an eruption 3,000 years ago. The trip is amazing, and we are lucky to have fantastic weather (we are over 700 meters above sea level and relatively far from the coast). The only downside? Mount Fuji is hidden behind the clouds, so we miss out on the famous view—such a pity…
After the boat ride, we take a ropeway up to Owakudani, the crater of the still-active Hakone volcano, where we can see multiple sulfuric fumaroles. Once at the top, we board a funicular, which takes us down to the train station. The descent is quite interesting—the train zigzags down the mountainside, switching directions repeatedly, similar to a mountain road with 180º hairpin curves.
Back in town, we take a short stroll, admire some traditional houses, collect our suitcase from the locker, and head to the hotel.
We enter our room using the PIN code provided by the hotel, drop off our things, and since it’s already 7 PM, we head back out for dinner. We choose a curry and chicken specialty restaurant called Hakone Chicken Cocoro—a small basement eatery with four tables and beautiful hand-carved wooden decor. The ambiance is great.
Olivia enjoys an amazing breaded beef dish, and we also love our meals—Blanca and I have curry rice with chicken, while I also try breaded chicken with beef curry. Absolutely delicious, easily one of the best meals so far.
By now, it’s nighttime, and unfortunately, the town is almost deserted—except for what seems to be a karaoke bar near our hotel, where people are going all out. The town is very dimly lit, making it difficult to take good photos. We stop by a 7-Eleven for ice cream dessert, then return to the hotel.
And that’s it for today. Time for a shower and some rest—tomorrow, we have to wake up very early.