While the Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese foreign ministers met at our Tokyo hotel (security and riot police all around the Imperial Hotel this morning), our group left town for a scenic day trip to the mountain town of Hakone.
A first stop, two hours after departing our hotel, gave us a first glimpse of the famed volcano on our way to visiting the Hakone Shrine.
Cruising Lake Ashi on a pirate boat from the main area of Hakone to the upper end gondola start location of Togendai brought us a bit of fresh air paired with killer views.
This was followed by a climb on the ropeway in 18-passenger capsules to the top station at Owakudani where we tasted the famed “black eggs”.
So much fun and stunning scenery was had that lunch took a backseat till close to 3pm. Fortunately, our local guide Lisa knew exactly where to go and we stopped at the local joint called “Wild yam farmer restaurant” in Yamayaku Miyagino. Not only was it delicious, it was served by conveyor belt behind screens.
Our day of adventure concluded back in Tokyo after a long and arduous traffic journey. Thanks to our excellent driver Su who navigated traffic expertly, the ride was comfy enough for most of us to take naps.
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