Had to leave the lovely Hakone area today but not before another pirate ship cruise on Lake Ashi and a walk around Togendai where we found our first Japanese postcard, an interesting ad for 30 kinds of icecream – would love to have tried the one called ‘Tiny rice crackers and peanuts’ but time didn’t permit – and the Koijri Watergate which allows water from the lake to irrigate the plains below.























Things we find a bit different

Warm toilet seats with the sound of running water playing while you pee.

So our lovely hosts provided free transport down to Motohakone this morning. I’m walking by the lake looking for somewhere to sit and eat our sandwiches when I glance to my right and see this:



I was awestruck! I knew you could see Mt Fuji somewhere in the area but I wasn’t expecting it to be on our doorstep.

It was a perfect start to a beautiful day where we tried out several forms of transport starting with a pirate ship across Lake Ashi to Togendai-ko where we got the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani, Sounzan – Japan’s Rota Rua – then the Hakone Tozan Cablecar to Gora from where we took a couple of buses to Yunessun then Gotemba to get a closer look at Mt Fugi. We came back by train and bus.



Wearing my Yukata robe to go to the hot springs bath

We left here at 10.00 am, got the metro to the city, booked our tickets to Hakone, stored the bulk of our luggage and had lunch before starting a 90-minute train ride.

Huge apartment blocks eventually gave way to dense housing, then a mixture of housing and some market  gardens. When my ears popped at the 75-minute mark, it was the first indication that we were climbing. Through a tunnel and out the other side and we were in the mountains! Unfortunately we didn’t get to see much of them because it started to rain.

It was still raining when we transferred from the train to a bus. The bus didn’t stop until we were way past our hotel, the Hotel Ra Kuun. It took three attempts to board buses going back the other way before one took us within walking distance. We must have looked like a couple of drowned rats by the time we checked in.

The Ra Kunn is more traditional Japanese style than our previous hotels. Our room has a reception area where you remove your shoes and use one of the pairs of slippers provided – the second pair is for walking outside your room but within the hotel, for example going t the hot springs baths.

We have three days here so we’re hoping the weather improves enough tomorrow for us to get around and enjoy the place.

Made it from Narita to Tokyo travelling by coach, train and metro with all our luggage. Got a bit of help along the way, particularly from a 70-year-old gentleman at the metro station who carried one of our suitcases up the many flights of steps.

Our first origami! Waiting for us on arrival in our ultra modern, ultra compact room which has everything we need but hardly room for our luggage.

We were able to check in early which left us plenty of time to go exploring the Ginza area and the Imperial Palace  grounds and gardens. You can’t get into the actual palace unless you book four days in advance.

Kabukiza Theatre

Imperial Palace and Gardens

Our first Japanese temple: Narita-san Shinsho-ji and the quaint street leading to it.

It’s been good catching up with friends here in Cairns and revisiting Wangetti Beach, one of the places we camped on



 our honeymoon almost 32 years ago.

A different Sydney to the one we’ve seen on previous visits, the area of The Rocks under Sydney Harbour Bridge is a step back in time…

Didn’t drive here this time, flew Qantas instead.

Enjoying spending time with Aisling and David in their lovely ‘mountain’ home.



Loving the food here. Had sushi training for our upcoming Japan trip last night.