Japan 2 - Hakone

Tuesday, 12 May 2026

The Hakone area has many hotels that feature "onsens" (hot springs baths). It is near a volcanic caldera (Owakudani) that supplies the heat for the waters.

Owakudani

We took the Hakone Ropeway (cable gondolas) up to Owakudani.

Gondolas going up and down the mountain.

As we went up the mountain, the view was spectacular.

And then we crested the ridge and the caldera was directly beneath us - a dramatic transition.

Gondolas hanging over the caldera with the forested mountains behind them.

The caldera was remarkably "industrial".

A closer view of the industrial infrastructure.

Steam, sulfur, and hot water. We learned in the nearby GeoMuseum, that the hot water baths are not filled with water from the caldera, but with natural spring water that is pumped up to be heated in the caldera, then returned to the hotels. (Volcanic heat, not volcanic water.)

The cracks in these retaining walls are a disturbing reminder that the volcano can come alive at any moment. The ropeway has been closed for extended times when the atmosphere becomes too toxic.

The Hakone GeoMuseum was worth a visit. I especially liked this display of fossil leaf prints.

Lake Ashi

Lake Ashi was nearby. On a clear day, there is a view of Mt Fuji, but a view is rare this time of year, since clouds are generally much lower than Fuji-san's 3776 m (12,388 ft) high summit.

The floating torii for the Hakone Shrine on the shore of Lake Ashi. The line was very long to get a picture with the torii and lake.

The torii is better seen from the lake.

On a clear day, we might have been able to see Mt Fuji.

Lake Ashi is definitely a tourist destination. In addition to ferries going around the lake, tourist "pirate ships" also give rides.

Japanese cedar plantations line the lakeshore and hillsides. Some environmentalists argue that the plantations have excluded more varied native vegetation.

Hotel Garden & Onsens

For the remainder of the afternoon, we had time to visit the hotel gardens and onsens.

The hotel (Ten-yu Hakone Ryoken) garden path started at the bottom with a waterfall and small pool.

The path went steeply uphill along a mountain stream.

A small Shinto shrine was the top.

At night, the garden takes on a fairy-land quality.

Since we were staying in a traditional ryokan (guest house), we were encouraged to wear the (provided) traditional garb (yukata) around the hotel. Lon looked great in his yukata, but they don't make these to fit my shape.

Our room had a private onsen tub on the balcony, but this was not as serene as going to the two public onsens in the hotel. One onsen is set into a garden with a 50-ft (15-m) waterfall. The other has an infinity edge overlooking the valley. The sex-segregated onsens switch every day. So Lon and I both got to see both onsens.

For obvious reasons (no bathing suits allowed - completely naked), photography is not allowed in the onsens, so this is a photo of a poster showing the garden onsen at night. The lighting is much subtler than this photo shows.