During this June school holiday, my family and I decided to travel to Japan again after experiencing the wonderful Japanese culture of Kyushu and Fukuoka in 2016. We have decided to spend a week in the Land of the Rising Sun without self-driving. Therefore, we have to make sure we had everything planned out to get the most of the trip.
Our 994 miles journey started at 8:10 am, from Singapore to Tokyo via Narita International Airport. This is our first time taking Japan Airlines and our flight experience was perfect. Why did I say so? Well, Baby N vomited during the flight when there was heavy turbulence. The flight stewardess attended to us after the seat belt sign was off, relocated us to other seats and cleaned up the carpeted flooring with newspapers and towels.
Although my wife got her jeans dirted with Baby N’s vomit, we landed safely and on time at 4:20 pm, Tokyo time.
Japan is one hour behind Singapore so we didn’t worry about jet lag. Upon arriving, we hurried to secure N’EX Narita Express tickets to Shinjuku plus SUICA cards from JR East Travel Service Center for the first itinerary, Hakone (箱根).
Travel from Tokyo to Hakone
Hakone (箱根) is one hundred kilometres from Tokyo and is frequently visited by both local and foreign tourists who wanted a quick break from the busy city life. You will not regret visiting Hakone once you experience their hot springs and see the peaceful Lake Ashinoko perfectly mirroring Mt. Fuji. This is why Hakone was a perfect choice for our first stop.
Upon reaching Shinjuku Station, we purchased a three-day Hakone Free Pass (Adult: 5,000 Yen / Child: 1,250 Yen), which will allow us to enjoy unlimited number of bus rides and discounts for selected Hakone attractions.
Before flying to Japan, we have already book a hotel in Shinjuku before we set off for Hakone the next day. Our choice was Kayoda Hotel, a three-star hotel closest to the West Exit of Shinjuku Station by only a three-minute walk.
How to get to Kayoda Hotel?
- From the West Exit of Shinjuku Station, go up to the ground level.
- Proceed to the left once you are in front of Odakyu Department Store.
- When Keio Department Store comes in view, go through the crosswalk towards Yodobashi Camera across from Keio Department Store.
- Keep straight along the street until you come to an intersection near Shinjuku Post Office.
- Kadoya Hotel is located next to LAWSON convenience store.
Address of Kadoya Hotel: 1 Chome-23-1 Nishishinjuku, 新宿区 Tokyo 160-0023, Japan Phone: +81 3-3346-2561
The next day morning, we woke up at 7am to grab the 10am high speed train to Hakone. We left our luggage at Kadoya Hotel and headed to Odakyu Shinjuku Station, which is 5 minutes walk away from our hotel.
Before we boarded the Romance Car at Odakyu Shinjuku Station, we went to the 7-11 store to buy our breakfast. Why the name Romance Car? Well, the reason is because it is a two-seater high speed train without an arm rest in between the seats. There are free USB charging points and food are available for purchase in the Romance Car. You are allowed to bring in outside food and enjoy in the train. Just make sure you dispose your food packaging after consuming.
The train ride is 1 hour 30 minutes and finally, we have reached Hakone-Yumoto Station at about 1pm. We took the R express bus to Hakonemachi-ko (箱根町港) which is 25 minutes bus ride. In case you are wondering how to check the bus timing, use Google maps. On an estimate, the interval for each bus is about 10 minutes.
After arriving at Hakone, we wasted no time and started to explore three places that are perfect for families on tour:
Onshi-Hakone Park
Onshin-Hakone Park exemplifies the beauty and tranquility of Japan. Explore the different trails and woodland walks as you savour the view of lush gardens, the peaceful Lake Ashi, and the majestic Mt. Fuji. You will be spoiled with excellent viewing spots of the famous mountain from this park. What’s more, there’s an impressive building that houses a museum and a café where you can stop by for a good tea or coffee – and yes, a view of Mt. Fuji on a clear day!
Ancient Cedar Avenue
Ancient Cedar Avenue is a 500-meter cedar avenue that is lined with trees that were planted as early as the 1600s.
Now, visitors can enjoy the shade of some 400 trees. It is an ideal spot to relax as you go brisk walking, jogging, or hiking.
Hakone Shrine
You wouldn’t want to leave Hakone without stopping by its famous shrine. Aside from being a great spot for an IG pictorial, you will enjoy the adventure that is set before you as you explore the shrine buildings hidden in the dense forest, along a series of steps flanked by lanterns. They say that the shrine is beautiful throughout the year, but is particularly breathtaking when shrouded in mist.
Staying at Hakone Hotel
We checked in at our beautiful resort hotel, Hakone Hotel, at 3pm. Superior Twin room located at 4th floor has the perfect view of Lake Ashi. In the morning, we might be able to see the Mt. Fuji. Did I forgot to mentioned the pirate ships at Lake Aishi?
Hakone Hotel offers onsen, where men and women are separated. As Hakone is a laid back mountainous town, finding a place to eat can be quite a hassle for families who plan to go public. In Hakone Hotel, you don’t need to worry as you can make reservations for your meals.
In my honest opinion, my French cuisine dinner served in Il Miraggio is average and pricey. Our Mirage Course is ¥11,000 which consists of amuse, appetizer, warm appetizer, soup, fish, meat and dessert.
Address of Hakone Hotel: 250-0521 Kanagawa Hakone Hakone 65 Japan
Time to head back to our hotel room and recharge for another fun-filled adventure the next day. The story of our Japan travels will be continued …
