Hanging out in Hakone

I am really looking forward to weekends in Japan, if the first one was any indication.  Kylee and I took advantage of the tours offered by MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) and traveled to Hakone on Saturday.

The bus picked us up on base (right outside of the Navy Lodge) at 0700 and drove us to the Hakone Shrine.  Also called "Hakone Gongen," it reminded me of the many shrines we visited in Korea.  There were several "special" chestnut trees that the tour guide pointed out to us - apparently a general would pray before a battle, and if he won, the tree was sacred.  Or at least, that's what I understood the guide to be talking about. . .

We then walked to a fountain of water with dipping cups and ceremonially washed our hands before going up to view the shrine itself.  To 'use' the shrine, you would pull a rope that shook several bells (to call the gods attention), throw some coins into a box, clap twice, then bow and make a wish.  If you had an especially important wish, you could buy a wooden plank, write your wish on it, and hang it on a series of racks. We walked around the grounds after viewing the shrine and saw a really cool koi pond with giant koi inside.

The bus then took us to the Owakudani valley, where we took a cable car to the top of a mountain.  The local specialty of Owakudani is hard boiled eggs that are boiled in the sulfur hot springs.  The sulfur turns the egg shells black, although they still taste just fine!  Legend says that you add 7 years to your life if you eat one.

After Owakudani, we took a scenic boat ride across Lake Ashi to Hakonemachi, where we grabbed lunch at a local noodle place.  There was also the Hakone Sekisyo Checkpoint, which was established in 1619 by the Tokugawa Shogunate as a means to control the flow of travelers from Edo to Kyoto.  It was also to control arms movement into/from the Edo area, and prevent women from escaping Edo.  Kylee and I both wondered what was going on in Edo that would cause women to want to escape, but the tour neglected to mention that. 

The last stop on the tour was the Onshi-Hakone-Koen Park, which was a beautiful area of walking trails, lake views, and a Victorian style mansion.  Kylee and I enjoyed walking along the trails and looking at the trees and lake, and soaking in the peacefulness.

Overall, it was an awesome Saturday and a great intro to the history and culture of a part of Japan.  We look forward to discovering new and exciting areas of Japan in the future!