I’m big in Japan: Hakone (2005 May 9)

Our final stop of the tour took us on a boat ride across Lake Ashinoko and then a cable car ride to the top of an extinct volcano in Hakone. The lake was formed by water filling up a crater created by volcanic activity. There was a strong wind ripping through the area making for a chilly fifteen minute ferry ride. Despite my warnings, Jm didn’t hang on to her hat and almost had it blown into the lake. She was fortunate that it only blew back a few rows behind us.

The cable car ride to the peak was uneventful but began to reveal the spectacular views we would have up top. However, the ride was so smooth that we were not quite prepared for the gusts awaiting us. The wind ripped through you and made it difficult to steady the camera for shots. Still managed to get plenty of pictures of the valley and lake below us. Fuji-san was visible but not quite enough for my camera to capture it. An obligatory Shinto shrine and a weather research station were the only edifices breaking up the landscape of the summit.

Back down the cable car and onto the bus… the tour was over, and we were on our way to take our first ride on the Shinkansen.