Weddingbee Blog

Originally posted on August 3rd, 2010

~~~

I loooooove to play tour guide. I love it when my friends come visit me so I can have a sense of renewed appreciation for Tokyo. I’ve become a bit jaded and everything that was once cool and exciting is now banal. Well, dear readers, I get to do what I love to do now. I’m gonna let you in on some romantic and interesting places to visit in and around Tokyo! Hopefully you’ll consider a honeymoon here! I’ve got a lot of advice to give but this is just one location that is special to my heart.

First up, you can’t miss Hakone, located in Kanagawa prefecture to the west of Tokyo. This is a mountainous area famous for Lake Ashi and spectacular views of Mount Fuji. The most economical way to get there is the Odakyu Line Romance car (reserved seating), which takes 85 minutes and costs roughly $20. A regular express train (non-reserved seating) costs about $11 and takes about 2 hours. I’ve been to Hakone many times, including our 2 year anniversary, so I’ll use my personal pictures to give you a peek:

Be warned! Mount Fuji does not come out to play often! He likes to hide behind clouds and you can only see him clearly if you are truly lucky. It took me 4 tries! So check the forecast before you go. I’d say in the summertime it’s mostly hopeless. If you can’t catch Mt. Fuji, you can still go on a rowboat on the lake (and epic fail at learning to row, as I did), ride the scenic Hakone-Tozan Rail and Hakone Ropeway course to discover the sulfur valley at Owakudani, take a walk to the torii gate (pictured above) and ride a pirate ship across the lake. If you are a history buff, there is a small museum and redwood tree forest around the Hakone Machi boat stop—the area around Lake Ashi was a travelers checkpoint in the days when Kyoto was the capital, but people traveled North a lot to Tokyo using the Tokaido highway.

You definitely need to stay at a ryokan (Japanese inn). Must do! Must do! At a ryokan, you will be treated to a cute Japanese style room complete with tatami mats, Japanese robes to wear, and someone who comes in to set out your futon while you are at dinner. Dinners are extra nice and serve traditional Japanese fare. If you and your honey aren’t shy, you can try an onsen (hot spring). Unfortunately, it’s really pricey to get a private onsen so you and your hubby will most likely be separated into male and female onsens. An onsen is a public bath so you will be bathing with others! Once you get over being naked in front of tiny Japanese women who will probably be staring at you, hop in the bath—I especially like the outdoor ones—and relax. Ahhhh, you’re on your honeymoon, bathing in natural spring water that will leave your skin healthy and smooth. Retire to the bedroom and enjoy your newly refreshed bodies! Please read up on onsen etiquette as there are quite a lot of rules to follow in the onsen and be aware that most onsen to do not allow people with tattoos. In Nagano, they do allow monkeys though! I’ve been there, it’s so cool and very romantic/fun/cold.

Personal photo of a typical ryokan room. During dinner, elves set up futons!

(source)

I can personally vouch for Hotel Asuka if you want to do Hakone on the cheap. The rooms are moderately nice and dinner is a buffet that includes variety, especially if you’re not particularly fond of Japanese food. They had crab and pizza! But they also had Japanese curry, sushi, noodles, etc. If you are looking for something a little more high-end, check out japanhotel.net’s offerings. I’ve booked many hotels through JapanHotel.net—they list the prices and description of hotels accurately and you can even check out reviews. If you want someone to take care of your entire trip to Hakone, I recommend H.I.S packages.

If you are taking care of your train trip separately, consider the Odakyu Free Pass. You can ride unlimited transportation from Shinjuku station in central Tokyo to in and around the Hakone area. A two day pass costs about $50 and will take you all around on the scenic route. From Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto station, take the switchback Hakone Tozan Train through the mountains to reach the artsy town of Gora, where you can look around at local crafts. There is also a high concentration of ryokan there. From Gora, take the cable car to Souzan station where you can board the Hakone Ropeway which takes you up and over a sulfurous mountain. Your descent takes you to the lake area and affords spectacular views of Mount Fuji on a clear day. From the lake stop, you can take a pirate boat (yes, it’s a little cheesy) to Moto-Hakone-ko, where you can stop for lunch, row a boat, and walk to the torii gate and shrine. These methods of transportation will take you to your hotel wherever it may be. The pass will discount the Romace Car reserved seating to Hakone from Shinjuku to about $8. The free pass is a great value!

If you have any further questions about a honeymoon in Tokyo, please feel free to ask me! And if you’re around hit me up. I’m here ’til October!

What kind of honeymoon are you taking? Are you going to a beach, nature, or an exotic locale like Tokyo? And if you’ve been to Japan before, what’s your favorite place to visit?