Asia, Day 11 | Japan, Day 3

Today we travel to Hakone, a resort town known for its hot springs and (cloud cover allowing) views of Mt. Fuji. (And, I would later learn, for being transformed into Tokyo-3 in the Evangelion anime.) We'll be spending two nights at an onsen ryokan, a small hotel with a hot spring.

We begin the day with breakfast at a nearby European-style cafe, and take advantage of Japan's ubiquitous takkyubin services to send the bulk of our luggage ahead to our next hotel in Tokyo, so we can travel light(er) during our excursion to Hakone. (I very much like the logo of Yamato Transport.)

We're taking the shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo Station, and boy is the station an utter madhouse. Even with Japan's commitment to good signage in multiple languages, it's overwhelming and confusing, and finding the ticket counter is  a harrowing experience. In order to minimize (though definitely not prevent) the kids' whining as we try to navigate a maze full of people, I scout ahead a few hundred feet while E and the boys stay behind, collect them when I think I've found the next correct path, and then repeat. (At one point, I scout ahead too far, and can't remember how to get back to them -- and since we're underground, texting is impossible. Thankfully I'm able to swallow my panic and eventually retrace my steps.)

(Also, despite utterly failing to provide WiFi since our arrival in Japan, Oopdip is somehow functioning in the depths of this underground labyrinth.)

Once we finally board, the shinkansen itself is a marvel. It's a super-smooth ride, and it's easy to be unaware of how fast we're going -- which I believe maxes out at about 200 mph. At one point I notice that the buildings we're passing appear to be built at something like a 20-degree angle, and I spend a few seconds trying to figure out a practical reason for this until I realize that we're going so fast that we're banking. (The boys are very amused when I tell them this.)

The shinkansen deposits us in Odawara, where we pick up the Hakone FreePass, which allows us unlimited passage on most of Hakone's public transportation options; and from Odawara, we take a bus to Hakone.

Hakone turns out to be very reminiscent of the Berkshires, with a landscape filled with steep, forested hills and mountains, and a lot of art tourism. (Here's a video I took the next day.) The roads are narrow and twisty (although they widen on curves, which is a subtle, excellent idea), and sidewalks are precarious, when they exist at all. We have some trouble finding our ryokan -- it turns out the top of the building is below street level (that's how steep some of the topography is), so the entrance is a covered stairway leading downwards. (Google Street view here.)

The ryokan itself is beautiful (though we never see the outside of it), and the staff is super-friendly. Wearing shoes inside isn't allowed, so we store them in a locker in the lobby, and change into slippers. And for the first time during our trip, we're staying in room that feels intended for four people, with a balcony that overlooks a small river. It's just magical.

After settling in, we have dinner at Watanabe Bakery nearby, where we have beef stew in bread bowls. And we stop by a small gourd-related festival where food trucks are set up, local politicians appear to be stumping, and there's a stage set up with a woman singing. All of a sudden she starts singing the Totoro theme, and being in Hakone feels like being in a Ghibli movie.

Back at the ryokan, I convince the boys to check out the hot spring baths -- we try both the are indoor and outdoor options. And boy howdy, are they hot! (If I understand correctly, the water comes out at 70 degrees Celsius, so we're advised to sit far from the source.) Both are lovely, especially the outdoor bath, but none of us can last longer than a few minutes in either one.

Later that night, the ryokan has set up seating at the entrance so we can watch the fireworks portion of the local festival. It's a wonderful end to the day.