Above, the red gate of Hakone Shrine on Lake Ashi; below, breakfast at Kansuiro.
Two very different cafe experiences, one at Ninja Cafe Fuma in Hakone, just up from one of the trams we took into the mountains, the other at Cafe Ryusenkei, an airstream trailer pulled up by proprietor Tom (pictured) in his Nissan Leaf through the mountains of Hakone every day. We were beyond excited to find that Tom had soy milk that morning but, sadly, Tom did not expect to have to cater to four vegans that day and ended up making two drinks that were spot-on and two lattes that were, in Tom’s words, “not very good.” We loved the experience all the same.
Cablecars over Ōwakudani—”Great Boiling Valley”—and the active sulfur vents and mines there; the “Emperor of Japan”, Mount Fuji and a “pirate ship” ferry over Lake Ashi.
Our last dinner at Kansuiro followed by some good-natured table tennis, playing some game apps that pay real money, and tending bar in the ryokan‘s arcade.
A few parting shots of the ryokan interior and the onsen (hot springs) in our room; some artwork on in the halls; and our final breakfast, featuring some excellent tofu balls.
