After a Western style lunch we drove to Hakone Park which was nestled in the caldera of an ancient volcano and is famous for its hot springs and hiking trails through the tall Pampas grass. Hakone was also a crucial checkpoint in feudal times to maintain law and order.
Our group piled into a gondola for a breathtaking roundtrip ride on the aerial tramway to the summit of Mt. Komagatake for a panoramic view of the surroundingmountains including Mt. Fuji before we had a cruise on Lake Ashi.
The grand finale was riding on a Shinkansen (famous “bullet” train with speeds up to 270 mph) back to Tokyo in 30 minutes.
I would like to return to the “Land of the Rising Sun” for a longer visit.
