箱根ってこんなに楽しい！1泊2日で巡る最高の箱根旅行｜芦ノ湖｜強羅｜大涌谷｜山のホテル

Walk around outside and view the artwork scattered across the green gardens. It feels great under the blue sky, and the entire museum feels like a comfortable work of art. The weather was perfect, and flowers were blooming beautifully. The view from above is also nice, offering scenery typical of Hakone.

Find this cafe hidden from the world, right next to Gora Park. The atmosphere makes time pass a little more slowly. I tried the Nepalese curry, which was delicious with complex and delicate flavors, and the croque-monsieur was also really good. It's a true hidden gem.

Enter Gora Park, Japan's oldest French-style garden, right next to the cafe. I visited during azalea season, and the flowers were blooming beautifully. It's a lovely place to stroll and enjoy the Western culture of Hakone, imagining old Japanese visitors creating a little Europe here. There's also a rose garden, though it wasn't rose season when I visited (it's usually June).

Take the Hakone Ropeway to the top of Owakudani, a valley created by an eruption 3,000 years ago. The smell of sulfur is intense, but the view of Mount Fuji is amazing and beautiful. You have to eat the black eggs here; they're very warm and a little tastier than regular boiled eggs. It's an interesting and unique experience, even with the strong sulfur smell.

Board the Hakone Pirate Ship for a cool adventure across Lake Ashi, heading to Motohakone Port. Traveling Hakone by public transportation like this is really fun, like an adventure. You can pay extra for first class. The scenery keeps changing, and it's a great way to see the lake and the surrounding area.

Take a free 5-minute shuttle bus from Motohakone Port to Hotel de Yama, a Western-style mansion in the forest that used to be a nobleman's villa. The sound of the piano in the lobby evokes the good old days. My room was nice, and the hotel has a large azalea garden where you can see Lake Ashi. Rooms on the first floor even have their own gardens. The hotel also has a hot spring, making it a perfect fit for the Hakone image.

Enjoyed an excellent French dinner at the hotel. You can choose between Japanese and French cuisine. The onion soup was rich and delicious, and all the dishes were satisfying. The pork was as good as beef, and the marinated mandarin orange sea bream was also delicious. It was a very luxurious dining experience.

Start your day with a refreshing morning walk on a mountain path to Hakone Shrine. The Torii Gate of Peace is a popular photo spot, and the lake is beautiful in the morning. It's quite a climb to the main shrine, which is magnificent and nestled in the gentle arms of the forest. Morning prayers here feel good, and the hotel is perfectly situated for this sightseeing route.

Return to the hotel for breakfast, which feels like a very luxurious time, evoking the atmosphere of wealthy Showa-era vacations. The pudding bread is soft like pudding, and the plain omelet is really delicious and creamy. I preferred the omelet over the French toast. It's a wonderful breakfast to start a refreshing morning in Hakone.

Explore the hotel's 100-year-old garden, especially beautiful during the Azalea Festival (late April to mid-May), which offers free admission. When I visited, it was about 30% in bloom with mostly buds, but the rhododendrons were in full bloom. The view of Mt. Fuji with azaleas in the foreground is the most beautiful I've ever seen. It's a garden passed down for generations, hoping people a hundred years from now can still see it.

Visit Salon de the Rosage, an annex of Hotel de Yama, for apple pie. The view of Lake Ashi from here is nice, especially from the terrace. The service is lovely, with staff drawing pictures right in front of you. The apple pie is really delicious because they use sour apples, which balances out the sweetness nicely. It's perfect for Hakone.

Return to Motohakone Port and rent a swan boat for an easy activity on Lake Ashi. Everyone heads straight for the Torii Gate of Peace, which is beautiful from the lakeside. There are lots of swan boats around the gate, but remember it's prohibited to enter the torii gate itself. It's a beautiful and relaxing way to enjoy the lake.