到站了！~ hakOnE (daY 2)

Day 2 was Hakone day!

We bought the Hakone Free Pass from Shinjuku station. It was really difficult to communicate with the ticket operators as they could only understand Japanese. Still, we got ourselves a ticket and head off to Hakone!

Lunch was packed lunch box bought from a simple kiosk at Odawara station.

After lunch, we board the Hakone Tozan Railway up to Kowakidani Station.

Our destination ~ Yunessan!

Through the ride on the Hakone Tozan Railway, it allows us to travel through a narrow, densely wooded valley over many bridges and tunnels, stopping at small stations along the way and changing direction at three switchbacks.

We alighted at the Kowakidani station and took a public bus ride up to Yunessan. 

As traditional onsen in Japan do not allow for male and female interaction, we opted for Yunessan as it is more convenient.

Indeed its a good choice! 

We love it!

There was the Yunessan Spa Resort whereby we are allowed to wear swimsuits. It's a family orientated spa resort zone where there are more than 25 different kinds of spa related services and fun water recreational services. If the indoor zone is interesting, the outdoor zone is *thumbs up*

Simply cos the weather is only 4deg and the feeling of being half cold and half warm is *shiok*

My favorite is the Green Tea Spa!

Dear's favorite is Sake Spa.

And the most ridiculous award goes to Red Wine Spa!

Cos every single inch in the spa is occupied with spa goers who are deeply enjoying themselves and too indulging to get out. Yet, there are floods of people who are dying to get IN!

This has to be the most populated and most popular choice!

We also bought the ticket to Mori no Yu for a traditional bathing experience without swimsuits!

Onsen here is enjoyed in the traditional japanese method whereby goers are expected to bath themselves thoroughly before entering the pool. And by clean, the Japanese standard is really high. I even see them scrubbing the toe nails and foot!

Its a totally different experience from Yunessan.
Due to time constraint, we could only spend 3 hours here but the experience was that of a lifetime!

I am simply in love with traditional baths!

Here, we saw our first full bloom sakura tree!

Next stop, we hop on the public bus and head for Gora station.

There, we took the Hakone Tozan Cablecar up to Sounzan.
Do not be mislead that the Hakone Tozan Cablecar is a real cable car!
It is in fact a funicular railway otherwise better known as the Cable Line that connects the 2 stops.

At Sounzan, we changed for the Hakone Ropeway that takes us to Lake Toshi.
It is said to be the world Busiest Gondola Lift!

We alighted the Ropeway at Togendai-ko. Here, visitors can board the Hakone Sightseeing Ship but it was already 5pm and the business day has ended. So it was a missed trip for us!

In my personal opinion, the ship looked a bit out of place as it was so Disney-theme!

Do not think that it is not cold by my dressing.
 I was just trying to be "brave"!

The weather was really cold and freezing and the wind was so strong!

And there was nobody around!

Friday evening!

The trip was good!
We love the this hakone trip mainly cause of the onsen.
This trip allows us to escape from the busiest of Tokyo life to seek solace even if its for a few hours!

Trip back was via the romance car!

Bye Hakone!
Thanks for the pleasant experience!