The Day I fell in love (once more)
Trip Start
Jul 23, 2010
1
27
43
Trip End
Aug 31, 2010
Hakone, Kanto, Japan
Monday, August 16, 2010
Obon.
Didn't think of that when we started our Hakone loop today!
Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors' spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.
At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. The customs followed vary strongly from region to region.Obon is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar However, since the 7th month of the year roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the formerly used lunar calendar, Obon is still celebrated in mid August in many regions of Japan, while it is celebrated in mid July in other regions.The Obon week in mid August is one of Japan's three major holiday seasons, accompanied by intensive domestic and international travel activities and increased accommodation rates.
Oops!!
Oh well :)
Kimberley wasn't feeling too well but we really didn't want to miss this trip so she decided to stay at home for the day, rest up and get well because we're leaving to Kyoto the next day.
We took the Shinkansen to Odawara, where we transferred to Hakone-Yumoto. Hakone is all about the Hakone Loop if you ask me. It takes you through exquisite environments and really shows you what Japan is all about. Nature-wise that is!
Now we get a taste of what Obon is REALLY like! :') We get into the train to get us to Gora, the second stop, but more and more people come in the train until I'm squished like a tuna between Jordy, a middle-aged Japanese lady and two bigger Japanese men. Let's not forget it's 30 degrees celcius out there and the trail is pretty long because the train takes it's time. I never felt so relieved to get out of the train as I did when it reached Gora!
In Gora we got some food and checked out some of the souvenirshops. Then we took another train to Kouen-Shimo, at 587 meters. I'm getting a bit shaky-- fear of heights afterall. But the big killer doesn't come untill we reach Koen-Shimo and I have to take the ropeway which takes us over Owakudani at a whopping 1044 meters height. That's 1 kilometers from the ground. I'm shaking and trembling and Jordy is comforting me as he nearly drags me into the ropeway and next thing I know, I'm dangling above the ground.
I just gave up the camera to Jordy at that moment to take pictures for me so that I could see them later. Being the daredevil that I am though, I did manage to peek at Owakudani between my fingers, squeek a bit and then close my eyes for the remaining trip :')
Owakudani is the area around a crater created during the last eruption of Mount Hakone some 3000 years ago. Today, much of the area is an active volcanic zone where sulfurous fumes, hot springs and hot rivers can be experienced. Additionally, Owakudani has good views of Fuji on clear days. We didn't see anything resembling Fuji so we guessed that we were looking in the wrong direction for some reason.A short walking trail (about ten minutes one way) leads from the ropeway station into the volcanic zone to a number of steam vents and bubbling pools. Here you can purchase eggs, cooked in the naturally hot water, whose shells are blackened by the sulfur and which are said to prolong one's life by seven years. I was bold enough to ask the vendor where on earth Fuji was located and he told us that it was right behind us. I sincerely thought he was joking until I saw the outline.
We couldn't see much, just the base and the top but it felt like a victory to me! Three times in Japan and I had never seen Fuji, not even a little bit, until now! Jordy ate his eggs and we sat and relaxed for a bit at the top, watching Owakudani.
Then, the most dreaded moment for me came as we had to take the ropeway back down. Did I mention I hate ropeways? Okay. It wasn't too bad though, felt better than dangling above Owakudani but that's probably because there were a lot of high trees there to mask the true height we were at!
The last part of the Hakone Loop is my personal favorite-- a boat ride on this flamboyant pirate boat on Ashinoko. The pictures say it all I think.
We went back to Hakone-Yumoto, walked around the city for a bit and then returned home because we had an early start ahead of us-- Kyoto awaits!
