[ Hakone ] The Fire and Ice of the Landscape

[ 心肺不好的人應止步的地方 ] Not a place for weak hearts

The volcanic Owakudani and the peaceful Lake Ashi are pretty in their own ways. From here, on a cloudles day, you could also see the whole Fuji Mountain. Taking the Hakone Ropeway across the mountains, we arrived... (continue reading)

大湧谷是個很壯觀的地方, 和北投的地熱谷的是完全不同的調調. 在空中纜車翻過了一個山頭, 我們一下就進入了煙霧瀰漫的國度, 充滿硫磺味的空氣在一步一步的走上瞭望台變得更加強烈, 也許只要一點....

... 火花, 這裡就會爆炸吧?!

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.... at our first stop: Owakudani.

從 Hyatt 走到上強羅站只要大概 5 分鐘吧. 之後從那坐這車到早雲山只要一站就到了！
From Hyatt Regency, the walk to the nearest cable car station is about 5minutes. & that station was 1 station away from the Sounzan Station (starting point of Hakone Ropeway).

從早雲山開始翻山越嶺.
They call this Ropeway a ride that\'s like "taking a walk in the sky", which is kinda true.

Ropeway 一翻過一個山頂就會看到一整片的大湧谷, 這時整車的人一定都會來哇一下, 因為真的是沒想到翻過一個山頭, 馬上映入眼簾的就是一整片冒著煙和飄著硫磺味, 看起來像礦場的地方.
The Ropeway takes people across mountains to Lake Ashi. After crossing over the first mountain, you\'d see an incredible overview of the Owakudani crater. The whole place is just like a big mine with lots pipes and sulphur and smoke coming out.

這邊有名的黑蛋是用這的溫泉水煮的, 聽說吃了會活更久... (ㄜ....)
Other than the volcanic landscape, another famous thing in Owakudani is the black eggs. They are basically just eggs boiled with hotspring water. But it was said that it could prolong life...

假日果然就是人多啊.
It was pretty much holiday season in Japan as well.

一路走來的水都是這個有點濁的顏色.
The water you see here all look a bit milky.

熱騰騰的硫磺.
Heated ground with sulphur.

人都像泡在煙霧裡, 而且這邊的硫磺味真的很重.
Immersed in smoke. The sulphur smell there was really strong. Even people with a healthy heart might still feel a bit uncomfortable.

到了桃源台就是要搭海賊船! 這船每艘都有些些不同. 而且一般艙是有含在 Hakone Free Pass 裡, 如果要好一點的艙就是要在上船前先去預定 + 付差額.
The last stop of the Hakone Ropeway took us to Togendai Station by Lake Ashi where we could take the pirate-ship-like sightseeing cruise down the lake and back. The cruise fee is included in the Hakone Free Pass so might as well take it.

這遊湖其實還真有點無聊, 如果繞湖一圈回到桃源台差不多要一個小時, 一路上也沒什麼特別怎樣的景. 船內也比較悶一點.
Actually there\'s not much to see on the sightseeing cruise and it was actually a bit boring. But we got to see what the lake was like. It takes about 1 hour to get to the southern tip and come back.

往了元箱根港去時天空居然飄雪... 還好那只有那段, 不然想到下雪的麻煩就 &*D@&X...
It was actually kinda snowing when the cruise was going down south. But was glad that didn\'t last!

遠眺箱根神社.
Passing by the Hakone Shrine.

富士山整天都沒露臉.
From the Ropeway and the Owakudani area, on a cloudless day, you could see the whole Fuji Mountain. But too bad Fujiyama-san decided to be shy today.

在陰陰的下午午門離開了蘆之湖, 接著還要趕換 hotel 呢！
The weather was a bit strange and moody so we headed back to get our stuff from the hotel to move to our next hotel.

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