The day started busy, my family bustling about the small accommodation we had rented in Tokyo as we prepared to check out. We had a quick breakfast, eating bread we had bought from the nearest convenience store and slurping down noodles we had made at the Cup Noodle Museum the day before. Then, we packed our suitcases and bags quickly and cleaned up the place. In no time we were out the door.
Our tour guide/driver soon arrived, and I helped my parents load the luggage before getting into the van with my siblings.
We headed toward Lake Ashi for the pirate ship cruise. The drive was quite long but the scenery made up for it, with winding roads and glimpses of the lake below.
We stopped at a shopping centre beside a gas station for food. We had lunch at the food court there and then bought some bread and drinks from the nearby bakery. We also had the oppurtunity to try the cakes from Tokyo Banana and got one box of the banana-shaped sponge cakes. The pastries were delicious—the fluffy chiffon and sweet banana custard were perfect. We finally got back in the van, full and satisfied, continuing our trip.
Upon arriving, we grabbed our stuff, paid for the tickets, snapped a few pictures, and headed to get on the boat. In no time, we were boarding the ship.
As the boat glided across the water, we stood on deck feeling the cool breeze and scanning the horizon. Even when clouds drifted in, the lake and mountains were beautiful. The sounds of people talking, waves splashing against the hull of the boat, wind blowing, and birds chirping filled my ears as I took in the view. We were surrounded by the vast dark green mountains, bright white clouds, and vibrant blues of the sky and water.
We took a few photos before going separate ways. my My mom went below deck with my younger brother, who was scared of the water, while the rest of us aimlessly wandered around the boat while looking for nice views and taking more pictures. We eventually decided to join my mom and brother and sat down while watching the view as the boat made its way to the destination.
After getting off, we got lost. Turns out, we had gotten off at the wrong spot. My parents asked around and were told that we would have to wait for the next ship to come. While waiting, we decided to kill some time by walking around. We found a nice spot by the water to stay at before going on the return trip.
We finally got to the right place, got back in the van, and continued to the Owakudani valley, which quickly became one of the most memorable parts of the day.
First, we went on the Hakone ropeway. The queue to get on the cable car was excruciatingly long, the line stretching through many areas of the building. We finally made it to the front after a while and got on one of the cable cars.
I took in the view as we were slowly lifted high above the ground. We passed trees and plants with varying shades of greens and browns, buses and cars driving on the roads below, and mountains and structures in the distance.
Next, we roamed around the shops, trying out the capsule machines and checking out the food. We ended up getting a few toys from the machines, some cookies, and the famous black eggs. We also got someice cream. The shop only sold vanilla and Shine Muscat-flavored ice cream, but they tasted great as they were soft and creamy the perfect amount of sweetness.
We then looked at other places to try and search for the best views of the volcano. It was a very windy day, making it hard to do much, but the sight made it all worthwhile. The dark volcano towered over the whole place: steam rose from centre of its huge scissure; dark, ashy rocks surrounded the area; and its majestic structure stood out in contrast to the grey and gloomy sky.
As the day wound down, we went to a restaurant to have dinner. The place was nice—it was spacious without feeling too big, the servers were kind, and it smelled great.. I got fried rice, which was warm and savory. I also got to try a bit of the food my family ordered, like the cold noodles my sister had and the hot ramen my mom was eating, and both were equally delicious, making the entire meal even more enjoyable.
After our meal, we drove to our final destination: our accomodation. It was called K’s House Fuji View, a nice, cozy place near Mt. Fuji. It was late at night by the time we arrived; silence hung thick in the air, the streets were practically empty, and the only source of light werethe lampposts and the moon hanging high in the sky. We checked in, unloaded the van, and brought our luggage up to our place. It was a Japanese-style room, complete with a tatami mat in the main area, another section with a table and cupboard, and of course, a balcony with a scenic view of Mt. Fuji.
After unpacking the bags, changing into clean clothes, setting up the futons, and doing other tasks that needed to be done, we could finally rest. Tired from the day, we relaxed before going to sleep, eager for what tomorrow would bring.
Anna is a year 8 student from Melbourne, Australia. She started at Bubots as a Pre-advanced student, and is now an Elite student with the hopes that writing will continue into her career. Aside from literature, she enjoys art and photography for fun.