Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
297
Main Dining Room
CONTINENTAL Hakone's grandest, oldest hotel, conve-
niently located near a stop on the three-car Hakone Tozan Railway, is a memorable place
for a good Western meal. The main dining hall, dating from 1930, is very bright and
cheerful, with a high and intricately detailed ceiling, large windows with Japanese
screens, a wooden floor, and white tablecloths. The views of the Hakone hills are impres-
sive, and the service by the bow-tied waitstaff is attentive. For lunch you can have such
dishes as crab curry, beef stew, fried prawn, rainbow trout, and sirloin steak. The excellent
dinners, with seatings at 6 and 8pm, feature elaborate set courses or a la carte dishes
ranging from scallops and grilled lamb to chicken, rainbow trout, and steak. Afterward,
be sure to tour the landscaped garden.
In the Fujiya Hotel, 359 Miyanoshita, Hakone-machi.
&
0460/82-2211.
Reservations required for dinner.
Main dishes ¥2,200-¥7,500; set dinners ¥11,500-¥23,100); set lunches ¥5,000-¥12,000. AE, DC, MC, V.
Daily noon-2pm (to 2:30pm Sat-Sun and holidays) and 6-8:30pm. Station: Miyanoshita on the Hakone
Tozan Railway (5 min.).
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MOUNT FUJI
100km (62 miles) SW of Tokyo
Mount Fuji, affectionately called “Fuji-san,” has been revered since ancient times.
Throughout the centuries Japanese poets have written about it, painters have painted it,
pilgrims have flocked to it, and more than a few people have died on it. Without a doubt,
this mountain has been photographed more than anything else in Japan.
Mount Fuji is stunningly impressive. At 3,766m (12,355 ft.), it's the tallest mountain
in Japan, towering far above anything else around it—a cone of almost perfectly sym-
metrical proportions. It is majestic, grand, and awe-inspiring. To the Japanese it symbol-
izes the very spirit of their country. Though it's visible on clear days (mostly in winter)
from as far away as 161km (100 miles), Fuji-san, unfortunately, is almost always cloaked
in clouds. If you catch a glimpse of this mighty mountain, consider yourself extremely
lucky. One of the best spots for views of Mount Fuji is
Hakone
(see earlier).
ESSENTIALS
There are four ascents to the summit of Mount Fuji (and four descents), each divided
into 10 stations of unequal length, with most climbs starting at the Go-go-me, or the
Fifth Station, about 1,400m to 2,400m (4,593-7,874 ft.) above sea level. From Tokyo,
the
Kawaguchiko-Yoshidaguchi Trail
is the most popular and most easily accessible, as
well as the least steep. The “official” climbing season is very short, only from July 1 to
August 31. Climbers are discouraged from climbing outside the season, due to low tem-
peratures, super-strong winds, and no emergency services. To beat the crowds—and I do
mean crowds—try to schedule your climb on a weekday during the first 2 weeks of July,
before the start of Japan's school vacation (around July 20).
GETTING THERE
The easiest way to reach the Kawaguchiko Fifth Station is by
bus
from Shinjuku Station. In July and August there are six buses daily that travel directly
from Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchiko Trail's 5th Station, costing ¥2,600 one-way and
taking almost 2
1
⁄
2
hours. Otherwise, there are also buses that go to Kawaguchiko Station
in 1 hour and 45 minutes and cost ¥1,700 one-way; from Kawaguchiko Station there are
buses onward to the Fifth Station, with this trip taking approximately 45 minutes and
costing another ¥1,500 one-way or ¥2,000 round-trip. Buses, which depart a 2-minute
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