Around Tokyo - The Rough Guide to Tokyo - page 223

Hakone Sengokuhara Youth Hostel ശࠜઋੴݪ
Ϣʔεϗεςϧ 912 Sengokuhara T 0460 84 8966,
W theyh.com. Directly behind the Fuji-Hakone Guesthouse ,
and run by the same family, this hostel offers good dorm
accommodation in a lovely wooden building. There's an
on-site hot spring, which is a in ice bonus, especially if
you've been hiking. Dorms ¥3360

SENGOKUHARA
Fuji-Hakone Guesthouse ෋࢜ശࠜήετϋ΢ε 912
Sengokuhara T 0460 84 6577, W hakone.syuriken.jp
/hakone. This convivial guesthouse, run by the friendly,
English-speaking Takahashi-san and his family, has tatami
rooms and onsen water piped into a communal bath;
breakfast (included in the price) is the only meal available.
¥10,500

EATING AND DRINKING
CHŌKOKU NO MORI
Gyōza Centre ᰤࢠηϯλʔ 1300 Gōra T 0460 82
3457. Heading towards Gōra along the main road from
the museum, you'll soon pass this excellent two-floor
restaurant. It usually has a long line of customers waiting
to sample the thirteen types of delicious home-made
dumplings, including ones stuffed with prawns and nattō .
A set meal with rice and soup costs around ¥1150. Daily
except Thurs 11.30am-3pm & 5-8pm.

served on rice (¥980) or soba (¥1100). Not sold yet?
There's a free onsen footbath just outside. To find it, head
into town along the river bank; you'll soon spot the place
on your right. Daily except Tues 11am-6pm.

HATAJUKU
Amazake-jaya Teahouse ؁ञ஡԰ Hatajuku. Rest at
this charming teahouse, just as travellers did hundreds
of years ago, and sip a restorative cup of the milky, sweet
rice drink amazake , with some pickles, for ¥400. Daily
7am-5.30pm.

HAKONE YUMOTO
Ì Hatsuhana Soba ͸ͭՖͦ͹ 635 Hakone-Yumoto
T 0460 85 8287. The Hakone area is famed for its soba,
on account of the purity of the local water, and this is the
best place to try it. Several options are available, including
tempura and curry bowls, but you can't go wrong with the
teijo soba , served with grated yam and raw egg (¥950). To
get here from the station, follow the river bank into town,
then turn left at the first bridge - it's right on the other
side, overlooking the river. Daily 10am-7pm.
Ì Naokichi ௚٢ 696 Hakone-Yumoto T 0460 85
5148. Excellent, elegant restaurant serving the scrump-
tious local speciality, yubadon - soy milk skin in fish broth,

MIYANOSHITA
Naraya Cafe ͳΒ΍ΧϑΣʔ 404-13 Miyanoshita. Just
down the road from Miyanoshita station, this lovely café
has one major draw - the footbath which runs under the
table in the outdoor section, making it possible to bathe
your feet while sipping a latte (¥400). There's also a gallery
on the top level, and hot dogs and other snacks on the
menu. Daily 10.30am-6pm.
Orchid Lounge 359 Miyanoshita T 0460 82 2211,
W fujiyahotel.co.jp. At the wonderful Fujiya hotel (see
p.225), this is a grand place to order coffee (¥1600 with

20

MOUNT TAKAO
An hour west of Shinjuku, Mount Tak ao ( ߴඌࢁ ; 600m; W takaotozan.co.jp), also referred to as
Takao-san, is a particularly pleasant place for a quick escape from Tokyo, and a starting point for
longer trails into the mountains in the Chichibu-Tama National Park ( ட෕ଟຎࠃཱެԂ ). The
Keiō line from Shinjuku provides the simplest and cheapest way of reaching the terminus of
Takao-san-guchi (1hr; ¥370). After a hike up or a ride on the cable car or chairlifts (both ¥470
one-way, ¥900 return), you'll get to Yakuo-in ( ༀԦӃ ; W takaosan.or.jp/index.html), a temple
founded in the eighth century and notable for the ornate polychromatic carvings which
decorate its main hall. It hosts the spectacular Hiwatarisai fire ritual on the second Sunday in
March back in Takao-san-guchi, where you can watch priests and pilgrims march across hot coals
- and even follow them yourself. From the temple, it's a relatively short walk to Takao's summit.
RESTAURANTS
Takao Beer Mount ߴඌϏʔϧϚ΢ϯτ Above the
upper cable-car station. Beer garden serving an all-
you-can-eat-and-drink buffet (men/women ¥3500/
3300) with a twinkling night view of the city. Late
June to early Oct daily 3-9.30pm.
Ukai Toriyama ͏͔͍ௗࢁ At the base of the

mountain T 0426/61-0739, W ukai.co.jp/toriyama.
Delightful traditional restaurant specializing in
charcoal-grilled chicken and Hida beef. The food is
served by kimono-clad waitresses in small tatami
rooms, with sets starting at ¥4730. Mon-Fri 11am-
9.30pm, Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-7pm.