around Hakone: a low-key day at our resort at Lake Ashinoko, with lots of onsen and a short hike down the lake and back
early morning view of Lake Ashinoko, featuring the cherry tree and the pirate ship |
early morning view of Lake Ashinoko, featuring road and mountains and fog |
in this photo, the bird is just sitting in the tree, but there was some serious multi-bird warfare happening about 30 seconds before this was taken |
the sun coming up over the lake |
still a pretty nice lake |
coffee is unavailable at this time, but this tea was very tasty |
a stone path on the hotel grounds, visible from our porch |
porch, complete with chairs and several varieties of porch sandals |
also this view again |
breakfast! a latte (coffee!), sweet potato pastry, rolled omelet, fish, cod paste, hijiki, pickled turnips, the tofu-and-roots salad, and a juice with vinegar |
soy sauce bottle with geometric patterns |
the lake again, now with some kayakers |
setting out from the front of the hotel to walk to the lake |
Gina has found the path. A path, anyway |
surface of Lake Ashinoko |
a nice area with some trees by Lake Ashinoko |
a very determined tree |
the pirate ship |
hold that thought, though, because: swan boats |
we would really like to rent a swan boat |
walking back past the front of the hotel on our way to learn more about boats |
we found a pier, is that a good sign? |
alas, no. swan boats are beached today because of the wind |
i think these are Japanese lilies of the valley; anyway, they're sad about the swan boats too |
map of the Togendai area, at Miyoshi where we stopped for lunch |
screen of Mount Fuji and some cherry blossoms |
konnyaku on a stick! (a little too gelatinous in this instance) |
soba with eel and vegetable tempura |
soba with mushrooms |
public bathroom instructions: no smoking, no dumping, this is not a Japanese toilet, no stealing toilet paper, no scaling fish, no incendiaries |
another determined tree |
we head south along the lake on this path |
dragon tile marker |
did the robot pass? unknown |
map of Lake Ashinoko |
a nice path with many attractive trees |
this tree is determined in a different way |
BRAKE |
the lake through the trees |
a mossy wall |
a tree with excitable branches |
an arch of trees |
a bunch of cool cowbell-looking flowers |
stones |
the lake, surrounded by trees |
intermittent cherry trees in front of a bunch of conifers |
directional sign |
another exciteable tree branch |
a fuzzy railing |
a path through very tall trees |
look at these trees (but don't get dizzy) |
a trailside historical landmark |
a rocky stream bed |
the road back to the hotel |
Birds of Japan: standing around |
Birds of Japan: rushing away |
rocky wall in front of the resort, with clever sightlines: we're looking at the outdoor onsen, but it's protected from view |
back at the resort, watching the pirate ship sail |
drinking a beer on the resort's outdoor deck |
view down the lake from the infinity pool seating |
the infinity pool is pretty neat even if we're just looking at the hotel |
evening, and here comes the fog |
assortment of tea options at dinner |