Day 8 31/3/06 - Japan

Miyanoshita -> Moto Hakone-Ko -> Lake Ashi -> Hakone Machi -> Moto Hakone-Ko -> Hakone-Yumoto -> Odawara -> Kyoto

Highlight

• Sad to have to leave Taiseikan after our elaborate breakfast and being pampered.
• Visiting the various sights around the Hakone area, highlights are:
  • Walking through the tranquil cedar forest.
  • Detached Palace garden in Hakone machi, with the best view of Mt Fuji, not to mention a good exercise spot with their "thousand steps" stairs.
  • The ferry ride on Lake ashi, another Mt Fuji viewing point.
  • Walking alone the roads, exploring the various shops which all have their different bent and of course taste testing all the different types of mochis they have on offer.
• After pushing our suitcases up the very very steep slope of <> Station, we caught the shinkensen to Kyoto. First impressions? Kyoto is a very grey city, its side sts are very country-like, compared to Tokyo. There is certainly much more of the "old" Japan present, although, of course you can find all sorts of mod-con here. Things are definitely cheaper here too!
• We went department store bargaining hunting for dinner yet again.

Food

• Kaiseki cuisine breakfast from Taiseikan:
  • miso soup with clams
  • rice with seaweed and soy
  • soy glazed fish
  • fishcake with wasabi cream, berry and seaweed
  • mixed pickles
  • green tea
  • tofu ball with stuffed bamboo shoot and thick miso sauce
  • steamed egg custard with chicken pieces, bamboo, seaweed and bean, miso flavoured
  • sashimi of tuna with sauce of mild wasabi, soy and radish
  • foamy ginger and soy tofu
  • fresh brewed coffee
• Taste test mochi, fish cakes, biscuits.
• Green tea Porky.
• Japanese mochi cake.
• Bento box 1 from Daimaru (514).
• Bento box 2 from Daimaru (525).
• Hersheys milk chocolate.
• Choc crisp biscuit.