The spa paradise, Hakone~
(Saturday, June 28, 2008/12:08 AM)
Tokyo makes me too stressed... Too stressed for a holiday... That's when Hakone comes in handy, as we left Tokyo and retreat into the quiet town of Hakone to relax in onsen and enjoy great scenery! Travelling there can be a little taxing cos' u would have to change multiple subway lines and even take a shuttle-bus or take a hike to ur hotel if it isn't conveniently situated, just like mine. But once u settle the necessary stuff, and set out to fully enjoy, wow it's truly SHIOK!
I used to hate anything that requires me to strip down to my swimming trunks cos' I'm heavily criticized for my white complexion and I think I'm darn out of shape after NS. =S But after experiencing the spa resort at Yunessun for the first time in 2005, the feeling of soaking myself in the onsen was so immensely enjoyable that the ppl around me dun seem to matter anymore. The main attractions are of cos' the funny themed onsen, such as coffee onsen, red wine onsen, green tea onsen etc. They SERIOUSLY ground coffee beans and pump it into the onsen to give it a unique twist. I saw the staff at work with my own two eyes. Initially, I thought it was a huge gimmick with fake coffee flavouring. Apparently, I was so wrong. =)
But actually to me, the main attraction would be the bevy of beatiful bikini-clad babes. ^^ Dun look at me as if I'm a pervert, every normal male will look out specifically for this at swimming complexes and public hot springs. If ur male friend ever denies, either he's a hypocrite or he's a gay. =S The traditional onsen is separated into male and female, and we'd have to strip down to our birthday suits. So, Yunessun is special in a way that it appeals to the younger crowd with modern architecture, attractions, and mixed baths. I was a little stupid not to realize that cameras are allowed in the bath area, but it's probably a wise move as well to protect my camera from water. So, all I managed to take a photo of was just the mascot at the entrance. Sry guys if u're expecting to see pictures of bikini-clad babes! =)
Be sure to take the Hakone Round Course, and go on a day trip and take in the stunning scenery of the area. Hakone Open-Air Museum is a tranquil place to take a slow morning stroll along a beautiful park. The entrance fee is abt 1600 Yen, rather hefty if u dun appreciate art (which I dun, but I still went anyway).
The statue guy above is supposed to be dead, I think. Lol, I just can't interpret art for nuts, but I still enjoyed myself thoroughly. Looking at beautiful art once in awhile helps to soothe the mind, even if u're an artistic idiot like me, lol!
The weather that day was very cloudy and there was no chance to see Mt. Fuji from the cable-car. At least, the itinerary planned for the cable-car trip went without a hitch. But when we went to the foot of Lake Ashi, the weather got so bad that the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise was suspended. Oh crap... =( On a random note, the ojisan in front of me like diao-ing me like that. Ewww, scary... Lol... Not... =P
We went to Gotemba Premium Outlets to shop anyway, thinking that it'd be a factory outlet style kind of place with cheaper than normal prices. Seems to me that it's just a glorified excuse to gather all the world's most expensive brands. There's nothing cheap at all! Anything with discount would be rejected goods or last season's stock. If u want the latest fashion, be prepared with 10000 Yen bills. It seems like a nice place to chill and relax tho', with the number of cafes around, but we were running short on time.
The town of Hakone shuts down pretty early. Even at the main station of Hakone-yumoto, I observed that stores close after 6 PM. Most ppl retire to their hotel abt 7 PM as most hotels serve dinner as well. What to do after 7 PM? That's when a good companion, hotel facilities such as karaoke and private onsen, would play a big role.
This is my standard dinner at my hotel. Mmm truly sumptuous! =D Altho' I still prefer to slurp down a big bowl of ramen and forget abt food for at least another 4-5 hrs, it's refreshing once in awhile to take ur time and appreciate authentic Japanese cuisine.
Hakone should be another must-visit place everytime I visit Japan, esp. Yunessun! Nice scenery, great onsen, relaxing and not as stressful as Tokyo. Just a little out of the way, but plan ur route well, and there shouldn't be any problems. Getting a little sleepy right now... I shall head to bed or else I'll fall asleep in church service tml LOL! I shall talk abt Kyoto for the next post. Ciao!~
I used to hate anything that requires me to strip down to my swimming trunks cos' I'm heavily criticized for my white complexion and I think I'm darn out of shape after NS. =S But after experiencing the spa resort at Yunessun for the first time in 2005, the feeling of soaking myself in the onsen was so immensely enjoyable that the ppl around me dun seem to matter anymore. The main attractions are of cos' the funny themed onsen, such as coffee onsen, red wine onsen, green tea onsen etc. They SERIOUSLY ground coffee beans and pump it into the onsen to give it a unique twist. I saw the staff at work with my own two eyes. Initially, I thought it was a huge gimmick with fake coffee flavouring. Apparently, I was so wrong. =)
But actually to me, the main attraction would be the bevy of beatiful bikini-clad babes. ^^ Dun look at me as if I'm a pervert, every normal male will look out specifically for this at swimming complexes and public hot springs. If ur male friend ever denies, either he's a hypocrite or he's a gay. =S The traditional onsen is separated into male and female, and we'd have to strip down to our birthday suits. So, Yunessun is special in a way that it appeals to the younger crowd with modern architecture, attractions, and mixed baths. I was a little stupid not to realize that cameras are allowed in the bath area, but it's probably a wise move as well to protect my camera from water. So, all I managed to take a photo of was just the mascot at the entrance. Sry guys if u're expecting to see pictures of bikini-clad babes! =)
Be sure to take the Hakone Round Course, and go on a day trip and take in the stunning scenery of the area. Hakone Open-Air Museum is a tranquil place to take a slow morning stroll along a beautiful park. The entrance fee is abt 1600 Yen, rather hefty if u dun appreciate art (which I dun, but I still went anyway).
The statue guy above is supposed to be dead, I think. Lol, I just can't interpret art for nuts, but I still enjoyed myself thoroughly. Looking at beautiful art once in awhile helps to soothe the mind, even if u're an artistic idiot like me, lol!
The weather that day was very cloudy and there was no chance to see Mt. Fuji from the cable-car. At least, the itinerary planned for the cable-car trip went without a hitch. But when we went to the foot of Lake Ashi, the weather got so bad that the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise was suspended. Oh crap... =( On a random note, the ojisan in front of me like diao-ing me like that. Ewww, scary... Lol... Not... =PWe went to Gotemba Premium Outlets to shop anyway, thinking that it'd be a factory outlet style kind of place with cheaper than normal prices. Seems to me that it's just a glorified excuse to gather all the world's most expensive brands. There's nothing cheap at all! Anything with discount would be rejected goods or last season's stock. If u want the latest fashion, be prepared with 10000 Yen bills. It seems like a nice place to chill and relax tho', with the number of cafes around, but we were running short on time.
The town of Hakone shuts down pretty early. Even at the main station of Hakone-yumoto, I observed that stores close after 6 PM. Most ppl retire to their hotel abt 7 PM as most hotels serve dinner as well. What to do after 7 PM? That's when a good companion, hotel facilities such as karaoke and private onsen, would play a big role.
This is my standard dinner at my hotel. Mmm truly sumptuous! =D Altho' I still prefer to slurp down a big bowl of ramen and forget abt food for at least another 4-5 hrs, it's refreshing once in awhile to take ur time and appreciate authentic Japanese cuisine.Hakone should be another must-visit place everytime I visit Japan, esp. Yunessun! Nice scenery, great onsen, relaxing and not as stressful as Tokyo. Just a little out of the way, but plan ur route well, and there shouldn't be any problems. Getting a little sleepy right now... I shall head to bed or else I'll fall asleep in church service tml LOL! I shall talk abt Kyoto for the next post. Ciao!~
posted by MightyFlameboy. shoot me? | 0 shot me.