The next day I checked out and wanted to get outside of Tokyo for a bit. I took a train to Yokohama, left my bag at another capsule hotel (they’re so convenient because there’s always one right next to the train station) and then hopped right back on the train (it’s so easy!) to a place called Kamakura. Temples galore! The Kamakura period (1192-1333) was important because it marked when the shogunate, who were basically military dictators, took power from the emperor and the court, and were the primary source of government. It was the start of feudalism in Japan. I wish I could have dug deeper into the history, as I find it fascinating, but I mostly spent my time there walking from temple to temple, trying to get as many in as I could! Also it gets dark by 4:30 pm, so there’s no time to waste! So here’s lots of Kamakura photos!
I made it back to Yokohama in the evening and had time to head to the downtown and up to the observation deck to see the view of the whole city. It really puts things in perspective how built of the entire area is. I wished I had more time to check out the waterfront park, which is supposed to be really cool and futuristic, but alas I was in a bit of hurry the next day. According to the weather, there would actually be one clear day! The day after tomorrow, and I wanted to get to Mt. Fuji for that. I hadn’t seen the sun thusfar on the trip. But in order to get to the base of Mt. Fuji it’d take a pretty solid travel day, so I’d be out of the capsule bright and early.
From Yokohama I thought it would be an interesting trip to get to Mt. Fuji via Hakone, a touristy hot spring town up in the hills that is accessed by a toy train. In Hakone they also have a funicular, to get you higher up the mountain, as well as cable cars to maximize your view of the scenery. So my route was going to be metro train, toy train, funicular, cable car, then bus! Really hitting all the modes of transportation in one trip. Just needed a boat ride!
Unfortunately as the train got higher up into the hills the sun went away and it was cold and cloudy in Hakone town. I stopped at a touristy breakfast place that serves these big fluffy pancakes. Overpriced but delicious! I would come to really like the Japanese style of pancakes and French toast. I had a walk through the park, but it was starting to drizzle, so I didn’t stay long. On to the funicular and cable car. It was about 40 degrees and raining, so there were no views to be had, except for the sulfur mine that you pass over. I was glad I was traveling through and not staying in Hakone, like I originally thought of doing. Once off the cable car it was two hours of buses and I was in the town of Kawaguchiko, at the base of Mt Fuji by 5pm. Although I was hoping to get there in time for some sunset photos around 4:30, but with the clouds it didn’t matter either way. The forecast for tomorrow was good though. Fingers crossed!