Hakone!

Evan and I just got back from a short, but super relaxing, night at the onsen. And it reminded me, in my completely zen-ed out state that I never posted pictures and stories from Hakone, another great onsen experience.

So, here goes. Especially since I will hopefully be having another onsen adventure in a few days in the snowy mountains of Sapporo!!!

Hakone was a great day on my day off this week, though I'm not convinced the "Romance Car" train from Shinjuku is really worth the extra money. It's not like it really got me there any faster, and I slept the whole way both times.

First, I jumped right on the Tozan Railway which does these amazing old-fashioned switchbacks as it slowly makes its way up the mountain. Really cool. But keyword: SLOW. Definitely a fun touristy thing to do, and a rather interesting point that public transportation can be feasible even in mountain valleys, but not a really convenient mode of transport.

I stopped off at Gora Park at the upper terminus of the Railway, and it was quite nice, though the outdoor garden was rather blah in winter. But the park had 4 greenhouses that were quite stunning in their array of flora.

Then I jumped on the next part of the transport circuit, the funicular, or cablecar. Again, not that exciting, and surprisingly slow. But it all kicked into high gear when I transferred to the Hakone ropeway and started really enjoying my day of free-pass-transportation.

Especially when we crested the ridge and saw this to the left and below us:

And then my old friend on the right side of the car:

Seriously, I'm gonna get back to the States and question why I have so many darn photos of the thing. It's like how tourists feel after they visit the Statue of Liberty. You just get so darn snap happy!

So I got off at Owakudani, and it was WINDY! I had thought about doing a 2-hour hike down the mountain to the lake, but the wind and cold rightly convinced me otherwise. But I did make the short 10 minute trek to the volcanic steam vents and pools where I got some nasty whiffs of sulfur and incredible pictures (like this kitten in the steam -- looks like a movie, ne?).

However, I'm not really sure why another tourist got so offended when I "Sumimasen"-ed him and asked him for a "shashin". Seriously. He looked at me and said, "Uh, I'm Korean". Like I'd be absolutely nuts to speak Japanese to anyone while WE'RE IN JAPAN. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm learning the differences in cultural genetics and am somewhat able to distinguish Asian nationalities, but I'm not really sure what I did wrong by saying "Excuse Me" in Japanese IN JAPAN. WTF, Korean man who spoke English? WTF?

Doesn't really matter... I got my picture after all!

Now, we all know I have an egg thing (see here if not), so I wasn't particularly interested in trying the kuro tamago (onsen egg) that is so popular. Basically it's an egg that's been hard-boiled in the hot sulfur springs and the shell turns black. It's supposed to add 7 years of longevity to your life. But I just couldn't try one for myself. Especially since you had to buy them in packs of 5 for 500 yen.

BUT.

In the wonderful Japanese style that pervades this country, and in reminiscence of the random man in Shinjuku Goen (see here), I got on the next ropeway to head down to Lake Ashi, and the Japanese man next to me felt it extremely necessary to give me one of his own. I didn't really understand at the time why he said "nana" and showed me seven with his fingers... did he get seven by accident when there were 5? Until I got home, did more research, and learned about the whole longevity thing... Glad to know the Japanese are worried I'm gonna die too young!

Yet, DILEMMA. Mow I was awkwardly sitting in a trapped car dangling above the mountainside wondering if it was more disrespectful not to eat the egg or to start cracking it open in a confined mode of transportation?

Luckily, I took advantage of the stop halfway down to get off and do something totally BACA. That's right. I ate the darn egg. And video'd my self the whole time for your viewing pleasure.

After THAT experience (shocking, I know), I reboarded the ropeway and made my way to the pirate ship that would sail across Lake Ashi to two of the main towns of Hakone National Park. Going into the trip, I thought that would be the most obnoxious part of the tour, but to be honest, in a weird way, it was my favorite. It was SO touristy, it became fun. And I met some nice Saitama Japanese who took pictures with me and chatted in the cold windy sunshine.

Then I saw the cutest stray dog ever trying to hi-jack a ride on the ship and being shooed away by the Japanese workers,

stopped at the old Hakone gate of the old Tokkaido road,

took in the view from the top of the park, and walked down the giant-Cedar-lined path of the historic Tokkaido Road,

all the whilst with beautiful vistas of Lake Ashi and Mt. Fuji.

I probably could have continued exploring, but I was looking forward to heading back to Hakone-Yumoto in the valley and visiting the onsen at a ryokan, so I jumped on the express bus down the mountain and did just that. And what a beautiful hour and a half soak that was! Too bad I couldn't take pictures of the gorgeous pools (what with the nakedness and all).

They had these giant teacup looking baths that one person could immerse himself in. And an amazing outdoor shower, plus a stunning pool up a flight of stairs and nestled in the mountain. A bit expensive, but well worth the experience. Especially with this awaiting me!

And on that note, I'm taking my zen to bed!

WTF, Japan? Part 2

Today's WTF... Tamago.

I don't get it, Japan. Why do you love soft-boiled eggs SO MUCH? I get the seafood obsession. Heck, I even understand octopus cookie, even if I don't think I'll be trying it. I even understand seaweed-flavored chips and those nasty beans you call minonato.

But why, whyever so, is it necessary to put a soft-boiled egg on top of EVERYTHING? Noodles, rice, spaghetti, salad... everything. Majide, ne? You've even got the Tamago Big Mac special at McDonald's right now... Really? Egg on top of a hamburger? WTF?

I don't really understand your obsession and that's probably because of my complete and utter aversion to nearly anything egg. See, when I was little, I used to love eggs. I mean, LOVE THEM. But my mom thinks that somewhere around 3 I got really sick and had eggs, because ever since then, everything in my body just screams "NO" at the sight and smell of an egg white. Somewhere down the line, I managed to learn how to survive scrambled eggs and omelettes, but that was after many years of forcing my mom to scramble in ham and peppers and avoiding the nasty white bits.

Heck, the poor woman would save the heels of every bread loaf so she could use it when she made my french toast so it wasn't too eggy. And I'd still complain if there were any white bits and have to cut around them or gag. And once, when my mother was boiling an egg for "Humpty Dumpty" day in Kindergarten, I (NO LIE) had to run straight to the laundry room and throw up. From the smell of an egg boiling.

I mean, even on Sundays, my parents would come home from church, feed us breakfast, and then send me up to my room away from the kitchen so they could have fried eggs and I wouldn't vomit. It's only been in the past few years that I've been able to sit across the table from someone eating fried eggs and not wanna retch. But watching you mix a soft boiled egg into your spaghetti is just nasty and the final test for which I find myself unprepared.

I mean, I've boiled and colored eggs my whole life for easter and NEVER EVER tried a hard-boiled one. And they're my sister's favorite food, second only to Jello! Sometimes, I won't even eat my grandma's delicious potato salad because it has deviled eggs on top and the white parts mixed in. Which sucks cuz I LOVE potato salad. And I hate seeing the look on Grandma's face that I don't like it!

I guess maybe I was just a problem child when it came to eggs. And finger painting. Seriously. I failed kindergarten finger painting because I couldn't stand the thought of dirtying my hands. It felt so gross! And I cried when my mother left me the whole first day of first grade. I guess I probably was (and still am) a good old-fashioned momma's boy. I remember, too, that I was so scared of the other kindergarten teacher who took us for computer classes that I would stay with Ms. Baumgardt and get story time with the other class. What a wimp.

But back to your egg obsession. It really isn't helping me here that everytime I sit down to a restaurant I have to give you the universal X sign and say repeatedly, "NO Tamago". Because if I forget, like I did at the Asahi brewery, my delicious shrimp au gratin loaf will be completely ruined by the soft-boiled egg baked into the middle of it. Why? Why? And if, by chance, it gets cracked and the yolk runs out, forget it. 1000 yen down the drain.

So I beg of you. Is there anyway you could just maybe have a soft-boiled egg shortage for the 9 months I am here? Cuz seriously, WTF? That's just bizarre.