Hakone, we loved it!

For the Veteran's Day Holiday, we decided to take a trip to Hakone (2 hrs. away) to see the fall leaves. Everyone had a great time and we had some good firsts.

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Hakone Cable Cars

Started out with a trip up the cable cars. Which was beauriful and very fun

 We stopped at the halfway point where there are a lot of sulfur hot springs and can be a great view spot for Fuji. Can you see Fuji? It was pretty awesome to see. Pictures don't do it justice. We had all stopped on the little hike up to the hot springs and Sam all the sudden says "Fuji, Fuji!!" We were all very glad he saw it.

In one of the pits they put dozens of eggs in to hard boil them. Here he is putting in the raw ones.

Here they are coming out... BLACK!!!

 We of course bought some. Here's Hazel reaction! We actually enjoyed them so much we ended up buying two five packs. It was also 1:30 and we hadn't had lunch. They even came with a pack of salt.

 They were hot, but Tom was the first one to brave it and take a bite.

 Emma and Mattie loved them the most.

At the bottom of the cable cars is a Lake Ashi. We took a little ship (ferry) to the other side.

Later Tom and the kids took a little swan paddle boat on the lake as well.

Ra Kunn Hotel

 That night we stayed in Ryokan (a hotel with an onsen (hot tub)), except this wasn't just a hot tub, it was the traditional Japanese kind where there is one for the men and one for the women and you go in naked. We decided we had to try it...so we did! These are the robes you wear down to the onsen. We didn't last very long because it was soooooooo hot! But, it was a good experience.

 Here is the breakfast they served us. Poached egg in miso soup, salad, fish, fruit, scrambled eggs and they had a little bit of cereal for which the kids were very relieved to find. Of course they had rice, but none of us ended up getting any.

Here is the view from our hotel. That is Lake Ashi down there.

Hakone Open Air Museum

Coolest outdoor museum ever! Very kid friendly too.

 St. Chapelle for kids.

Hot foot bath w/ lemons. It was perfect for the cold day.

Star Gardens, funnest place to play hide-n-seek. Had to stop b/c we were being loud obnoxious Americans.

World of Nets

Yunessun

Last stop was the Yunessun, land of hot tubs. A huge building with all kinds of hot tubs inside and out...egyptian, greek, etc. themed as well as miso soup, coffee, sake, red wine, and many others. We truly went in one and jumped out and went to another. It took us two hours. 

This one you put your feet in and the fish eat your dead skin. Sam's face more accurately portrays how we all felt. It was pretty tickelish.

We only saw part of it though because the other part is no swimsuits allowed. I will brave it with just my girls, not brave enough to do it with other women.

It was such a fun family vacation! I think everyone enjoyed it--even Mattie who missed her first volleyball game. We hope to have more vacations to come, just need to find a cheaper way to do Japan. Now we are back into the rigamorole of our daily lives, which we have even in Japan.