Ooh, Hakone Is A Place On Earth – Pt.1

First things first, 28th April was quite possibly the best day of my life. Or at least, in terms of travelling. This is a huge entry so I’ve divided it into a few parts.

Second thing second (do we even say that?), I should set the scene. The night before, I went for some drinks with people from work. This turned more into Oktoberfest than a few drinks. Some heavy karaoke-ing later and I was tucked up in bed. Beer does a strange thing to me. I usually wake up early the next morning full of energy, and it’s only later or the day after where it hits.

Third thing third, I should jog your memory about the problems I had with my signature not being accepted.

So, Friday morning, I wake up at 6. The sun is shining, the sky is clear and I’m full of energy. I’m out of the house before 8 and head towards Yokohama. On the way I try, for the first time, the ATM’s at three different banks as I’ve run out of the cash I brought with me. None of them accept my card. On the train now. Listening to some newly acquired albums on iPhil and in my own world, I miss the stop and have to change trains back to Yokohama. A decent time-killer since my bank doesn’t open until 9.

I didn’t have to wait too long for the bank to open and showed the staff the problem with my card. I had to sign for a new card. Five minutes later, the manager comes over and tells me my signature doesn’t match the one on my old card. I have to sign again but they’re still not completely happy. He asks for other ID and I show my alien registration card, completely forgetting that I signed it in a totally different way again. This baffles him even more, to the point where he gives up and just gives me the new card. Which works, hurrah!

(I realise I’m writing in a strange present tense style, which is confusing me as well. I stop writing like this, after this sentence.)

I found the train towards Odawara/Hakone and jumped on. Actually, I stepped on. The more I teach, the more I realise how confusing the English language is. The train took just under an hour to Odawara; it’s about 30 minutes past Kamakura and on the way to Fuji-San.

You know when something doesn’t feel quite right but you can’t put your finger on it for ages. The whole train journey was very strange, and it was only when I neared Odawara that I realised what it was. Around Tokyo, no-one talks on the trains. I don’t know if it’s bad manners or everyone’s just depressed but it’s silent. This train was noisy. Everyone was chatting, gossiping, laughing. Already I could see that a more rural lifestyle was laid back.

At Odawara Station I bought a Hakone Free-Pass. This was a £20 ticket that allows for a day’s travel all-inclusive. Not exactly free. Quite the contrary.

Before leaving for Hakone, I had a look around Odawara. This was a lovely coastal town, which seemed so different in comparison to Tokyo. Perhaps this was the Utopia of Japan; each streetlamp had speakers blaring out ballad-y songs. I headed towards Odawara Castle, crossing over the moat and passing through the main gates.



Once, one of the most distinguished castles in medieval Japan, and the administrative centre of the Kanto region, Odawara Castle reached its peak in the 16th Century.

Sadly, half-way up to the actual castle was a small open zoo. On the whole, Japan has little concern over animal welfare compared to the West. There was little shelter for most of the animals. Or barriers between them and us.



Quickly passing through the zoo, I looked up and saw the castle. Wow.


Inside the main building was an interesting museum showing the history of the castle and presenting samurai clothing and weaponry. The view from the top was pretty impressive - covering the city of Odawara, the Pacific and the Fuji-Hakone-Izu mountain range - although it started to cloud over, so no sign of Fuji-San. Again.




This would normally be a cool day in itself but was only just beginning...