Aura Tachibana (ryokan), Hakone

Left the hotel at 8:40 AM after a large buffet breakfast.  We are only allowed to take an overnight bag today, since we take two trains tomorrow to Takayama. Our  normal bags were trucked to our hotel there.  It was about a three hour drive to the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Site.  During the bus ride Emiko shared many facts about life in Japan and showed us floor plans of her home and her son's college apartment.  (We are definitely spoiled.)  She has a 3 bedroom home that is 800 square feet and costs $600,000.  Their bath water recycles into the washing machine (bath is only a soaking tub).

At the Mt. Fuji visitor center, we watched a short film about the formation of the mountain and the surrounding area.  The view we  got of the 12.388 foot mountain was mostly obstructed by clouds but did get to see the iconic shape.  The 5th station we were suppose to drive to was closed because of snow.  We then took a short cruise on Lake Ashi on a 700 passenger twin hull boat. 

After the cruise we drove to Hakone and our traditional Ryokan lodging. (Drove by a Bob's Big Boy restaurant which I didn't even know existed anymore.)  Our room at the ryokan is minimalist design, no shoes are allowed on the Tatami mats and sleeping is on a futon on the floor (was set up while we dined at a traditional Japanese dinner).