MOUNTAIN MOMENTS

It was mesmerising. As if caught in a trance; the eyes refused to look away. The world and everything else faded into nothingness, except for the sound of the flowing water. The portion of the river bed was like a work of art, curved black steps that let water tinkle over them. Like a musical water symphony. No crescendo, no jarring waves, just soothing tiny gurgling  water. In the background the mountains stood still like an enraptured audience. Were the steps naturally formed or to rephrase Maradona's famous 'hand of god' line, did human hands interfere here. I hope to high heavens that they didn't. I was not even sure if it was part of the Haya-Kawa River or just another mountain stream heading to meet the river. 

We were in Hakone, west of Tokyo and in the southwest of Kanagawa. Unfortunately, for just a night and a day and half. The small hill town is part of Fuji Hakone Izu National Park and is the closest to Mount Fuji and is also known for its onsens or hot spring resorts. The itinerary was not just to take in all its natural beauty but also to stay at a traditional Japanese inn or Ryokan.

Hakone is said to translate into Hako or box and Ne or mountains and so Box Mountain it is. There are said to be more than 15 mountains encircling the town in two rows, the taller ones behind and the lower and flatter on top in the inside ring. Some of the mountains are tall, very tall, but if you grew up with the Himalayas close by in a town nearly 1,400 m above sea level and the peak after which it is named falls just 34m short of 2000 m, you can't help but smile at the seriousness of it all. That however, in no way can stop you from succumbing to the charms that Hakone has to offer.

We take the Romancecar, Odakyu's limited express train which departs from Shinjuku. It is the quickest train, taking just 85 minutes from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto station and the route is just stunning offering breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, the countryside where agriculture and industry and residential area  exist literally side by side.The traditional Japanese architecture dominates, right down to perfectly landscaped tiny front and backyard gardens. The preference seems to be for trees, not so much flowers. And as Hakone nears, Mount Fuji gives tantalising glimpses.

 

 

 

The Senkei Ryokan where we are booked for the night, was beside the river and backed against a lushly forested hill. As we headed for it, in mind I was finally going to step into the picture on the small rectangular tin sweet box, with the four corners cut in a way to give it a lopsided hexagon form. The box was jet black and picture on the top had a distant Mount Fuji in the horizon with a pagoda-like structure in the centre, small winding steps leading to it, a golden cherry tree on the side and a really tiny kimono clad woman set to climb the last step. Against the black background the bright gold, red and white paints presented a really exotic picture. It was my treasure box packed with what I believed then to be precious to me. And there was I finally going to be a part of it. Ahem, let sleeping boxes sleep. 

To be fair, the Ryokan presented a beautiful picture, especially in the night with the lights on, except that it was a sprawling three storied structure.Thankfully, our room was traditional in every sense of the term. It had the Tokonoma or the ornamental alcove  but no Kakejiku (hanging scroll) but a framed picture  and the ornamental vase below. Everything else was as it was supposed to be- tatami floors, rice paper walls etc. There was the tiny foyer, leave your shoes here and wear the in-house slipper, step up a level and slide open the doors. You step into a bare room. another sliding door on the side leads to bathrooms, dressing room and the main large door slides open to reveal the sleeping section. It's a huge room with a large lacquered table in the centre with two floor level cane seating with backs. There is an attached teeny-meeny balcony with not much of a view. The only concession to present times is the TV and of naturally, the wi-fi. 

A young traditionally dressed hostess prepares the welcoming tea. When we return after dinner, we find the centre cleared of the table and chairs and replaced with Japanese beds on the floor and traditional Japanese attires (Yukata or cotton Kimonos and Tanzen or padded jackets) laid out. As I watch her I realise she doesn't walk, she takes such tiny dainty steps as if gliding as if on air.   

 

 

 

 

 

The last time I had gone to Hakone (a day trip) was solely to get a closer view of Mount Fuji and sail down Lake Ashinoko. It was July, a muggy day and unfortunately the clouds had played mischief with us covering up Mount Fuji more than revealing it. This time it was a clear sky. We take the Hakone Tozan Railway to connect with the cable car. If a train can be called cute, this one certainly is. Somewhat like the toy train in Darjeeling but much sturdier and larger, this bravely climbs up one the steepest slope in Japan. But to do that, it switches back three times! You climb up and then you realise that you are going back again, that happens three times and finally you can get down to take the cable car. Then it is the cable car to Owakudani where the air is rife with system clearing volcanic gas that rises up all around, remnants of the Hakone volcano. There are some who bravely venture out from the viewing deck and try to get as close as they can to rising vapours. Beats me why anyone would want to clog their pores with sulphur fumes. But much before we get to Owakudani, the cable car ride provides some stunning views o the solemn Mount Fuji. 

 

 

 

 

 

After the heights, its the lows literally. The expansive glistening blue waters of  Lake Ashinoko wins over the hot springs, further up where one can literally boil eggs in the bubbling sulphuric waters, the fumes so strong that your eyes sting. The belief is that consuming the eggs, that emerge completely black from the waters, ensures longevity!  In the earlier trip too I had refused to have the black eggs. So skipping the visit was no loss. To the waters we went, boarding an oriental version of a pirate ship. The stunning vista is hard to express in mere words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Off at Hakone-Machi. A trek to Hakone shrine? No, we decide. Besides it was too late in the day. As we walked in further, up a street lined with eateries, stores and what have you, something strange caught the eye - was that a chimp sitting on a bench with his arms akimbo? Turned out to be the stuffed variety, straddling two benches. Whoever came up with that is my kind of person. 

      

    

 

On the way back we take a bus. For all the we-must-do-a-Ryokan experience even for a night, well it was late in the night when we got back. That's a major grouse I have, for some reasons we are hardly in our rooms so there seem to be no rhyme or reason for fancy bookings. This time of course the Ryokan was indeed an experience, however brief. Nothing gave me more pleasure than telling the husband to leave his footwear at the stipulated place and not throw it around as he usually tends to do! The Yukata and Tanzen were, hmm, cool to a point then I wanted my aged tracks and T-shirts. 

 

To discover all the charms of Hakone we accepted that we needed more days but unfortunately, that couldn't be, so the next morning before heading for Kyoto, we tried to walk around as much as we could. The previous night we had done the same. In the morning we decided the follow the river upstream  and I am glad we did so because besides that how we found Hakone Bakery. In fact, in Tokyo and later Kyoto we found that patisseries and bakeries are some scrumptious affairs indeed. And the Hakone Bakery delivered every which way.  We sat a table opposite a window from where we could see a tiny stream gurgle down and just outside the window was a little rockery with a small fish pond inside with colourful fish flitting around. There couldn't have been a better way to leave Hakone.   

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

There was one final goodbye to say, to the black and white stepped river bed.I can still see it and hear the soothing symphony.