How to Cruise along the Grand Canal?

Most of the houses which now line the Canal are named after the original families who first settled here and grew this great city. Taking a trip down the Canal is like taking a trip back in time. And while it is an essential thing to do while in Venice, it doesn’t mean spending a pretty penny, renting out a gondolier for an hour or taking a cheesy river cruise.

Since Venice is a city built on the water, there are no roads and the only way to get around is via water buses called the Vaporettos. A 1-day pass for the Vaporetto will cost you 25€, or a single 75-minute ticket is 9.5€. For the purposes of this tour, a single ticket would do you just fine if you plan on walking your way around the rest of Venice for the day. While they might not look as elegant as the gondolas, they take the very same route and pass by all the same iconic landmarks for a fraction of the cost. 

Table Of Contents

1. How to Cruise along the Grand Canal?
2. Ferrovia Vaporetto
3. Scalzi Bridge
4. San Geremia
5. Fondaco dei Turchi
6. San Stae
7. Ca' Pesaro
8. Traghetto
9. Ca D'oro
10. Palazzo Morosini Brandolin
11. Mercato di Rialto
12. Rialto Bridge
13. Palazzo Corner della Ca' Grande
14. Palazzo Barbarigo Venice
15. Ca' Foscari
16. Grassi Palace
17. Ca' Rezzonico
18. Palazzo Loredan dell'Ambasciatore
19. Ponte dell'Accademia
20. Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti
21. Peggy Guggenheim
22. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
23. Santa Maria Maggiore

Ferrovia Vaporetto

Set out as early as you can manage. Venice is a busy, busy city and the earlier you start your day the more you’ll have the city to yourself. We’re staring our tour at the Northern most point of Venice, at the Ferrovia Scalzi Terminal, and traveling east along the Grand Canal.

Get a seat near the edge of the boat to get the full view of the wonderful scenery. Watching the buildings pass by as you cruise along the river is like being transported into another world of fantastical architecture and ancient designs. I’ve included a googlemap of all the landmarks at the bottom of this post so you can follow along as you go. Come with me now on a tour down the Grand Canal.

Scalzi Bridge

The Scalzi Bridge is the first of three bridges you’ll pass under on your tour of the Grand Canal. While there are dozens of bridges to be found throughout Venice, there are only three which cross the extremely wide Grand Canal. The Scalzi Bridge is thin and is one of the more modern designs along the river. The original bridge built here was called the “Austrian” bridge and was built of iron. The stone replacement is much higher and allows for larger boats to pass underneath.

San Geremia

As you continue along the canal you’ll pass the back end exterior of San Geremia Church. Its stunning white dome with slim silver cross atop is one of the landmarks of this little area of Venice. This church was built in 1753 and houses the remains of Saint Lucy. The layers of architectural styles and colours on this church make it look like a layered wedding cake.

So many houses and palaces along the canal don’t have special names or histories but each one has a definitive character. Venice has always been an influential place for artists. As such the use of colour throughout the city is always extremely present. It’s hard to find a single dull building in the entire place. Residents decorate their faces with brightly painted wooden shudders, fantastical balcony flower boxes and stunning wrought iron designs.

Fondaco dei Turchi

Below is the Fondaco dei Turchi, once the seat of Venice’s Turkish population. Originally built in the first half of the 13th century, it is a perfect example of Byzantine design. rich use of colour and intricate stone work was of the utmost importance in Byzantine design. In the 17th century the vast majority of the Turkish population turned this building into a one-house-ghetto that housed hundreds of people as well as served as a warehouse and market for Turkish traders. Today it is the home of the Natural History Museum of Venice, which features a beautiful collections of flora and fauna, fossils, and a small aquarium. A feature which many of these Venetian houses have is the open porticos along the river’s edge which allow boats to pull right up to the interior of the house. Like a Renaissance version of a garage.

San Stae

Continuing along the Northern portion of the canal we pass San Stae. San Stae was built in 11th century and was once a rather subdued and unassuming building. But in the 17th century it was renovated by the Swiss master Domenico Rossi. Its powerful and striking baroque statues which cover the facade are unique due to their active forms which jump and leap out of their marble prison and give great life to this unassuming and otherwise small church.

Ca’ Pesaro

Right next to San Stae is the Ca’ Pesaro. The Ca’ Pesaro was once the residence of Leonardo Pesaro, to whom the building is still named after. Ca’, you’ll hear this word frequently throughout Venice. Ca’ is short for ‘casa’, the word for house in Italian. This building is uniquely designed with repetitive and heavy use of pillars that adorned the entire building. Building started in 1659. The architect was inspired by the chiaroscuro style of painting being employed during the Renaissance. Chiaroscuro is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark.

Here the architect used that same dramatic effect with his arches and columns. Creating an unmissable effect to any passers-by. The Pesaro family has turned its residence into a wonderful museum dedicated to 19th and 20th century paintings and sculptures which you can view today. It is only of the most impressive collections in Venice and highly recommended if you’re here for a few days.

Traghetto

While floating along the river you’ll pass by various less opulent, black gondolas being operated by men in simple black and white striped shirts. These are called ‘Traghettos‘. Inside these gondolas are business men, local, residents and even some tourists. These are not the tourist gondolas which go for hundreds of euros an hour, these gondolas cost only €2 and will take you across the large stretches of the Grand Canal which don’t have a bridge large enough to cross over. Otherwise you’re stuck walking around which can take a significant amount of time. So if you’re in a rush or just too tired to go the long way around, these little gondolas are the ticket! Plus, if you’re looking to experience riding in a gondolas without paying a ton of money, this is how you can check that box off your bucket list.

Ca D’oro

The Ca D’oro is one of the most fantastical buildings on the canal. The pale, multicoloured marbles along the facade makes it looks like a softer water colour paiting floating on the river. Ca’ d’Oro means ‘House of Gold’ as the facade was once covered in a thin coating of gold leaf. The palace was originally built in 1428 for the Contarini family, who were basically the royal family of Venice in the 14th century. This palace features some of the best Gothic architecture in Venice.

In Venice, gothic architecture wasn’t as dark and severe as it might have been in England or even on the mainland. In Venice, Gothic architecutre was more floral and leaned towards the Baroque. Today the palace houses the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti. The Gallery is a collection of art from the Baron Giorgio Franchetti. He donated all the works he had accumulated over the year to this public gallery to be enjoyed by the public after his passing.

Palazzo Morosini Brandolin

The facades in Venetian architecture are one of the best ways to identify which period the building was made in. Byzantine houses featured thin, horseshoe shaped arches with simple motifs on the capitals. Gothic houses have intricate rib traceries on top of their arches (as can be seen in the Palazzo Morosini Brandolin below) along with quatrefoil designs. Renaissance houses are simpler with bold projecting roof cornices and wide arches. Finally the baroque houses have circular headstones, and cherubs carved into the windows along with a bold use of ornamentation.

Mercato di Rialto

The old Venetian Marketplace still stands today and even still serves as one of the major places where Venetian locals shops for their every day groceries. You can spot the market easily along the River, just look for bright red drapes hanging behind wide white arches. These protect the food from inside from the weather. The building was originally a Gothic construction but the newly renovated design was made in 1907, but still preserves much of the original architecture. If you are close enough, check out the carved capitals on the end of the arches, each one is carved in the shape of a sea or sea creature since the main source of the market’s income both now and when it was first built was the freshly caught seafood from the ocean.

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto bridge is the oldest bridge in Venice. It was built by Antonio da Ponte in 1591. Its repetitive and powerful porticos that line the top of the bridge was a point of contention amidst Venetian architects of the time but now the Rialto Bridge is one of the most iconic images of Venice and it is because of its unique and daring design. If you arrive early in the morning you might see the bridge in all it’s architectural glory but as the day draws one thousands of tourists pour onto the bridge and it is packed to the gills, making some of the details hard to make out. Another great reason to come as early in the morning as you can manage.

Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Grande

Since Venice was such a wealthy city for many many years, hundreds of merchants flooded the city. Many of these merchants were foreigners and in 1228 a building was constructed to house all the “German” merchants. Despite the name, the merchant house included Poles, Czechs, and Hungarians all who traded goods inside the walls of Venice. This building was like the New York Stock exchange of its time. The sound of angry, loud and boisterous traders often flooding into the Grand Canal.

Palazzo Barbarigo Venice

My favourite building on the Grand Canal is the Palazzo Barbarigo. It was originally built in the 16th century and features an intricate mosaic applied to the facade. Each of the pieces of glass used in the mosaics were from nearby Murano, famous for its glass craftsmen. Photos cannot do justice to the way the light hits the colourful patterns and reflect off the water. The mosiacs were applied in 1886 when Barbarigo, who owned one of the glass factories in Murano, bought the property. He used the exterior of his house like a form of publicity for his incredible glassworks. In the famed St. Mark’s square you can visit the grand Basilica whos entire interior features more incredible glass mosaics. Barbarigo was so inspired by St. Mark’s Cathedral and took this inspiration into his own home.

While travelling down the canal be sure to study the boat docks which many of the large palazzos have in front. Each one has their own colour scheme, making the entire canal a river of wooden rainbow bulrushes.

The closer you get to St. Mark’s square the more and more traditional gondolas you’ll see travelling down the river with tourists inside. These large black gondolas are incredibly detailed with sumptuous red velvet interiors.

Ca’ Foscari

One of the things that makes the Ca’ Foscari so unique is that it has four floors, an architectural innovation for houses which are built on top of the water. It is designed in the Late Gothic style with a myriad of ornate windows. The tan brickwork in contrast with the white marble creates a beautiful juxtaposition against the blue sky.

Grassi Palace

The Grassi Palace is a beautiful example of the modern and neoclassical coming together is become the future of Venetian architecture. In Venice, keeping the historical artistry of the canal is so important but if there is no progress and modernization the buildings will eventually sink beneath the waves. When the Fiat Motor Company bought the palace they did extensive restorations and renovations to bring the palace back to its once great glory while also ensuring it would last for another century or more.

Ca’ Rezzonico

The enormous Ca’ Rezzonico was built by two of Venice’s greatest architecture in 1660. Baldassare Longhena and Giorgio Massari created the landscape of the Grand Canal and influenced architects both in Italy and all over the world. My favourite part of the building are the wide, oval windows on the top floor which resemble portholes on a massive ship. The building currently houses a fantastical museum where you can tour over 40 different rooms which replicate life in Venice in the Rococo period. Lush furnishings and elaborately designed fabrics make you feel like a queen, even for a day. There is even a reconstructed pharmacy which you can explore.

Palazzo Loredan dell’Ambasciatore

The Palazzo Loredan is a gorgeous example of Gothic architecture. The facade is decorated with ogee arches and quatrefoil windows. The Palazzo was built in the 15th century and was the birthplace of two of the Doges of Venice. A doge is much like a European Duke oversaw much of the functions of Venetian society. The Palazzo Loredan became a hot spot for Venetian aristocrats and Mozart even entertained here.

Ponte dell’Accademia

The Ponte dell’Accademia is the gateway into what I believe is the most scenic part of the canal. The first bridge which crossed this span of the waters was built as early as 1488 but the current wooden bridge design was built in 1933. While most bridges around this time were being built in the more resilient material of stone, designer Eugenio Miozzi insisted on using wood to preserve the more natural look which wood exumes.

Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti

As you pass under the great Ponte dell’Accademia, you see one of the most iconic views of Venice. On the left side of the Canal is the Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti. The building is painting sunflower yellow and it absolutely glimmers against the blue sky and teal waters. The palace was built in 1565 and is one of the most incredible examples of Venetian Gothic architecture. Today the building houses various exhibitions and congresses.

Peggy Guggenheim

Coming around the bend you approach the bright accented Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Although this building now contains Venice’s seminal modern art museum, it was once the home of famed art collector Peggy Guggenheim. Peggy adored Venice and curated the art in her home not to please the rich and uppity art crowd, but to please herself and her family. The collection feels so personal while also containing some incredible pieces from famed artists of the 20th century.

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

As we approach the great St. Mark’s Square we pass the bright white shining gem of the end of the Canal, Santa Maria della Salute. The grand double domed and octagonal design makes it stand out from the other churches along the canal. The church was built in memory of all those who died during the great plague of 1630.

The church was designed in the baroque style by Baldassare Longhena. Since the church was built in response to the plague, much of the art references Death. The contrast between the darker subject matter and the bright white stone and marmorino brick is a stunning juxtaposition. The facade is decorated with marble statues of the Virgin Mary along with figures of Saint George, Saint Theodore, the Evangelists, the Prophets, Judith with the head of Holofernes.

Santa Maria Maggiore

As your Vaporetto turns towards St. Mark Square you get a glimpse of the island church, Santa Maria Maggiore which stands opposite the great square. San Giorgio Maggiore was designed by Andrea Palladio in 1566 in classical renaissance style. The white marble facade gleams against the blue waters. The red brick buildings surrounding it, along with the bell tower, mirror the campanile in St. Marks Square. From the top of the tower, there is one of the most stunning views of the city.

Our final destination is St. Mark’s Square, the drawing room of all Europe. Approaching it from the waters you get an incredible view. I was on pins and needles as the boat pulled into the docks and we were let out to explore this historic square. You feel like one of those first European travellers who visited Venice in the Renaissance to experience all the wondrous art and culture which Venice was so famous for and still is to this very day. While there is SO MUCH to explore on land, taking this journey down the canal is the perfect introduction this city built on top of the water and the magnificent architecture which transformed the city into a dreamland unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

The post Sail Through Venice’s Stunning Scenery: A Complete Self-Guided Tour of the Grand Canal first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

For many people travelling to Japan, time is short, and you need to pack in as much as you can. Even if you only have time to go to Tokyo, Hakone is easily doable as a day trip from the city. Getting out of town, even for just the day, is such a valuable experience to see another side of this country. I’d recommend spending the night in Hakone if you have the time since seeing it at night and early in the morning when all the day trippers aren’t filling the streets is absolutely incredible. Plus, extending your trip overnight gives you to an opportunity to see sunrise and sunset across Lake Ashinoko.

24 Hours in Hakone

1. Transportation
2. Hakone Free Pass
3. Departing Shinjuku Station
4. Hakone-Yumoto Station
5. Shōtenga
6. Hakone-Tozan Railroad
7. Hakone Open-Air Museum
   • Footbath
8. Gora Station
9. Gyoza Centre
10. Gora Park
11. Lunchtime around Gora Station
12. Cable Car
13. Owakudani
14. Togendai Boat Cruise
15. Hakone Shrine
16. Stay Overnight

Transportation

If you’re departing for Hakone from Tokyo, be sure to travel via Shinjuku Station on the Romancecar or Odakyu‘s limited express train. Despite being named the Romancecar, there is nothing particularly “romantic” about the train itself. But it is a charming, retro model of the old-fashioned trains which would take travellers to and from Hakone decades ago. They wanted to preserve that old world charm. On the train, you’ll see some magnificent views of Japanese scenery as you make your way into Hakone prefecture. The views are perhaps the reason for the name “Romancecar” since they are stunningly emotive and almost dreamy. You’ll pass the Pacific Ocean, the rural countryside, dozens of mountains and even a glimpse of Mount Fuji (if you’re really lucky). The whole journey should take approximately 85 minutes.

Romancecar

There are four different Romancecar trains which run from Shinjuku to Hakone. Each one is a little different and offers up a variety of seating arrangement. All these cars require reservations in advance. You can book your seats up to a month in advance, and if you’re travelling during a busy period, I recommend making sure you reserve as soon as possible. The ticket reservations cost ¥1,190 (USD 12) and there is an additional Limited Express Surcharge of ¥1000 (USD 10) you pay when you board. This surcharge surprised me since I had my printed reservation forms from Odakyu and assumed these were also my tickets. Turns out you have to pay both the reservation charge and the travel surcharge as well. Keep this in mind, so you don’t look as confused as me!

Type of Seating

One of the formats of the trains has two Observation cars which offer up larger windows as well as a skylight so you can better appreciate the scenery. These seats are usually the first ones to be booked up so if you’re hoping to get one be sure to look for the VSE and LSE trains and book fast! The VSE also offers Saloon style seating are 4-person booths, with huge windows and lots of privacy as well as a small table if you want to have a picnic. The only issue here is that you have to buy the entire set of 4-seats in your reservation. Even if you’re just two people, you’ll have to buy all four seats. That being said, we decided to buy it out ourselves on our trip for the experience, and it was totally worth it for just the one-way trip.  

Hakone Free Pass

If you’re looking to save a bit of money but more importantly TIME, be sure to buy the 1-day “The Hakone Free Pass” from the ticket counter in Shinjuku station. This pass costs 5,140 yen for a 2-day adult pass ($51 USD). This also includes your Limited Express surcharge as well as ALL transportation within Hakone. This means all boats, trains, cable cars and ropeways will be covered under the pass. There are also some additional discounts you can receive on food, attractions and more.

Many people have done the math, and even if you do the bare minimum on this route, you will at least save a few dollars. But the real saving comes when you don’t have to line up at every single ticket counter. You might think, “but are there really that many?” The answer is, YES! Once you get through this post, you’ll see what I mean!

Departing Shinjuku Station

We opted for the 7 am train to Hakone. We wanted as much time as possible to explore, and I recommend doing the same. Hakone can get very busy and the earlier you go, the more time you have to enjoy the peace and quiet that comes without the throngs of tourists. Grab yourself some treats at the convenience store before getting on the train to enjoy on your journey. If you don’t have the time or forget, not to worry, there are food carts which come by during your trip, and there is even a small café area where you can get your coffee or tea and snacks on the train.

Hakone-Yumoto Station

After travelling across the stunning Japanese countryside, you will arrive at Hakone-Yumoto Station. This station first opened in 1888, and the historic nature is very apparent upon stepping off the train. Despite only being a few hours outside of Tokyo, this place feels like entering an entirely different century.

Shōtenga

Stretch your legs after getting off the train with a short walk around Shōtengai. Shōtengai is the largest shopping street in Hakone featuring dozens of different souvenir stores and food stalls selling local specialities. Take a moment to walk across the Ajisai Bridge right across from Hakone Station. The iconic bright red looks remarkable against the green tree lined background.

Hakone-Tozan Railroad

After grabbing a few treats, head back to the station to get onto Hakone-Tozan Railroad. The Tozan Railroad is the only mountain railways in Japan, making the journey all the more special. In the summertime, hydrangeas bloom along the train track so close you could almost reach out and pluck the pedals off as the train chugs along. Be sure to get a window seat since the view is extraordinary any time of the year.

Hakone Open-Air Museum

Take the train until you arrive at Chokoku-no Mori station. Here you’ll find the Hakone Open-Air Museum, featuring hundreds of outdoor sculptures set into the natural landscape. The museum opened in 1969 and ever since visitors have adored wandering along the hillside, taking in the breathtaking views of the valley juxtaposed with awe-inspiring pieces of art. There are over one hundred sculptures from artists such as Auguste Rodin, Niki de Saint Phalle, Aristide Maillol and Henry Moore. 

When we visited, I was hesitant to go inside since the price of admission was 1600 yen (USD 16) which seemed a bit steep considering I didn’t know much about the museum going in. But let me tell you, I’m soooo happy we decided to do it. I would have paid double! It is like no other museum I’ve ever visited.

The sculptures are a mix of modern and contemporary with Japanese artists intermingled wth international aritsts. If you have kids, it’s a blast for them as well since many of the exhibits are geared towards children.

Footbath

At the back of the park, there is a large footbath with water from the hot springs where you can rest your feet. If you didn’t bring a towel to dry off, they sell small ones for 100 yen with a cute logo of the museum printed on it. A cheap and cheerful souvenir!

Gora Station

Once you’re finished at the museum, make your way towards Gora Station. You can either go back to the train station you came from and take it one stop or choose to walk along the one road to Gora Station. I recommend the walk since it’s not too long and very peaceful.

Gyoza Centre

If you choose to walk, along the way you’ll pass the Gyoza Center. This establishment has been serving up incredible gyoza for years in their three storey building but in 2018 they suffered a devastating fire which literally turned the entire building to ash. But, as recently as March 2018 they started serving up takeout once more in a makeshift building beside the rubble. Try to give them a visit and support them to help rebuild their new restaurant and enjoy some incredible gyoza while you’re at it.

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Gora Park

If you got the “Free Hakone Pass” you get free entry into Gora park. A great place to sit and rest your feet if you didn’t get a chance to reset at the Hakone Open Air Museum. Without the pass, entry is a steep 600 yen for a walk in the park but if you can get in for free it’s a lovely little place to experience a variety of beautiful flora and fauna.

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Lunchtime around Gora Station

If you’re feeling hungry, stop off at Chunmoto, a small soba noodle shop tucked behind the train tracks. The set meals are slightly more expensive than you’d pay elsewhere, but considering you’re at the top of a mountain, the slightly inflated price seems reasonable. Try the Yama Soba, this comes with grated mountain yam on top of chilled soba noodles. They have the same kind of texture as natto which can take some getting used to, but once you start liking it, it gets addictive. Yama Soba is very specific to Hakone so trying it in this setting is highly recommended.

If you’re looking for something a little more popular, you can try to get a table at Tamura Ginkatsu-tei. This restaurant often has lines out the door during the lunch rush but for a good reason. Their most famous dish is the tofu, egg and pork soup, with sliced ginger to give it an addictive kick!

Gora Station to Sounzan station

Once you’re finished eating, head back to Gora Station to get the cable car up to Sounzan station. Sounzan station is where you’ll transfer once more to the famous Hakone Ropeway up Mount Hakone.

Cable Car

Each vehicle takes up to 18 people up to the top of the mountain and backs down to Lake Ashii with several stops in-between. From the highest point on the cable car, on clear days you have incredible views of Mount Fuji, and to the east, you can even see Tokyo! But, on most days, these are obscured by clouds and fog. That being said, the views even on a cloudy day of the surrounding valley are stunning, and during spring and fall, the colourful foliage looks like a multicoloured mosaic across the hillside.

Owakudani

The first station off the cable car is Owakudani. Owakudani is an enormous volcanic crater in the centre of Mount Hakone. Although the area is still an active volcano zone, the last eruption was over 3000 years ago. Today, you can smell it long before you can see it. This is due to the sulfurous fumes which fill the air. As you start to come up over the mountain in the ropeway, you can see yellowish plumes of smoke billowing over the skyline.

There used to be a hiking trail outside the ropeway station where you could talk to see steam vents and bubbling pools of sulfur but these days the fumes are so strong that the trails have been closed to the public. One of the most popular reasons people get off at this stop is to taste the famous black eggs. These eggs are cooked in the sulfurous water sand eating them is supposed to extend your life by seven years. They taste just like a regular boiled egg and can be purchased for $5 for 5 eggs. It even comes with little salt and pepper packet for favouring! $5 for 7 years of health and happiness?! Seems like a good deal to me!

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Get back onto the cable car and head down to Togendai Station. On the way down you’ll have another chance to see Mount Fuji across the lake. Mount Fuji is known as the “shy mountain” due to the fact that you so rarely can see it! So take it as a good omen if you manage to catch a glimpse.

Togendai Boat Cruise

Togendai station is where you can board the Togendai Boat Cruise across Lake Ashi.  There are two type of tickets, regular class and first class. Regular class comes with your Hakone Free Pass but can be upgraded for an extra 500 yen. I wouldn’t pay the extra money, it’s not a very long trip, and the only advantage is better indoor seating separate from the regular class. It’s a slightly more luxurious section and would only be worth it if the weather was terrible, and you knew you had to spend the entire trip inside.

The boats leave every 20 minutes. If you have some extra time before your boat departs a walk around the lake is highly recommended. There are some cute swan boats beside the station as well which you can rent if you feel like taking a doddle around the lake yourself. The ships themselves are modelled to look like pirate ships. They aren’t historical pirate ships, merely painted to look like them. While there doesn’t seem to be any real rhyme of reason for this, the brightly painted red and green ships with gold trim do stand against the blue waters.

What you See on the Cruise

The cruise takes about 40 minutes and on a good day is the best place to see Lake Ashi, the Red Torii gates of the Hakone Shrine and Mt. Fuji altogether. While sitting up on the deck can get a little cold, they sell hot cups of coffee and tea onboard, the perfect way to get comfy while watching the scenery pass by. I loved sitting up on the deck, the wind blowing in my hair, catching the last few blooming cheery blossom trees popping up in the distance. Most people chose to sit inside but I would recommend braving the cold, wind and rain for such a breathtaking experience.

There are two stops on the cruise; one at Hakone Shrine and the other at Hakone-machi port, just to the south. I recommend getting off at the Shrine port. From here, it’s only a short walk over to the Shrine itself.

Hakone Shrine

The Hakone Shrine is most well know for its torii-gate-on-the-water. And many people don’t make it farther than that. I don’t recommend doing this. Pass through the water torii gate and head up the enormous staircase to the top where the real shrine sits. Walking up the stairs, you’ll pass underneath hundreds of cedar trees over 800 years old. Cedar trees are known to purify the air, therefore, creating a holy atmosphere around the shrine.

At the top of the stairs you’ll reach the shrine. This shrine is dedicated to the deity of love. You’ll see dozens of couples hand-in-hand, praying for the blessing of the gods. Or single people praying that they too may one day find their true love. It’s a legend that drinking the water at the shrine will help bring you luck in your romantic life! When I visited it was pouring rain and I couldn’t help but thinking this was a good sign!

Stay Overnight

After visiting the shrine, it will either be time to catch a bus back to Hakone Station to head back to Shinjuku or find your way to a hotel for an overnight stay. I highly recommend the Hakone Hotel. Located right on the lake, you have one of the best views of Mount Fuji (on a clear day). But on every other day, the iconic scenery of the lakesides is just as atmospheric. Inside the hotel are two onsens. One for men and one for women. They are incredibly beautiful and the perfect way to unwind after a long day on your feet! These onsens you’ll find in almost any hotel in Hakone is a fantastic way to experience the city’s illustrious hot springs for free (with the cost of your hotel).

Picnic Dinner in Hakone

The only downside to an overnight stay in Hakone is many of the restaurants which serve tourists all day are closed for dinner. This is because most people who visit Hakone are day trippers and the restaurants can’t stay open for only a few people. This means that your hotel is often your only choice for meals. While many of these hotels have incredible menus, they are usually pretty expensive. We opted for a 7-Eleven feast! The local 7-Eleven was only a short walk down the road, and from there we picked up a little bit of everything. Only in Japan would a meal from a convenience store look like an absolutely gourmet spread! 

We booked a Lake View room in our hotel and set up our dinner in front of the window, all the while watching the falling rain on the lake. It was incredible. Even with the raindrops on the water, the lake looked completely still. Peaceful and serene. Even if your hotel doesn’t have any great views, make yourself a picnic and find somewhere along the waters edge to enjoy the scenery. Hakone is truly a wondrous city onto itself and although a chance viewing of Mount Fuji would be the icing on top of the cake, there are so many more amazing things to see and learn, you won’t be disappointed even if you don’t see it! 

The post The Ultimate 24-Hour Guide to Hakone Japan first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.