The kids have a special day off of school today
So we're taking the Romance Car— that's what it's called—
And we're taking it all the way to Hakone where we're going to go up the mountain,
On a ropeway, on trains, on a boat, and it should be a fun, fun day!
How cool! This is so fun!
Look at that dude! Look at that! What a seat, you can see it all going right on by.
Is this exciting Sarah? Trains are better than airplanes.
Today we’re going to Hakone, an area famous for it’s volcanic activity and views of Mt Fuji.
This trip is extra special because we’re not driving this time,
but taking the train system all the way there with friends.
What did you draw Joshua? I drew Luigi.
Oh cool, sure enough!
Who's in front of us? Izzy! Izzy.
These girls are busy doing something here, huh?
Just drawing.
Oh, the origami! Fun.
We are on the romance car today.
Heading for a very special trip.
Look at this! What is it?
Oh, they do have a vending machine on here, how cool is that?
Oh they do have like a "Fire," sounds a little scary. I don't know what that is.
Give it a try. It looks like coffee.
Yeah, I think so. It's cold?
Oh, sumetai.
That looks like fun guys.
After Machida I think there's no stops
Look at this? Look at that! Look at that dude!
Let's do that too?
You should do it with yours!
Oh here they come! Here they come! Sweet!
We bought the Hakone pass, and with this one ticket we board all the different trains, ropeways, ships and buses we will need for this excursion.
There’s something magical about leaving Tokyo by train, entering the Japanese countryside and catching glimpses of Mt Fuji along the way.
So cool. So pretty.
Look, there's the mountain ridge and then there's Mt Fuji behind it. It's got some clouds hanging out.
What? What is this shirt?
Dad Joke? More like...rad joke.
That's the bullet train?
Nope, thats another romance car.
That's like the train that we're on, but it's red.
Once you reach the town of Hakone it’s time to switch trains to a small local train line called the Hakone Tozan line.
Whoa guys. We're on the next train.
This train line snakes up the mountain side, quickly gaining altitude and giving you some great views along the way.
A unique aspect of this line is that there are a number of stations on the track where you come to a complete stop
and then head backwards, switching tracks and heading further up the mountain.
Sarah, we're going to be in the front now. The train turns around on the tracks here, look. Isn't that cool?
What's happening?
We're going to start going straight here.
Here we go!
Up, up, up, up, up.
We're going to go into the tunnel guys.
Alright, alright!
It's about to get dark.
What did you say? Its more like what? A train trip.
A train trip?
We're getting to the end of this train Sarah. Then we get on the next one!
What? What!
Yeah, that's the next train we're gonna ride on. It goes up the mountain. Straight on up.
At the Gora Station, you hop on the Hakone Tozan Cable-car,
which takes you up another 214 meters in altitude in just 1,200 meters of track, reaching a maximum grade of 20%.
In other words, it's steep.
Here comes the cable car!
Gonna go up this to the ropeway now. Sweet!
Now we can go.
Alright guys.
Pretty cool.
Ok, the cable car is moving on up.
Whoa!
It's on your shirt Izzy. You got a hitch hiker.
Here comes the other cable car.
Passing going down. Bye guys.
At the top it was finally time for Hakone’s famous ropeway, a gondola that suspends you over the geothermic vents of the region.
Ok, here comes ours!
A fiery red color with windows galore!
Sweet!
Which one should we go on daddy? Should we go right here?
Sure.
Ok guys, here's one of the main attractions! Bye!
Yay! We're doing it!
Ok, heading up!
I gotta take this off and smell some sulphur. Smell some sulphur.
Is this the pink corner right here?
Do you have to be wearing pink? Oh, you're a little purplish aren't you.
Look at that. What a view.
You conquered it!
Announcer: You can see Mt Fuji...
And... you can't see it today. No Mt Fuji today.
It got really overcast!
Cheese!
We're about to go over into the great unknown!
On the other side of this is steam and ... see the music??
Just like Jurassic Park!
Into the unknown! Oh wow!
(Wind howling). Whoa!!!
Oh, its windy! So windy!
Dude, that was crazy!
It smells.
Listen to that wind! Holy cow!
It's kinda scary? Oh, it's super safe.
Super safe.
Look at this things sway up and down here.
You can't even see in the front.
And yet the sun shines up above somewhere.
Please fill this box when you feel unwell.
That's a puke box.
I've never felt more alive!
Ruth's got the puke box right next to her.
I'm amazed they run it with it this windy.
Oh, the wind stopped. Yeah!
Look at those trees. Its just too sulphuric... Acidic?
Here we go!
It was windy, wasn't it? That was intense.
Well, that was a nice sway, nice wind.
When we went over then all of a sudden the wind!
Oh my goodness!! It's windy!
It is windy.
Oh my goodness!
We've got some blue skies over there, but other than that - whoa!
Why won't there be a town up here?
I'm getting blown away here!
Everyone's getting their jackets on.
If you brought them, use them.
It's clearing off over there too.
Look at that! That is awesome.
Oh my goodness.
Got a little bit of rain. A little bit of wind. It's crazy!
Don't let your camera get rained on. No joke, huh?
Look Joshua. That's what we just did. That whole ropeway.
At 1,044 meters, the Owakudani Station is perched near the top of Mt Hakone,
where you have spectacular views of the area, included the volcanic vents Hakone is famous for.
The geothermic activity is harnessed for some interesting uses.
That's the kind of sign you should pay attention too.
If there is an eruption, you run into the building that is right along the side there.
Perhaps the most famous way that Japan uses volcanic vents is for the heating of its onsen hot baths,
which we’ve come to love while living in Japan.
But today we’re going to experience a different use, in, of all things, cooking.
Ruth, what are we going to do now? We are going to buy some black eggs.
Black eggs! Why are they black?
Cause they are cooked in sulphur.
Cooked in the sulphur springs.
Black egg.
Look at the special Mt Fuji [Coca Cola].
Alright, we're getting our black eggs.
Whoohoo - here they are.
We got the black eggs. Let's try them.
Alright.
I'm going to peel it. What's peel it?
Gotta peel the egg. It's a hard boiled in sulphur springs.
Is it hot?
I am not good at peeling it. Tastes like a hard boiled egg.
Here, can you peel it?
Do you like hard boiled eggs Sarah?
Let's see Becca. There's no salt?
How is it? Is it good?
Antony did you get some?
Yeah, they all got the eggs let's try them out. Oh yes! Awesome.
Oh there it is. Look at that egg.
Is it warm? It's warm? Is it warming your hands?
Alright.
Don't drop it. Eat it. Oh Joshua, alright dude.
Oh, these guys got theres. Alright.
Izzy, look at your black egg!
My egg was so good. The kids all want more but we are going to have lunch I think instead.
We're deciding what we want here. Chahan, I want chahan.
Chahan? Oh yum. I was going to get Ramon.
Oh yeah, the Ramon looks good. Daddy's going to go with the Katsu Curry because I just love Katsu Curry.
What about Momma-chan?
Black ramon. Oh, the black Ramon, I'll bet that's good.
No, it's black, I want regular.
Ok, here we go, going in.
Mt Fuji. Mt Fuji! Oh, Mt Fuji is coming out!
Wow, perfect timing. Look at that. Mt Fuji.
There it is. Mt Fuji.
This is like the view from the top of the world.
From the top of the world..
There's Mt Fuji again. It said Ok, I'll show up again for a moment.
Mommy, you missed it! I missed it!
It's so fast. It happened so fast. You missed it? I missed it!
And it's gone!
Oh, Joshua, Is it good? Oh yes.
Momma-chan's got the soup.
And Sarah Bear. Oh chahan.
Is it good? Momma-chan got her Ramon.
How is it? Oh, so good.
Oh, what did you get?
Curry rice for the girls.
And daddy got Katsu Curry (pork cutlet curry).
You guys trying to stay warm?
Ok, everyone look at me! Ready? Oh mommy's coming in. Smile. Ok, 1, 2, 3.
After we had a nice lunch and plenty of wind, it was time to head down the back side of the mountain,
down to where a boat was waiting to take us across Lake Ashi.
But this was no normal boat.
Alright! Look at this guys. That's cool.
Alright guys!
Oh my goodness. We have to go with the door open. Oh no, it's closing.
That was a close call.
With all these kids, we want the door closed!
Oh, and there's the mountain you just can't quite see today.
John looked it up. He found out how many ropeways are in Japan.
170 ropeways
170!
How many have we been on?
That's a good question. That's our goal!
Visit all 170. It's our bucket list.
Whoa. Mt Fuji!
If only for a moment.
Oh, so sorry!
Look at the lake there.
Oh and look. There's the ship. Can you guys see the ship down there?
The clouds are so pretty over the lake.
Like fingers coming down.
Whoa, there's the boat!
How was it? Was it fun?
It was super fun!
Look, the other boat coming!
Boy, its really doing an intense turn, isn't it?
Ok, here we go. Look at that boat. Thank you!
Oh, shiver me timbers.
Do you know what a pirate's favorite restaurant is?
Wait... is this going to be a dad joke? Say it again.
What's a pirate's favorite restaurant? I don't know.
Aaaarrrby's. Oh man!
Lake Ashi is a crater lake formed in the caldera of Mt Hakone which last erupted in 1170.
This super scenic lake is traversed by pirate ships, but don’t worry.
The only money they steal from you is in the ticket upgrades they offer to ride in the front of the boat.
Otherwise you can enjoy the spectacular views from the back area
Bye guys!
It was time to say bye to some of our friends, as they would continue on the journey the way we came.
But we had one other form of transportation yet to board.
Hey dude. Hi.
How was the boat? Was it cool? Yeah.
A tangerine for daddy. Oh yum!
Look at that. That looks so good. Tangerines while we wait for the bus.
Oh, here comes the bus. It might be our bus.
Oh, I think it is. I think it is? Is it pretty full? Oh my goodness.
The bus took us down the mountain, back to the main Hakone station where we would catch the Romance Car and head back home.
With some time before our departure, we decided to explore this picturesque town.
How about this Ben-san? Yeah, it's great. Beautiful day.
Walkways connect the downtown strip with lots of fun shops and restaurants.
Oh Anna, this is quite a cool place, huh?
Gonna have a little snack and look out here at the river.
Very cool. Can I use your camera?
Huh? Zoom in on you? No, can I use your camera?
You want to use the camera? Oh my.
This is a beautiful view.
A duck. Quack, quack.
Now Becca is videoing.
Oh, they spilled.
Oops, an accident happened over here.
It wasn't me... it was Sarah.
OK, OK
How has your experience on the romance car been Sarah?
Awesome?
Better than an airplane. You can have your own chair. You can turn your chairs around.
These trips are precious memories our kids will take with them as they grow up.
It’s our job as parents to teach our kids that life is about more than just school and work, pleasure and fun.
It’s about the loving relationships we create and uphold with each other;
most importantly the loving relationship we can enjoy with God in Jesus Christ.
These relationships bring purpose and joy to life, as each part of life combines to bring a sum greater than the parts.
It’s the kind of life we want to teach our kids, the kind of life we love to share with you.
Next time on Life in Japan, we dive deep into some of our favorite stores for shopping for kids clothes in Japan.
Can you make good choices and save money, or will it take a big bite out of your wallet?
Subscribe to not miss the next Life in Japan!