Hakone Shrine

The entire trip went very smoothly! A big thank you to our tour guide, "Xiao Hu," for his attentive guidance! When booking the tour, there was no option to include meals when returning to the meeting point by bus! But "Xiao Hu" immediately arranged for the restaurant to add a meal, solving our lunch problem! Although he managed the time at the attractions very well, it still delayed the driver, but he still did his best to serve the travelers!

Without this itinerary, it's hard to imagine how tiring it would be to get to and from the fireworks festival. Our tour guide, Zhan Jie, was also fantastic, providing enthusiastic explanations throughout the trip. The driver was also very hardworking, driving very smoothly and excellently. Thank you so much!

To celebrate a family member's retirement, we wanted to include a day trip away from Tokyo. After comparing prices, we chose KKday's "Hakone, Mt. Fuji & Enoshima Day Trip," NT$1,544 per person, including transportation and tickets for each leg of the journey. The ten-hour trip started in Tokyo and ended in the city, saving us the effort of figuring out the transfers ourselves. This decision proved to be a great choice, allowing us to save our energy for the scenery. Our first stop was Lake Ashi, where we took a pirate ship. The ship, painted in gold and blue, with its towering mast and intricately carved prow, looked extravagant from afar, but surprisingly impressive up close. We headed straight to the deck. The wind rippled the lake's surface, and the mountains on either side enclosed the lake in a tranquil basin. However, the lake itself offered a different kind of comfort. Halfway through the journey, a vermilion torii gate suddenly appeared among the trees on the starboard side—the Peace Torii of Hakone Shrine, half-submerged in the water, backed by a dense cedar forest. People were even queuing to take photos on the stone steps. The sound of camera shutters clicking almost simultaneously filled the entire ship. The contrast of red and green, under the sunlight, was so intense it resembled a painting; at that moment, I felt the scene alone was worth the ticket price. The second stop was the Hakone Ropeway. The carriage slowly ascended, with layers of mountain ridges below, the smell of sulfur seeping in through the window cracks first. Arriving at Owakudani, white steam billowed from the mountain walls, the air carrying the distinctive eggy scent of hot springs. A queue formed in front of the landmark black egg monument, with everyone taking turns taking photos; legend says eating a black egg can extend one's life by seven years. We bought a bag of black eggs from "Gokuraku Chaya," the shells were jet black, but the inside was just ordinary white egg white. Standing at an altitude of 1000 meters, by the windy pass, with a hot egg and a cool breeze, it was the kind of taste you'd suddenly crave after returning to Taiwan. In the afternoon, we went to Enoshima. The approach to the shrine is lined with seafood shops and souvenir stalls. Under the sign for "Marudai," freshly grilled fish is on display, the air filled with the aroma of charred soy sauce. A bronze torii gate stands at the end of the slope, overlooking a series of steps and crowds. My family stood in front of the torii gate, arms outstretched, gesturing that we had finally reached the sea. A child walked by, holding a soft-serve ice cream. This is Enoshima in summer: bustling, salty, and vibrant.

🗻 Matcha Summit and Midsummer Fireworks: A Perfect Day Trip to Atami, Izu with a Friendly Atmosphere for Seniors✨ 📍 First Stop: Mt. Omuro, Resembling a Giant Matcha Pudding When in Izu, a pilgrimage to this adorable, green extinct volcano is a must! From a bird's-eye view, Mt. Omuro looks like a giant, therapeutic matcha pudding🍮. Although it was a cloudy day, the approximately 1-kilometer crater trail was easily completed in about 20-25 minutes. However, the weather on the mountain was incredibly unpredictable! Halfway up, the clouds rapidly spread, and thunder followed!⚡ The park management issued an emergency announcement warning everyone to descend immediately. Even the souvenir shop at the summit closed early, so we didn't have time to shop there. Luckily, we managed to eat dango (rice dumplings) before reaching the top. Fortunately, we timed it perfectly, successfully completing the loop and taking the cable car down safely. Seeing other tourists being stopped and turned back as soon as they started climbing, we felt incredibly lucky! 📍 Second Stop: A Stunning Yet Comfortable Atami Fireworks Festival When traveling with elders, the biggest fear is an overly strenuous itinerary and physical exhaustion. This time, we chose a KKday one-day tour, taking a bus to Atami to watch the fireworks, and the experience was absolutely fantastic! 💯 Although it rained a little in the evening, the weather cooperated perfectly when we arrived in Atami, and the rain stopped just in time. The biggest advantage of taking a long-distance bus is that the elders can rest well during the journey, without worrying about them getting tired. This was also my first time watching fireworks up close—no hordes of people, and no unbearable heat. We enjoyed a comfortable 25-minute dazzling fireworks show 🎆 while enjoying the cool sea breeze, and even the end wasn't overly crowded. It was truly an unprecedented and perfect viewing experience! Happy ending! 🥰

The unique atmosphere of Hakone Shrine is very relaxing. The fireworks festival in Atami is especially atmospheric when viewed from the sea, because there are other boats on the water. If the view is blocked, the captain will immediately move to another better viewing area. Before watching the fireworks festival, pay special attention to the meal times and make arrangements in advance, otherwise you will be waiting in line until you faint.

Buying tickets online in advance reduced queuing time. The scenery on the boat was beautiful! It was a fantastic experience! Great!