Shinjuku

I stayed from 9 am to 3 pm. The front desk staff were very efficient. The hot stone sauna I was looking forward to was open from 12 pm. Until then, I used the sauna and took a nap. There were two types of saunas. I preferred the steam sauna. Rubbing salt on my skin, warming up in the sauna, and then rinsing it off made my skin incredibly smooth! After that, I cooled down in the reclining bath. I don't like cold baths, so the warm reclining bath was perfect. After that, I dozed off on a Yogibo in the napping area. There were also different types of hot stone saunas, and I enjoyed warming up slowly in each one. You can't bring your own drinks. The water seemed a little expensive, but I guess that's unavoidable... However, I was able to relax during a time when there weren't many people. Thank you very much ❤︎

This one-day tour of Mount Fuji included Asama Shrine, Oshino Hakkai, Lawson convenience store, Kawaguchiko Tenjō Park, and another Lawson convenience store (passing by). While it might seem like there weren't many attractions, the itinerary was actually quite tight. The itinerary was slightly adjusted, with the cable car station moved to the very end to avoid long queues, which I found very thoughtful. Throughout the trip, I'm very grateful to our tour guide, Sun Fei, for her guidance and explanations. She diligently explained everything on the bus, even providing both Chinese and English versions for our diverse group. Besides introducing the entire itinerary, she also shared various tidbits about Japanese life, which were incredibly helpful. Upon arrival, the guide continued to explain the sights and share tips to make our trip even smoother. For example, at the cable car station, she repeatedly reminded us to hurry to the cookie shop at the foot of the mountain to buy some before they sold out; and along the walking path to Oshino Hakkai, she was worried we might get lost, so she carefully pointed out the various forks in the road to prevent us from getting lost. In addition, I particularly noticed that for travelers with strollers, the tour guide went around to the back to remind the parents that there was a ramp available, saving them the trouble of carrying the stroller up the steps. This showed great care and consideration for everyone. Overall, it was a well-organized and fulfilling trip. Thank you again to our tour guide, Sun Fei. And thank you for the good fortune that allowed us to see Mount Fuji. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in the future, and I would also consider joining us for other trips or at other times (such as spring or winter)!

After clearing immigration and exiting the airport, turn right to find the bus stop. Simply present your voucher to book your bus before boarding; it's very convenient and fast.

We departed Shinjuku at 8 AM and returned at 6 PM, encountering a slight traffic jam on the Friday return trip. The itinerary included the cable car fare; the pirate ship was at our own expense. We visited Hakone Shrine and took photos of the torii gates in the lake (there were long queues, 3 minutes per person; if time is limited, skip this step). The pirate ship view was fantastic, with beautiful reflections in the lake. The cable car took us to Owakudani to see sulfurous gas eruptions (comparable to Yangmingshan in Taiwan, but Owakudani is fenced off and viewed from a distance), and we ate black eggs (at our own expense). Lunch was at our own expense, featuring Wagyu beef, eel, fried chicken, etc., served at a restaurant combined with a specialty shop (the specialty products were slightly more expensive than in city stores, but there were some discounts, so it was acceptable). We collected "Shinryūsui" (a type of water) at Oshino Hakkai and ate "Kusa Mochi" (baked glutinous rice wrapped with mugwort and red beans). Finally, we went to Lake Yamanaka to see the swans. Although it was a rainy day, we even saw Mount Fuji occasionally appear – good luck!

This trip was made possible by choosing a chartered car service; the entire experience exceeded expectations! The chartered car tour was fantastic! The driver was punctual, reliable, friendly, and a first-rate driver, so there was absolutely no worry about getting lost or getting stuck in traffic. The car was clean and the seats were comfortable. The itinerary was flexible, allowing us to rest whenever we got tired, truly enjoying a vacation! The car was clean and spacious, with powerful air conditioning, so even on long journeys, we weren't fatigued. The itinerary was well-planned and followed our pace perfectly, so we didn't have to rush and had a very relaxing time. It was excellent value for money!

I bought a 5-day pass and stayed in Sendai for 3 days, starting from the last day. The Matsushima ferry ticket, grilled oysters, and grilled fish rice cake boat are must-dos.

It can be used immediately after purchase. Using QR code to take public transportation is very convenient and offers great value for money.