[Day 1] Hakone, a place nearby Tokyo which its great natural hot spring and ryoukan

Since tsunami which it hits Japan on 2011, the Japan tourism has promote Japan more and have new agreements and cooperation with many travel agency and flight carrier, whether it's low cost or premium. They offer a lot of discount for flight ticket to Japan this year. When I've got the opportunity to visit Japan, a country that includes in my bucket list since I was a kid, I choose Tokyo as my destination. Next year I plan to visit Kansai area, and later I hope I can visit Hokkaido as well.

The reason why I chose only one place to go in Japan is because I am quite a slow traveler, who like to stay at one place for longer time and enjoying it like local. I flew with Singapore airlines, and got a very Japanese style meal on my flight. (Salmon with purple rice, sweet omelette, bread, and orange juice, also Asahi beer to accompany me during the flight). The meals was quite tasty!

I and my friends arrived at Narita airport at 8 AM (I regret to choose this airport. It's better if you choose Haneda instead since it's closer to Tokyo with faster and cheaper transportation option to the city). It cost me about 2000 yen (one way) for train ticket from Narita airport to Shinjuku station. When I arrived at Shinjuku station, I bought Hakone pass in Odakyu Sightseeing Service center. Hakone is just 85 minutes away from Shinjuku station. Hakone Freepass allows you to get on and off freely within a specified area, as well as providing discount admission to various attractions in the area, and also includes return transportation on the Odakyu Line. Validity is for 2 or 3 days. With Hakone Freepass, you can also ride on 8 different types of transport in the area, such as the Hakone Tozan Line and the Hakone Ropeway. Such a great deal!

The shop in Hakone is really authentic and the atmohspere is quite, a lil bit dewy, cold, and the air is very fresh. Most of the store and shop, attraction or even the train closed after 5.00 to 6.00 PM. You will enjoy your time there, mostly in your hotel/Ryoukan (Japanese traditional inn with a hot spring). Since it's quite late, we bought some food for our dinner at Lawson convenience store after a little sight seeing around town. So many variation of frozen foods, puddings and drinks available for you to pick. One dish is about 400-550 yen, for drink it's about 200-300 yen and for the pudding it's about 250-400 yen. It's really convenient to live in Japan.

If you have more budget, you can give yourself a gift by staying in a Ryoukan. It will surely give you a unique experience and you can only experience this in Japan. Since it's not a time for vocation yet, I rarely meet any tourist throughout my stay there. If you like nature, mountain, lake and hot spring, you can go to Hakone.

It's already 6.30 PM, and we decided to have a rest and enjoying the facility that our Ryokan offered. I tried bathing in an onsen for the first time there. Both indoor onsen or outdoor onsen. And like I've previously mentioned, there isn't much tourist, So I get all the onsen for myself and my friends (No stranger). Bathing in an onsen is a wonderful experience and can make you an addict. We wore our yukata inside the Ryokan. And this is the end of our first day in Japan.