We woke to an alarm this morning. After breakfast we went downstairs and met up with everybody for an 8am departure. Dad had all the tickets so it was a day off for Kaoru. Michael and Liela left this morning for the rest of their holiday but the rest of us were keen for some sightseeing. Kaoru and I, Brett and Naomi, Mum and Dad, Aunty Linda and Uncle Owen, Simon, Tony Mak, Julia, Andrew and Ella, James, Aunty Lynette, Julie and David.
The first drive was about 90 minutes which took us to the Mount Fuji Visitors Centre. There was snow along the way and David got to throw his first (of many) snow ball. I slept for a lot of the trip there. Back on the bus we drove to the First Station of Mount Fuji, where we had about 20 minutes to look around – plenty of time to build a snowman! We took lots of photos and everybody was thoroughly enjoying themselves. Then we started the drive to Hakone.
En route we stopped for lunch, and talked about catching the Shinkansen back home. We would have to buy tickets but it would be Davids only time. Once I realized it was the same for Simon and Naomi I was convinced. But that wasn’t until later. We made a few stops along the way, mostly for views of Fuji. Once at Hakone we hopped on a boat on Lake Ashi. The Pirate ship Kaoru and I went on last time was there but not part of the trip. We then caught the rope way up a nearby mountain which had a shrine on top so Kaoru and I could pray. Aunty Lynette is scared of heights but bravely rode the ropeway with us. We had some amazing views of Fuji and the Pacific Ocean.
Back down the mountain we got back on the bus which took us to Odawara station where Kaoru and I, Brett and Naomi, Aunty Lynette, Julie and David, and Simon, got off and caught the Shinkansen back to Shinagawa and then local train to Shinjuku. Kaoru took us to a few places and then went back to the hotel to meet the others (who stayed on the bus and had made it back about 45 minutes later) and take James for a massage. I walked Julie and Aunty Lynette to the cheap alcohol shop so they could buy some to take home. While they browsed I took David back to his room and left him there to bathe.
For dinner, Kaoru and I went out with Julia, Andrew, Ella and James for Okonomiyaki. It wasn’t very good though and having to wait about 30 minutes (despite being told we wouldn’t be waiting long) didn’t help. Eventually we left and went to bed.