Wednesday, August 2, 2017 – Hakone, Japan
The day started with the Ryokan breakfast. We sat at the same table for all of our meals, overlooking a lovely garden with a waterfall. For breakfast we had our choice of Japanese or Western. Aaron and I got Japanese, Chrissy got Western, and both were excellent. The Japanese included a whole fish, many fruits, rice porridge, tofu, and several other items.
Once full of breakfast, we embarked on a boat tour on Lake Ashi. The boats are mock-ups of tall ships which is a lot of fun. The boat makes three stops. We started at Togendai Port, which is also where we boarded the Ropeway the day before. The other two stops are little towns. We disembarked at both to wander around. We had coffee and ice cream and paid a visit to Hakone Shrine. It was a low-key but very enjoyable day.
When we returned to the Ryokan we enjoyed tea in our room, then it was time again to enjoy the bath. This time we used the open air bath, which has a roof and a low wall but is basically outdoors. It was misty and drizzling all day, so soaking in the warm water felt especially good.
The Ryokan provides Yukatas – traditional Japanese robes – to wear to the bath and to dinner. They are very comfortable. The entire Ryokan experience – the Yukata, the bath, the meals, the service – is all very relaxing. I’m so glad we made Hakone and the Ryokan experience part of our trip. Aaron the tour planner and guide hit it out of the park again.
Which brings us to dinner. Dinner at the Ryokan was well beyond a meal – it was an experience. It was served in ten separate courses, each a work of visual art in addition to being delicious. The menu and a photo of each course are shown below. Mere words cannot do the Ryokan meals justice. I knew the food on this trip would be interesting and good, but I wasn’t thinking I would have some of the best meals of my life. Between the sushi at the fish market in Tokyo and the meals at the Ryokan, that is exactly what happened.
We returned from dinner to find our living room once again transformed into our bedroom and enjoyed a comfortable night’s sleep on our futon mattresses, resting up for the next day’s journey to Kyoto.
Where Are We Going Now? 
Looks like such a special dining experience! What dish was your favorite?
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