Lucky in Kawaguchiko

PLEASE NOTE: I have not had the chance to watermark all of my photos, and it will take me a great deal of time, as I published this and my other blogs between 2010-2017. I ask you to respect my property. Feel free to use them as long as you credit me as follows: Photo by Jody McBrien, learningtheworld.org. Thank you.


Yes, well, Dick didn't know where this was either, so I surprised him on Saturday, April 15, with a train trip to this town very near Mt. Fuji. I chose to get us there because the weather promised to be sunny. People can go to this town and never see Fuji-san, in spite of how it dominates the landscape on clear days.

We arrived at the Royal Hotel Kawaguchiko in the morning and were told to come back at 3pm (nothing royal about this place, but it's very near two popular attractions). So we headed off to take the boat ride on the lake, where we got good photos of Fuji. It was becoming hazy, and the top of the volcano became shrouded in clouds, but the photos were still good.

From the boat ride on Lake Kawaguchiko

Clouds on Fuji-san

B/W of Fuji

Sunset on Fuji

We didn't find anything we wanted to eat in the area, so we caught a crowded bus back to the stop at the train station (incredibly busy!) and wandered a bit. No great fan of Japanese cuisine, I was looking for some Western food. Dick said I had a look of maybe not-so-quiet desperation on my face. Then we came upon a place in a small lane across from the station called Gen that included on the menu, along with curry and noodles, burgers and lasagne! I had my doubts, but ordered the lasagne. It was delicious! While eating, we chatted with a couple from Perth, Australia, who had similar longings for a Western meal.

Dusk at the lake

We returned to the hotel and had no need for dinner. I headed to the onsen. One was inside (too hot!); I headed for the lovely outdoor onsen (for the uninitiated, onsens are public hot spring bathing facilities. You shower before entering (no bathing suits!) and enjoy as the hot water relaxes tired muscles. SO relaxing. Obviously, no pictures of the onsen, as the naked users would not appreciate it. Dick was too modest, so he missed out on the wonderful hot spring waters.

This morning we rose early, and I headed outside to get photos of Fuji in the morning sun. I also found some men practicing martial arts by the lake and early fishermen.

Karate at the lake in the morning

Morning fishermen

Fuji in the early morning

We had a very Japanese breakfast (I ate a few hashi-fulls of rice; hashi are chopsticks) and miso soup. Then we got to the cable car incline about a half hour before it opened. I security guard that reminded us of a bulldog or Donald Trump kept visitors back with his orange police club until the attraction opened. We were in the first car up. The sky was a beautiful blue, and we got wonderful photos of Fuji and the lake, also of the geothermal areas on Fuji.

Dick, me, and Fuji-san

Geothermal on Fuji

Fuji from the Cable Car Incline

Parting pic of the lake

The hotel would not watch our bags past check-out at 10am, so we left early and returned to Hachioji, where are decided to try the Sherlock Holmes Pub for lunch. There we met a Brit who has been living in town for a number of years teaching English at another university. We chatted for some time and determined we would get together again. Then we were off to do our grocery shopping, and Dick broke down and bought an inexpensive drip coffee maker. We got a cab home after figuring out how to get our bags out of the locker in the train station. The cab driver did not know of Soka Guest House, of course, so we ended up paying for his time as he drove around in search.

By then I was in major need of quiet time to decompress from the confusion of the day. I love my travels, but they always increase my empathy for migrants, as I experience the challenge of not being understood, not knowing what people are saying to me, not knowing what train to take, what bus to take, what might be in a  package of food at the store, not being able to follow directions,  not being able to get food that I will like... I can get so frustrated and exhausted; and it all makes me understand how hard it is for immigrants to adjust. The utter frustration is a great experience. I have to remind myself, This is their country. If they can't understand me, it's not their fault! I love the beauty of the country and the amazing kindness of the people. They go out of their way to try to help. Still, I get exhausted by my lack of understanding. 

NOTE: July 2018 date on post is republish date, not date of the event.