Hakone - Onsen = the Japanese equivalent of our spas

On Friday, we left Kyoto behind and embarked on our journey through Japan. We went to Hakone, an area known for its hot springs. It is located in Kanagawa Prefecture and is visited by many residents of Tokyo as a recreational area (similar to our spa regions).

It is also not far away from one of the most famous volcanoes in the world, Mount Fuji. In the Fuji-Hakone National Park, there are many natural wonders to discover, such as the Owakudani Valley, which is said to have been formed by a massive volcanic eruption about 3000 years ago.

Since it was also very cold on this day, we checked into our accommodation and relaxed a bit. For the evening, we booked a "Private Open Air Onsen" for 2 hours at a private onsen resort. The water was very hot (about 42 degrees Celsius), but at the same time very relaxing. With a view of the adjacent forest, it was one of the most beautiful experiences of our trip so far.

Bathing in an onsen also requires some learning or there are also some rules to follow. In public onsens, the baths are usually separated by gender. Additionally, before entering a hot bath, everyone must thoroughly clean themselves. There are numerous instruction signs that call for compliance with the rules through (sometimes funny) comics.

After our onsen visit, we were warmed up again and so tired that we skipped dinner.