Kyoto to Hakone, Japan
April 29, 2002
For part of our trip south to Iwakuni we had ridden on a Bullet Train but now our journey will take us over a much longer distance and without transfer. We were able to more fully appreciate how these speed monsters can cut distance and time. Make no mistake, while they are always "on schedule", they are expensive.
Our journey north was smooth and impressively quiet. We caught glimpses of towns, houses, farms, trees, seashore and distant mountains (including Mt. Fuji!) as we buzzed along at speeds in excess of 175 miles per hour.
The passengers spoke quietly as if not to disturb others around them. One older gentleman stopped along side me, smiled and said a few words in Japanese. Misako later told me that he had seen my aviator wings on my jacket and had wanted to let me know that he had been a pilot himself. Aviators all over the world have that common trait of being friendly and a bond based upon danger and the thrill of flying.
One of the more amusing aspects of the trip was watching the young people who entered each car periodically to sell refreshments and the like. As they approached at one end they would stop, bow and announce the purpose of their presence. At the other end they would bow again and depart. The conductors would do likewise.
The journey north took just under two hours, it seemed less than that. Our group of five, plus Misako, was met by a driver of a Nissan mini van who drove us the one and a half hours to our next destination, the Hotel Kowaki-en in Hakone. En route we stopped to see a beautiful lake and mountains in the distance.
Click on "Back" to return to story.