Hakone Help!
 

Several guidebooks recommend a stop at Fuji-Hakone-Izu National park. Since my husband and I will be enroute from Tokyo to Kyoto and he will be very anxious to get photos of Fuji-san, it seems a logical place to see Japan's countryside.
The guidebooks suggest leaving luggage at Hakone Yumoto station and then traveling with a backpack. I was thinking about staying the night at the Fujiya in Miyanoshita - which seems to be a stop on the mountain tram line. Should we just leave our bags at the hotel instead of Hakone Yumoto station?
I have also read some posts about forwarding luggage. Is this a better choice?
Thank you all for any assistance! P

I would send my bags from Tokyo to my Kyoto hotel via a delivery service. Depends on how many bags you are traveling with. The site listed explains the delivery some options

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html

There are lockers at the station but wouldn't rely on there being any open....might be and might not be available by the time you reach the station.

More Hakone info

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5206.html



Aloha!

Thank you Hawaiiantraveler! That sounds like the most convenient way to move my bags. Have you had experience with forwarding bags to Narita airport? P

I haven't used it for delivery to the airport yet as I haven't had to but others here have and will probably chime in soon. Just make sure you send them ahead to the airport at least two days before you leave.

Aloha!

Sending to the airport is great...you just pick your bags up from the counter right next to the check in counters. You do need to send them at least 2 days ahead, though, which can be inconvenient for travelers.

Sending your bags from Tokyo to Kyoto is the best way to go. But I will note that you would be able to leave your bags at the Fujiya Hotel. And if you were coming to Hakone on JR then you would have the additional option of storing your bags at JR Odawara station.

The luggage service is great and an excellent value.

I sent a piece of luggage from Kyoto to Nagoya. It was there a week later, wrapped in plastic at the luggage service counter that was maybe 40 feet from the airline checkin counter.

I stored luggage at NRT for a week at one of those services. When I got there on the scheduled pickup day it was right there behind the counter ready to go.

What's the rest of your itinerary?

Thanks so much for all your excellent suggestions. I am glad I can count on your experiences as this is our first Asian trip and everything is rather exotic and unfamiliar.
We are spending 3 days in Tokyo and will be staying in Asakusa. Since we are traveling at the beginning of April, we're hoping to participate in some cherry-blossom viewing. There are a couple museums and temples on our list as well as a baseball game and a Kabuki performance. I think we will be too early for a Sumo match. I would like to see Shibuyu Crossing and Tsukiji Fish Market and way too many other sights.
On our way to Kyoto we will stay a day or two in Hakone and perhaps get one of those perfect photos of Mt. Fuji.
The next 4 days we will wander around Kyoto and see the temples and gardens. I am not sure if we will do any side trips - it sounds like there is plenty to do and see in Kyoto.
Any suggestions for a first-time trip to Japan will be greatly appreciated!

kbrennan: I just want to chime in on seeing Mt. Fuji. The best views I have had were from the train going to/from Tokyo/Kyoto (sit on the right side of the train). When you go to Hakone and get off the train there, it is very mountainous. You can't jut see Fuji from everywhere, and unless you go to Lake Ashi and are on the far end of the lake (farthest end from Fuji, end where the Hakone Hotel is) or do the boat ride (I think you can see Fuji from the boat on a clear day, although I have not done this), then you can't see Fuji there either. The mountains and terrain get in the way in most areas.

So you need to pick your location for viewing Fuji in Hakone. And hopefully the weather is clear to see it. All 4 times I have seen it from the train going to/from Tokyo/Kyoto, I have had spectactular view from the train, as the terrain is flat when Fuji comes into view.

emd - thanks for the information. We are planning to do the Lake Ashi boat ride, so if the weather is clear, we may see Mt. Fuji. We will take your advice and make sure the camera is ready while we are on the train. That is how we got our best shots of the Matterhorn last year!

After you leave Yokohama station, keep your eyes open and look out the right side of the train. Fuji comes into view quickly (10-15 min after Yokohama) and it is very exciting.

These are what emd is talking about. I took them last March on the way from Tokyo to Kyoto.

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...t=P1010852.jpg

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...t=P1010881.jpg

Hi kappa! Glad to hear from you, long time no see.

Hi, emd !

Wow, just last night I saw kappa maki on the menu and realized we hadn't seen you for a while.

You didn't dare eat kappa, I hope ;-)