day 1

Fun2drive car ride around Mount Fuji in Hakone

After visiting Tokyo, we hopped on a bus from Tokyo Main Station to Hakone. First things first, we checked into Shinanoki Ichinoyu, our lovely traditional Ryokan hotel that comes with the full private in-room onsen experience! We’ll share more on that in a bit, but first, let’s get you up to speed on one of our favourite experiences in Hakone.

One of our friends recommended us to check out Fun2Drive, a tour and car operator that allows you to rent a sports car to tour around Mount Fuji and visit the Fuji Speedway. We could either choose to have a free and easy drive, or join in on their tours to explore the best spots in Hakone. We opted for the 4-hour Holy Mt. Fuji Drive tour to enjoy the beautiful views with a convoy of other car riders, which gave us the chance to meet and mingle with like-minded car lovers. Pretty interesting way to make new friends!

However, as much as we wanted to hop on to a cool, vintage GTR, they were all pretty much booked up months before so we hopped on the iconic ride with the ‘tofu’ car (Toyota Trueno AE86) instead (made popular by the movie, Inital D, starring Jay Chou). So if you have plans to visit, please book way in advance to get your desired ride.

While everyone sped up way ahead of us, we had to frantically crank up the windshield wipers manually in the drizzle! Not what we expected from the car ride, but we definitely had great fun! After all, it’s not everyday that you get to drive such a retro little car like this, eh?

Our first stop was at Fuji Speedway, a racetrack where many race car drivers go for their practice sessions. Racing fanatics would love this place! We also managed to catch the Trueno in classic drifting action!

Went on our way to check out Mount Fuji along the mountain passes, including Lake Yamanaka. It was a pity that we couldn’t get to enjoy the clear mountain views as it was too cloudy, despite the great viewing points we were brought to.

The Holy Mt. Fuji Drive was really fun in our opinion, with the chance to see Mount Fuji in a more unusual and interesting way, though the weather wasn’t perfect. Definitely a highlights of our Hakone trip!

Website: https://fun2drive-japan.com/

Address: 1143 Hakone-Machi Sengokuhara Ashigarashimo-Gun, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0631

Contact number: +81-5036938090

Private onsen at the traditional Shinanoki Ichinoyu Ryokan

After a long noon out, we were ready to retreat and unwind in the privacy of our ryokan.

The girls were so cute dolled up in the traditional yukata. There are 2 public hot baths available, either the outdoor sulfur spring or indoor alkaline plain spring. The room that we opted for had a private spring bath too.

Ryokan stays are always a good idea because it usually comes full board so we could have our meal in the comfort of our stay.

Website: https://www.ichinoyu.co.jp/eng/

Address: 940-2 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0631, Japan

Contact number: +81-460855331

day 2

Free and easy drive to the Torii of Peace- Hakone shrine

We loved the fun drive so much we came back the next day for the GTR R35! With their 2-hour free and easy package, we got to do a quick drive round the mountain roads and visit the Hakone Shrine just before our flight back to Singapore later that day.

Took a leisurely ride around serene Hakone, and headed to the Torii of Peace leading up to Hakone Shrine. Built a year after the peace treaty to end WWII was signed, the Torii of Peace carries historical significance beyond being a pretty piece of architecture.

Got to love the magical backdrop created by nature, complemented by natural sunlight shining through. The torii almost seems like it floats on the water. Just beautiful..

Address: Lake Ashi, Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522, Japan