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Hakone is wearing clouds today. We begin with a “Western breakfast”. The quotation marks are essential: this is the Japanese interpretation of a Western breakfast. Even the familiar can still offer a small surprise when you travel.
The Free Pass knows the way. I do not always.
Then we set off by bus again, armed with our Hakone Free Pass. A change of buses is involved, as seems almost customary by now. Except that, before the actual change, I get off at the wrong stop. My dear Anneliese protests vigorously. The mistake is mine, and her protest is entirely justified.
This gives us a short, unplanned waiting break. Fortunately, another bus arrives fairly soon and we carry on. A Free Pass is a useful ticket. Apparently it does not guarantee the quality of my choice of stop.
Five floors of wonder
Our destination is the Okada Museum of Art. It really impresses us. Five floors of ceramics, vases, history and paintings: an extensive encounter with that distinctive Japanese aesthetic which keeps catching our attention on this journey.
This is a place that rewards looking closely. Shapes, surfaces, paintings – so much variety, yet such a strong overall impression of design and beauty. Anneliese and I enjoy the museum immensely. After my small contribution to the entertainment on the bus, it is a pleasure to let the art take over.
The shrimps passed us by
Afterwards we go to the tea house to round off our museum visit. Kaikatei sits among greenery; our photographs show paths and stone steps through the garden. A lovely setting for a break together.
The food, however, is not quite what we had hoped for. We expect shrimps but receive tempura fish, which is not to our taste. Exactly how the shrimps passed us by remains unresolved here. My choice of bus stop is evidently not the only thing today that departs from the original idea.
Cold on top, warm below
One more pause absolutely belongs in this diary: eating ice cream while soaking our feet in the warm footbath right outside the museum. Cool above, comfortably warm below. I find this combination fascinating – and it certainly does not require a blue sky.
After five floors of art, the other end of the body gets some attention too. The photograph captures both of us with our ice creams, while our feet enjoy their own little programme of relaxation.
Changing buses, then winding down
We return by bus, changing along the way. The bus is full. After the quiet pictures, the greenery and the warm water, ordinary travel life has its turn again.
Now we are letting this eventful day gently wind down. One wrong stop, a great deal of beautiful art, elusive shrimps and ice cream with a footbath: even under clouds, Hakone has given us plenty for the diary.
