Pirate Ship Cruising At Lake Ashinoko

Part of the Mount Fuji tour we availed, aside from Fujiyama Snow Resort Yeti, Hakone Ropeway and Gotemba Outlet, is a visit to Lake Ashinoko, located at the small town of Hakone in Kanagawa.

Lake Ashinoko is a crater lake that was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano’s last eruption 3000 years ago.

It’s just a simple lake with a view deck around. Yes, we also have a lake in our province. But we do not have this kind of view that Lake Ashinoko has to offer so visiting this lake in Hakone is a big deal!

Our bus dropped us off in this viewing area at one side of Lake Ashinoko and I can’t help but be amazed with the scene that surrounded me. The calm water and the chunks of snow scattered with the lush array of cedar trees as backdrop makes a relaxing view that almost looks like a painting. Now, I wonder how it appears when cherry blossoms bloom in the spring or when trees turn golden in the fall.

They say that Mount Fuji sometimes peeks in between hills but the visibility was foggy so we weren’t able to witness Mount Fuji during our visit. But it was alright. Honestly, even without the cruise ride for our tour, staying here by the dock already completes one’s mood. This is how it feels to be in the country side of Japan at winter. What a beautiful place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city!

Some activities to do in and around Lake Ashinoko are sightseeing, cruising, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, camping and hiking. Since Lake Ashinoko sits in a lovely natural atmosphere, these outdoor activities are great ways to enjoy this area of Hakone. I just don’t know if people are allowed to swim at even one part of the lake. I didn’t see anyone do that when we were crossing.

Being first-timers in this place, we chose cruising as it will let us see and tour across the lake. After all, Hakone prides itself for having cruise ships designed like a pirate ship. It will be a great experience to ride something like that. Our tour guide always says that it’s a great time to imitate Rose and Jack of Titanic. But we’re feeling more like Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean here. 

Three pirate ships, namely Royal II, Victory and Queen Ashinoko, sail simultaneously in the waters of Lake Ashinoko. Passengers can board the cruise at any of the three ports along the edge of the lake. Those ports are Hakonemachi, Motohakone and Togendai. Our location was just a few steps to the Motohakone Port so it didn’t took long for us to get into Queen Ashinoko.

More landmarks passed by as we traverse through Lake Ashinoko. We witnessed Mount Mikuni and the famous Hakone Shrine. This particular Torii gate serves as a photo spot as well because of the water surface and the Mount Fuji background. The rest of the shrine was hidden from where the ship is. We weren’t able to get near the shrine so this was the closest photo of the red Torii gate that I got. I’m sorry for the bad capture.

Other than the spectacular scenery of the lake, passengers can enjoy strolling inside the four-storey ship and admire its lavish Western-style interior. Sporting a gold color scheme, Queen Ashinoko made every passenger feel luxurious, regardless of what cabin they are in. The ship is spacious enough for a big crowd so it was a comfortable ride. We stayed at the deck for a few minutes and the wind feels wonderful, especially in this fine day.

At the ground floor, a small coffee bar is situated for people who like to buy drinks, biscuits and other light snacks. The stuff here are relatively expensive. Nevertheless, the freezing weather made us buy their brewed coffee. There’s nothing special with it, though, except for the place where I’m drinking it. They also sell souvenir items like some sort of a crown, hand fans, designed pens and Don Hearts CD.

After 30 minutes of sailing, we reached Togendai Port, the exact station where the Hakone Ropeway starts. There isn’t much to see here, unlike in Motohakone Port, or, maybe, we transfered too quickly from the port to Togendai Station so I wasn’t able to appreciate what this side of Lake Ashinoko has to offer. Anyway, we were immediately rewarded with the sight of Owakudani volcanic valley while in cable car. But we’ll talk more about Hakone Ropeway in another blog.

For the meantime, I would like to thank Klook for this fun-filled tour. The package we availed also consists playing with snow at Fujiyama Snow Resort Yeti, riding cable car at Hakone Ropeway and shopping at Gotemba Outlet. It was worth it, to be honest. We had enough time to enjoy each destinations. Oishi-san, the one in the photo, served as our tour guide for the day. His speech in English may be slurred, but his humor and hospitality is indeed commendable.