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Japan has long been a favourite destination for our family, but this trip felt extra special. Three generations of us travelled together, from our grandson to our father, mother, son, and daughter-in-law – all ready to come together and share the adventure.
Our grandson has also been learning Japanese at school, which made the journey even more meaningful. While this wasn’t our first visit to Japan, we still had plenty on our travel wish list, like seeing the cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji, experiencing Japan’s unique transportation, and spending relaxing time in a small country town.
We began our stay at Club Wyndham Sundance Resort Hakone-Gora, which was a wonderful base. The staff and facilities were excellent and we were delighted by our spacious Japanese-style room.
We spent time wandering through the Hakone Gora gardens, where the blossoms were out and the azaleas and rhododendrons were just beginning to bloom. The craft houses nearby were a lovely surprise; my son and daughter-in-law even tried their hand at glass blowing, which became one of the more memorable moments of the trip.
One of our best days was completing the famous Hakone sightseeing loop with the ropeway station just about 100 metres from the resort – it was incredibly convenient! We had remarkable views past Mt. Fuji and over the volcanic landscape of Owakudani, where we stopped to try the famous black eggs.
We then boarded the pirate ship across Lake Ashinoko, with the torii gate rising from the water and Mt. Fuji in the distance.
Getting around without a car was surprisingly easy. We took the Shinkansen to Atami, a local train to Hakone, then the zigzag mountain train up to Gora.
Later, we stayed at Club Wyndham Sundance Resort Karuizawa, which offered a very comfortable layout with a bedroom, lounge, bathroom and kitchen. The reception team was also incredibly helpful!
We loved visiting Oiwake, exploring the museum and remnants of the historic Nakasendo route, a quieter and more traditional side of Japan.
Transport throughout the trip was manageable using Suica cards for buses and local trains. My tip for fellow owners: get a Suica card, learn a few basic phrases like sumimasen (excuse me) and arigato (thank you), and embrace Japan’s wonderfully polite culture.
This journey gave our big family exactly what we hoped for, a precious time together. We are already looking forward to our next visit!
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