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Author Topic: Hokone Japan  (Read 5435 times)

marcmccalmont

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Hokone Japan
« on: December 01, 2008, 05:18:40 pm »

I will have a couple of days in Hakone Japan the first week of January
This will be my first visit
Any suggestions on where and when to take some nice pictures?
Thanks
Marc
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Marc McCalmont

Kagetsu

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Hokone Japan
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2008, 11:48:12 pm »

Small world... I'll be there from the 7th to the 9th on my photography expedition.
That's kind of at the end of the first week, but if you're there on the 8th, I'm only there for the sake of photography, and have a small itinerary that I'm working on. There's a few things to see and photograph there too.
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marcmccalmont

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Hokone Japan
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2008, 01:32:00 am »

I still have not gotten word from my company if I can delay my trip home a week to visit Hakone but if I do get the time off do you have any suggestions? A nice picture of Fuji and a lake would be nice!
Marc
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Kagetsu

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« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2008, 01:43:43 am »

Off the top of my head... I'm unsure about the Mt Fuji over the lake view. I know it can be seen from nearby, but I'm pretty sure you have to travel a little.

This is one of the better resources I've found for Japan and travelling about.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

Something you must do though, is check out Yunessun. It's a big public hotspring / playground. You have to wear bathing suits (ie, togs, budgie smuglers, bikini's or swimsuit of some kind)... So don't go walking out in the nude. Most taxi drivers know it, but as far as taxi's go there, it's still not cheap to travel there.
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katsucurry

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Hokone Japan
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2009, 12:07:54 am »

Hi folks! I just joined this forum and asked questions about equipments and found this thread.

Hakone is one of the most popular places people go, especially people from Tokyo.
It's very close from Tokyo(Shinjuku station--take Romance Car Train to Hakone) so it's a little get away for most people living in the city.
Yes, I'm from Japan  : )

Hakone Chokoku no mori Musuem is very popular too. It's a sculpture museum park. 
http://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/eng/

Looks like they call it the Hakone Open Air Museum in English. (Chokoku = sculputure)

If you get a chance, stay in one of the Ryokan, a Japanese style hotel to get the true Japanese feeling and try the Onsen(hot spring)
usually the Ryokan in Hakone will have one or there may be a public one.

Also, visiting Kamakura is another good way to explore this area of Japan.

If you are visiting Tokyo(when I say Tokyo, it means Tokyo prefecture and not Tokyo Station), other places I recommend is Sakuragicho(Yokohama; sea port town 20-30 mins south of Tokyo) to take nice photos of skyscrapers and ships. Good for night shots too.  In Tokyo, Shinjuku is another great places to visit.

Now, every Japanese knows YODOBASHI Camera store. It's a HUGE camera shop and the one in Shinjuku (west entrance) is the head store. Shinjuku is where the Romance  Car Express train leaves for Hakone.
You'll see tons of camera equipments. They have Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara  and and other cities(city, station) too but the one in Shinjuku outside the west exit is huge. They have some in East exit too.  I would definitely visit Yodobashi Camera or Bic Camera or Camera no Sakuraya store if you are in Shinjuku. It's a huge electronic store and if you think some of the big camera superstore in New York is huge, you got to go check this store out.

There's also a counter where they sell electronics for travelers. The things you buy here have international warranty.

Sorry, I went and talked about things other than Hakone but hope you all have a great time in Japan.
Also, you don't need to tip in Japan and many people uses cash but major credit card will work but sometimes not all taxi will take credit cards.

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marcmccalmont

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Hokone Japan
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2009, 06:29:37 am »

Quote from: katsucurry
Hi folks! I just joined this forum and asked questions about equipments and found this thread.

Hakone is one of the most popular places people go, especially people from Tokyo.
It's very close from Tokyo(Shinjuku station--take Romance Car Train to Hakone) so it's a little get away for most people living in the city.
Yes, I'm from Japan  : )

Hakone Chokoku no mori Musuem is very popular too. It's a sculpture museum park. 
http://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/eng/

Looks like they call it the Hakone Open Air Museum in English. (Chokoku = sculputure)

If you get a chance, stay in one of the Ryokan, a Japanese style hotel to get the true Japanese feeling and try the Onsen(hot spring)
usually the Ryokan in Hakone will have one or there may be a public one.

Also, visiting Kamakura is another good way to explore this area of Japan.

If you are visiting Tokyo(when I say Tokyo, it means Tokyo prefecture and not Tokyo Station), other places I recommend is Sakuragicho(Yokohama; sea port town 20-30 mins south of Tokyo) to take nice photos of skyscrapers and ships. Good for night shots too.  In Tokyo, Shinjuku is another great places to visit.

Now, every Japanese knows YODOBASHI Camera store. It's a HUGE camera shop and the one in Shinjuku (west entrance) is the head store. Shinjuku is where the Romance  Car Express train leaves for Hakone.
You'll see tons of camera equipments. They have Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara  and and other cities(city, station) too but the one in Shinjuku outside the west exit is huge. They have some in East exit too.  I would definitely visit Yodobashi Camera or Bic Camera or Camera no Sakuraya store if you are in Shinjuku. It's a huge electronic store and if you think some of the big camera superstore in New York is huge, you got to go check this store out.

There's also a counter where they sell electronics for travelers. The things you buy here have international warranty.

Sorry, I went and talked about things other than Hakone but hope you all have a great time in Japan.
Also, you don't need to tip in Japan and many people uses cash but major credit card will work but sometimes not all taxi will take credit cards.

Thanks for your input. I figured with a handle like Katsu Curry you were from Japan. I bought a 5DII from BIC camera (Shinjuku) and they gave me the 10% on the BIC card and then to my amazement sent me to the duty free section to receive a free round trip pass to Hakone!. I'll be there tomorrow as a matter of fact. Fuji looked great from the air the other day so I hope to get some nice shots and do some exploring.
Thanks
Marc
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Marc McCalmont

David Hufford

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« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2009, 02:04:09 am »

Quote from: marcmccalmont
Thanks for your input. I figured with a handle like Katsu Curry you were from Japan. I bought a 5DII from BIC camera (Shinjuku) and they gave me the 10% on the BIC card and then to my amazement sent me to the duty free section to receive a free round trip pass to Hakone!. I'll be there tomorrow as a matter of fact. Fuji looked great from the air the other day so I hope to get some nice shots and do some exploring.
Thanks
Marc

A free round-trip to Hakone? All I ever get from BIC Camera is ringing ears from salesmen screaming out a "bargain." Hope you enjoyed the trip. Fujisan has been visable even from Tokyo for the last several weeks, which it rarely is in other seasons.

For anyone who lives in Japan, or is staying over a weekend, there is a photography program on BS (satellite) 7 on Saturday evenings at 730pm. It shows professional photographers throughout Japan during a day of photography for the program. One can get a lot of ideas off of that on where to go.

It is also interesting to watch even accomplished professionals occasionally take a number of less than inspiring photos because of the pressures of the program. It is sponsored by Canon, and I think it wold be interesting even if you don't speak Japanese. It is not a show about gear, but the photographers thoughts.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2009, 06:13:36 am by drichi »
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Kagetsu

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« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2009, 02:17:15 am »

A snow storm rolled through Hakone yesterday around lake Ashi. Was very impressive... The power of prayer? ^_~
Were you there for it?
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marcmccalmont

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« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2009, 10:13:53 pm »

No I had to leave Hakone on the 7th and head back. This was my first time there, it reminded me a lot of being back home at Lake Sunapee New Hampshire. I had a good time.
Marc
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