Yunessun Hot Springs

I took a day off from being "mom" and headed to Yunessun Hot Spring, www.yunessun.com/english/ which is in Hakone, Japan. By bus, it took about 1.5 hours.

Amy and Tracy were my travelling partners on this trip.

On the way up the mountian, we passed Fujiya Hotel, www.fujiyahotel.jp/english/index.html which was the first resort hotel built in Japan in 1878. Fujiya translated means, Flower Palace. The hotel is celebating it's 130th Anniversary and they have some great deals for us Gaiji, non-Japanese persons. I would love to spend a night there and explore the Hakone area.

We were so excite for a day of sitting in hot springs!!

At this pool, cold water and bubbles were shot out from the ceiling at scheduled times. The kids there got so excited when the bubbles floated down to the water, but I enjoyed the showers of cold water. The pools got a bit hot and the cold water made for a nice relief.

There were all kinds of different pools filled with assorted addittives; Green Tea, Sea Salt, Coffee, Wine, Chamomille...just to name a few. This pool was filled with honey.

Periodically, a staff member would come with a bowl of honey and the Japanese people would gather together waiting for a dose of honey that they than used to lather their bodies with...

Amy and Tracy getting their dose of honey.

Some of the pools were indoors and others were outside. This was one of the areas for kids. I wish I had taken my camera to the other outside pools but I was really afraid of my camera getting wet. I missed getting pictures of the Green Tea pool, which had a large Tea Pot pouring hot water and the Wine pool where there was a large Wine Bottle.

Behind this waterfall, was a large cave with several pools included. It was very exclusive feeling, romantic almost...

We were literally on top of the world.

Built into the side of the mountain was a water slide and this too was feed by the hot springs.

(We look like we're part of a cult wearing the ropes we were given)

The Japanese people would stand at the bottom of the slides waiting for us to come down and they would laugh and clap at us. We didn't get it at first, but after watching several Japanese people (children included) come down the slide, we realized that they make no sound, no splash, no sign of ridiculous fun. Not us, we were screaming as we sped down the slides and when we hit the water we made BIG splashes! At times, our feet went over our heads and the water spilled out of the pool and we stood up with our bathing suits stuck between our butt cheeks. Now that I think about it, no wonder they were laughing at us...

On our way home down the mountain, we passed Lake Ashino-ko, which is a crater formed over 3,000 years ago by a volcanic erruption by Mt. Hakone. Along the lake is Hakone Shrine, built in 757 and marked by the large red tori gate you see in the picture.

It was a beautiful and relaxing day. However, if anyone ever has the chance to go...take some Drammamine. I didn't know we were going to be travelling on butt kissing turns and curves. I got so car sick on the way there and on the way back. I prayed for sleep to take over my mind and stomach.