Hakone

I went this week-end to Hakone with some colleagues to see the red leaves.
Hakone is a city known for their hot springs and also the famous spot to admire the Mont Fuji.

My colleague's friend's villa : 

With beautiful red leaves:

Me, cooking

At Owakudani (a volcanic valley with active sulfur vents and hot springs. from wiki):

We took the ropeway to reach the Ashi lake (Ashinoko):

The lake : 

Whoever says "Hakone" means "EVANGELION" :D

 The red gate on the lake : 

At night we went back to the house to have dinner.
They have a "sunken fireplace"!! 

The next day we went for hiking....and we walked....a lo....t
(I can't feel my legs even now)
But it definitely worth it!

Another lake (don't remember the name)

My best pic of the week-end:

This one is good too

Autumn and Spring are the best seasons in Japan!!

On saturday

Woke up at 12, while drinking my coffee I was reading my guide book looking for something to visit  in the neighborhood. Ready with my gps I decided to visit the Zojo temple, near the Tokyo tower :

The bell : 

Aren't they cute?

Autumn is here

I like these kind of streets

Culture Day♪

Thursday was the "culture day" and also a national holiday which means that NO WOOOOORK :D

It seemed that they were doing a festival at Meiji shrine so I decided to go there expecting eating fried chicken...but...nothing...u_u

Actually they were celebrating the "Shichi-Go-San" (7 5 3 in Japanese).

"Shichi-Go-San" is traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys (from wiki):

This is the entrance of the Meiji shrine :

On the way to the shrine

Hum??? What is it???

WINE! Oooh o_o

Yes! Bourgogne wine!!

 The shrine :

No fried chicken but I ate a steamed bun : )