Nearly one kilometer above sea level is Lake Ashi, a crator lake. The lake is one of the central attractions of the town, as resorts and onsens are centered around it.

The boat tour is beautiful. The scenery is almost Norweigian. This photo was taken in January, and thanks to the altitude it has a more wintery atmosphere.

The cable car from the lake quickly ascends into snow covered forests. Ten minutes travel makes all the difference.

Near the top of Mount Hakone is Owakudani, a volcanic valley with sulphur vents. The traditional food here is a black egg boiled in the hot springs here... They weren't my favorite.

There's a large shrine in the woods next to the lake. A simple, spacious structure surrounded by trees.

My favorite place there was the Hakone Open Air Museum. Primarily a sculpture museum, half of all the art is made to be displayed outdoors. This piece was light and elegant.

I was a bit mixed when I saw this, it has a real feel of the sixties or seventies to me, and could be seen as tacky. But it has a monumental feel too, and the green integrates it with its surroundings. An interesting piece.

The mountains around the museum are a part of the art itself. This museum would be worth visting in every season of the year.

This is my favorite piece that I saw. Again, very light looking. I'm amazed at the degree of lightness artists can get out bronze.

There's a stained glass tower, a few floors of glass wrapped around an iron staircase. The light streams in and illuminates the structure.