Since on my first day in Hakone I could unfortunately only glimpse Mount Fuji through a thick cloud cover, I was very motivated to actually see it on day 2 - after all, that was THE reason why I went to this area.
I was told that the earlier you are on the road, the better chance you have to see Fuji. For this reason, I got up at 05:30 and took the bus to the starting point of the hike at 6am. The starting point was very easy to reach by bus. You can start directly from Odawara or Hakone station and then get off at "Sengoku" station. This bus is also included in the "Hakone Free Pass".
At the starting point of the hike the first highlight is already waiting - the Kintoki shrine. The shrine is beautifully nestled in nature and it is pleasant to visit it in peace without a large number of other tourists.
After I left the shrine behind me, a path with many exposed roots wound its way up the mountain. There were hardly any breathers, the path went straight uphill steeply. Despite the early hour, the sun was already incredibly intense and I was completely sweated through in no time. On the way to the summit I already met some local hikers. I just thought to myself, "When must they have gotten up, if they are already descending again?"
After about 1.5 hours of hiking I finally reached the summit of Mount Kintoki and it was worth it in any case. Mount Fuji was not completely visible, but the top was cloudless and the view just gorgeous. There were only a handful of tourists at the top and I bought myself a coffee, sat on a bench in the sun and just enjoyed this uniquely wonderful view!
During my ascent I met a tourist from India and at the top another tourist from Austria. Together we continued our hike. Our goal was to continue hiking from Mount Kintoki to Otome Pass.
The trail meandered uphill and downhill along the ridge and we passed beautiful viewpoints. In between we met a local who told us that he used to be a mountain guide and had been up Kintoki 3000 times. He had picked wild pepper and given it to us to taste.
The last part of the path led through an indescribably beautiful forest. The trees were close together and you could see a lot of roots above the ground - it was a very special picture.
The trail then ended back at the road where you can take the bus back to town.
For this view of Mount Fuji, getting up early was worth it in any case. The hiking trail is strenuous, but beautiful and varied. So clear recommendation from my side!
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