The Hakone National Park is located on the site of an old volcano that caved in almost 3000 years ago but still has residual activity. In this mountainous, sometimes desert-like landscape, the volcano’s activity generates sulphur, wisps of smoke and hot springs that feed the traditional “onsen” (hot baths) of establishments in the neighbourhood.

While walking and spa baths are the two main activities of this region of mountains and lakes, traditional restaurants offer a memorable incursion into Japanese culinary art, the region’s speciality in particular - “kuroi tamago” (black eggs).