My blog seemed to naturally end itself with the Kumano but in days after we continued to have adventures and see some marvellous sights, and there have been a few places in particular that have resonated with such vibrancy that I hope I’ll remember them with as much impact as they had when I saw them
On the wayward wind back to Tokyo we stopped off at Hakone where we feasted on a smorgasbord of sights that were (to all of us) really striking. The colours and shades, the simplicity and cultivation, the sheer poetry of nature … we found it all in Hakone. If the tourist board of Japan is listening, contact me for a reference … although prepare to be blasted about vegetarian food options …
https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/black-eggs-of-owakudani-hakone/1052
We had one more day after Madame E and Eliza/Babs left, and that was very productive. Brad and I went to Tenzan Onsen which was the best onsen so far – the architecture of the place was all dark woods by bubbling streams with Sakura falling, and then inside, an exquisite attention to Classical Japanese styling in tiny cafes, relaxing raised matted areas to roll around on, places to sit outside contemplating the forest, little red lanterns coming alive with the afternoon light dying towards dusk … and most of all, the hot springs. For men, the pools were all outside with 4 hot and one cold, sculpted on different levels surrounded by a cultivated garden. It was the best onsen I’ve seen so far – and I’ve now seen a few. Couldn’t take pics inside so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Link here:
The next day, Brad and I packed up and left our bags in luggage storage and as it was raining a little, we decided to visit the Lalique Museum (which was a bit random). I couldn’t figure out beforehand as to why the Japanese would have a museum in this rural area dedicated to a French Art Nouveaux/Art Deco jewellery, glass and interior designer. I’d also heard his name before but my knowledge was pretty sparse – his name was all I really knew.
Well, what a surprise! Coming from a very humble background, Lalique became one of the leading lights of the Art Nouveau/Art Deco movements and a lot of inspiration for those movements came from Japan. It was the end of the Edo period in the late 1890’s and a lot of Japanese art (pottery, paintings, fabrics, jewellery etc) were making their way to Europe and it was a completely different way of looking at design. Lalique was inspired and his sheer genius helped drive a ‘Japonisme’ craze.
Again, pics were not allowed (very refreshing in these days) so I’ll leave you with a few links:
https://www.lalique-museum.com
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalique
As well as the exhibits of exquisite jewellery, glassworks and woodwork, the museum also has a carriage from the original Orient Express where you can have (of course) a high tea. The carriage is there because Lalique designed 150 glass panels when it was outfitted, plus other fixtures. Miss Brad Marple and myself had a lovely time sipping tea and admiring the decor, although Brad was a bit disappointed to find that there were no dinosaur bones to chew on.
& that’s all folks ; )
Slices of Life from a Cake Hunter 
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