Owakudani

Owakudani is an active volcanic valley created during the last eruption of Mt. Hakone some 3,000 years ago. Sulphurous steam hisses from fissures in the barren, ochre-coloured landscape, filling the air with the unmistakable scent of rotten eggs. The Hakone Ropeway glides directly over this otherworldly terrain, offering aerial views of bubbling hot springs and the jagged crater rim.

At the top, vendors sell kuro-tamago — eggs boiled in the sulphurous springs until their shells turn jet black. Local legend says each black egg adds seven years to your life. On clear days, the viewing platform reveals a breathtaking panorama of Mt. Fuji rising behind Lake Ashi — one of the most iconic photo opportunities in all of Japan.