Enjoy Hakone!! Five Selections of Sweets

CHIMOTO’s SET : 1,000 yen (tax included)

"Cha no Chimoto" is attached to "Chimoto," a long-established Japanese confectionery store that has been in business for over 70 years, and is a place where you can enjoy Japanese sweets along with carefully selected tea.
You can choose your favorite combination from around seven types of sweets and three types of tea. The most popular combination is “Yumochi” and matcha, which is considered Chimoto’s signature item.

The texture of Yumochi is so unique it’s difficult to describe. It has a softness that’s like a mix of Japanese mochi, marshmallows, and their French equivalent, “guimauve,” and is characterized by its smooth texture. Finely chopped yokan is kneaded into the dough, which has a slight scent of yuzu, adding an accent to the texture, and resulting in an elegant sweetness. This is a dish that continues to be loved by locals and tourists, unchanged since its founding.
If you want to try other Japanese sweets, don't worry. You can also request additional sweets, so we also recommend tasting and comparing!

Take the bright red Hakone Tozan Train to Gora Station. You will see the shop after leaving the station and going up a slight hill. It has an unusual concept with its photo studio and a cafe in one store, but it was originally called "Shima Photograph Studio" and operated only as a photo studio from around the time Gora Station opened. The cafe where you can now enjoy specialty coffee and handmade sweets started about ten years ago. Its interior is decorated with many of the works that have been photographed so far.

Homemade Ginger Milk: 495 yen, Tokotoko Mountain Railway Pound Cake: 605 yen (tax included in all items)

Cream Soda: 660 yen, Lemon Cheesecake: 550 yen　(tax included in all items)

You'll be tempted to check out the daily menu that changes according to the season, consisting of items like the lemon cheesecake with a refreshing lemon scent and brightly colored cream soda (which looks great in photos), but we especially recommend the
"Tokotoko Mountain Railway Pound Cake!" This cake, inspired by the mountain railway, is individually drawn by hand, so quantities are limited. The combination is perfect when served with "ginger milk,'' made by diluting homemade ginger syrup with hot milk.

Mont-blanc pancake with chestnuts and american cherry: 1,850 yen (tax included)

Right next to Studio Cafe SHIMA is "HAKONE no MORI no PANCAKE," which has a cute bear and pancake sign. The pancakes at this shop are made with great care. The dough is made by adding plenty of mascarpone cheese to domestic wheat made in Shonan and mixing it with plenty of air. Pancakes are baked with a slightly crispy exterior and fluffy interior, and are best eaten freshly made! First, take a simple bite — the texture is so soft that it disappears instantly.

Also, the sweetness is refreshing, so it goes great with chocolate sauce and syrup! The "Chestnut and American Cherry Mont Blanc Pancakes'' we ordered this time around also matched the rich sweetness of the cream and the sourness of the cherry sauce, and we could not stop eating them.

"Hakone Hyakuyaku," located on the shore of Lake Ashi right next to Hakone Shrine, is a cafe renovated from an old folk house. This restaurant's menu which is based on the concept of "being good for the body," does not use any artificial seasonings, and they are particular about using organic, domestically produced, and natural ingredients.

Dragon god ball (Ryujin no Tama): 580 yen, Hyakuyaku Tea : 660 yen (tax included in all items)

"Dragon God Ball," the restaurant's signature dish, was inspired by the legend of the dragon god that is associated with Lake Ashi. The details are a trade secret, but the slightly sweet golden-yellow jelly is made with Hakone water and “Wasanbon,” combined with grained red bean paste, soybean flour, and brown sugar syrup to your liking. Its impressive appearance is sure to make you want to capture it in photos and videos.
In addition, the original blended tea “Hyakuyaku no Cha” is based on roasted green tree, and is blended with slightly bitter spices such as roasted dandelion, “dokudami” (chameleon plant), and ginger, so you can enjoy the taste that is “good for the body.”

Mitarashi Dango Ice Cream: 520 yen (tax included)

"Obanshojaya," located on the shore of Lake Ashi and adjacent to the Hakone-sekisho, is the perfect spot to take a break between walks around Hakone. If the weather is nice, you can see Mount Fuji reflected on the surface of the lake, and as you watch the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise come and go, you might wonder if travelers in the past saw the same scenery.

The recommended dish at this teahouse is the “Mitarashi Dango Ice Cream!” Simple vanilla ice cream and shiratama dango are topped with a soy sauce-based sauce, creating a sweet and salty Japanese flavor.
In fact, the majority of orders at this shop are for black sesame or matcha soft-serve ice cream. Make sure you try this hidden specialty as well.

Ochaya Set: 600 yen (tax included)

Also, if you want to share with someone, we recommend the "Ochaya Set.'. This great value set includes two types of dango, two types of “warabimochi,” pickles, and tea, and is perfect for people who want to try a variety of Japanese sweets.
Orders are made at the ticket vending machine, so please think carefully before pressing the button.

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