Japanese remember the 3rd of November: 29-10-2007
Culture-seekers who visit Japan on November 3rd could have picked no better time to experience the country, as that date marks Japanese Culture Day (or bunkano-hi), a national holiday in Japan celebrating the birthday of the Emperor Meiji.
Incidentally, the 3rd is also auspicious as it is the day the Japanese Constitution was announced in 1946 and as such is celebrated in all areas of the country.
Hakone is an outstanding place to be on the day as it sees the unique Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu (Hakone Federal Lord's Procession) in Kanagawa. Around170 people dress up in clothing representative of the Edo era and march from the Sounji Temple to Yumoto Fujiya Hotel.
Located at the base of Mount Fuji, Hakone is notoriously popular with tourists, due to its ease of access from Tokyo and various attractions. It is famed for its hot springs, traditional Japanese inns, the Open-Air museum and the Hakone Shrine, which was built in 757.
The Owakudani Valley is also a must-see at any time of year. It was created by the eruption of Mount Kamiyama around 3,000 years ago, but visitors will still be able to spot steam coming from the ground.
Lake Ashi, or Ashinko in Japanese, is a good viewing spot to take in the scenery of Mount Fuji and tourists can book pleasure boats.
For those who prefer botanical attractions, the Hakone Shisseikaen Botanical Gardens of Wetlands promises not to disappoint as well as the Hakone Ashinoyu Flower Centre, which boasts over 1,000 species of plants and flowers.