Hakone or Kawaguchi-ko in early March

Hey All,

I'll be in Tokyo in late Feb/early march, to include the first weekend of March. That weekend I'd like to get out of town. Most of what I'd like to do is hike/explore the outdoors.

I'm trying to decide between Hakone or Kawaguchi. It looks like both have a decent amount of things in the area, as well as the nice views of Fuji san. However, I've been told that they can get crowded on the weekends, especially in the more travel-friendly seasons.

Is early March off-season enough that I shouldn't have to worry about traffic/crowds in either area.

Also, alternative outdoor weekend trips suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks,

Marc

Early March is off season, but I am not sure whether that resolves traffic issues. Especially Hakone is prone to traffic jams. More so than Kawaguchiko. But I don't know whether early March weekends are popular enough for traffic jams to build. The weather probably has an impact, as well.

Also, alternative outdoor weekend trips suggestions are most welcome.

The Izu Peninsula has early cherry blossoms in early March (especially in the Kawazu area), but it can be expected to be very busy on weekends:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6310.html

Minakami is one of Japan's best destinations for outdoor activities. They will be snow related activities in early March:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7460.html

Thanks, Uji! I was also thinking about going to Izu too, maybe I'll try to head out there as well. Ab, decisions....