Hakone is a town famed for its volcanic landscape, including a large caldera lake with a stunning view of Mount Fuji and onsen resorts. Historically, it flourished as a post station with a border checkpoint, situated on the road connecting Tokyo—then known as Edo—and Kyoto.
The 319-mile-long road was called the Tokaido or “East Sea Road,” a name which survives today as a bullet train line. The cobblestone pavements of the road have survived at three points: Kanaya, Kikukawa, and Hakone.
The Hakone portion of the Old Tokaido Way was known as a perilous point back in the Edo period, a steep mountain pass often slippery with mud. Even after it was paved with stones around the 17th century, travelers are said to have had a hard time getting past the pass.
In 1618, the shogun’s government planted cedar trees along the road, 412 of which have survived to this day as a scenic lakeside avenue. The feudal-era atmosphere still hangs in the area, and walking on the cobblestone pavement in the woods will let you feel like a journeying samurai.
