Hakone-juku

What makes it special

The checkpoint stands on the lakeshore at the south end of Lake Ashi, and what you walk through is a reconstruction of its gates, fence, guardhouses and cells. It was rebuilt from a detailed restoration report of 1865, so the layout follows the original plan.

Through the Great Gate you reach the guard quarters, the officers' rooms and a jail cell. The lookout was the guards' best place to watch the lake, and it still gives one of the best views in Hakone.

On the way to Moto-Hakone, a stretch of the old road runs for about 500 metres under an avenue of cedars planted almost 400 years ago to shelter travellers from wind, rain and sun. This path and Hakone Shrine are the two best places in Hakone to see cedars this tall.

Visiting

Easiest is to see it in one direction: the checkpoint first, then its exhibition hall, then a walk along the cedar avenue to Moto-Hakone. Walk in through the Great Gate, look into the guard quarters and the cell, and finish at the lookout for the view across the lake.

The exhibition hall nearby holds about 300 objects on the checkpoint and on travel along the old road. Afterwards, follow the wooden signs for the cedar avenue and Gongen-zaka. The path ends at Moto-Hakone.

Tips

Wooden signposts mark the old road, so you will not need a map to stay on it. The stones are uneven and turn slick after rain, so wear shoes that grip and watch where you step. Past the cedar avenue, the full stone road is a moderate walk rather than a stroll.

If the avenue leaves you wanting more, the best-preserved stretch of paving runs from Moto-Hakone to Hatajuku, a walk of 75 to 100 minutes past a thatched teahouse that has served travellers for centuries. Going downhill is easier than climbing but hard on the knees. A bus links Hatajuku with Hakone-Yumoto in about 15 minutes.