Hakone Shrine

What makes it special

The gate in the water is the Heiwa no Torii, the Torii of Peace, put up on the lakeside in 1952. From a sightseeing boat it looks tiny against the mountain, but up close on the jetty it is a large gate, and one of the most photographed torii standing in water in Japan.

Behind it, stone steps climb through tall cedars to the main prayer hall, rebuilt in 1936 after a fire.

The weather decides which picture you leave with. On a clear day Mount Fuji shows behind the gate, and the line on the jetty forms for a photo facing the mountain. On a misty day, with cloud low over the lake and the trees, the red gate is at its most striking.

Visiting

From the Motohakone bus stop or the Moto-Hakone pier, follow the lakeshore path to the shrine’s concrete jetty and join the line for the torii. Come early, before the line builds, and keep your photo quick, because the people behind you want the same frame.

If the line is long, skip it: shooting from the side of the gate, or down from the stone steps above it, gives you the torii without the wait. Then climb to the main prayer hall, and stop at the shrine office on the way back down.

To finish, ride a sightseeing boat from the Moto-Hakone pier. From the water you get the wider view of the torii against the forest.

Tips

Wear shoes with grip, because the stone steps turn slick after rain. Amulets and fortune slips from the shrine office are small purchases, and the office also writes the goshuin seal if you carry a stamp book.

If you are driving, the official lots hold only about 180 cars between them.