Hakone Hachiri: Highway Back in Time

"Journeys in Japan"

For centuries, the ancient Tokaido highway

was the most important road in all Japan.

These days, it has been mostly paved over for modern traffic,

but there's still a section where visitors can follow the original route

known as Hakone Hachiri.

It's a place where many glimpses of traditional Japan can still be seen today.

Michael Keida has come to explore this historic highway.

Nothing like connecting with nature. Love it.

Massive cedar trees,

hundreds of years old, lining this route.

Paving stones that have seen countless thousands of travelers.

A teahouse that has been in business for 400 years.

And a hot spring where weary travelers are revived by traditional delicacies.

On this edition of "Journeys in Japan,"

discovering the many reminders of old Japan along Hakone Hachiri.

Hakone Hachiri
Highway Back in Time

In the old days, the Tokaido was the main artery linking Kyoto,

the Emperor's capital, with Edo, the city of the shoguns now known as Tokyo.

And the most arduous part of the journey

was Hakone Hachiri,

the section between the towns of Odawara and Mishima

via the Hakone Pass.

This ukiyo-e print shows what Hakone Hachiri used to look like.

This is the route that Michael will be following.

(Odawara)

Michael will be accompanied by Tony Everitt,

a New Zealander who's lived in Japan for over a decade.

Tony operates hiking tours for visitors along Hakone Hachiri.

So, welcome, Michael, to Odawara Castle,

scene of the penultimate battle of Japan's warring states period in 1590.

- Let's climb the castle.
- Yeah, let's go.

(Odawara Castle)

- Wow, what a view.
- Yeah.

So, Michael, over there is Mount Hakone.

So, from here, we're going to traverse the mountain to our destination, Mishima.

So, rather than a trip, it's a little bit more of a little mountain climb.

- Pumped? Ready to go?
- Yes.

Let's do it!

Some five kilometers from Odawara, they reach Hakone-Yumoto.

The hot spring waters here have been enjoyed for over a thousand years.

By train, it only takes 90 minutes from Tokyo, so it remains very popular.

- Oh, here we go.
- So, yeah, Michael.

Here we have, you know, the original...

half-millennium-old cobblestoned Tokaido highway.

- Is it original stones?
- These are original stones, yeah.

Half a millennium ago.

A few traces of the old route remain to this day.

This section was paved with stones to prevent it from being tracked up

from all the people passing along it.

They've now walked 10 kilometers since they set out.

Just arrived in Hatajuku.

A bit of a rest stop.

- It's a quiet little town.
- Yeah, beautiful. And...

here we are at a traditional Hakone woodcraft store.

- Woodcraft store, oh.
- Yeah.

- Shall we check it out?
- Yeah, yeah.

This traditional style of marquetry is known as Hakone yosegizaiku.

It was developed during the 19th century

as souvenirs for people traveling on this section of the Tokaido highway.

What are you making?

I'm matching up the wood.

For our marquetry, different shapes and colors of wood are combined to create each pattern.

These colors are all natural. They're not dyed.

Many types of trees grow in Hakone, at various elevations.

Hakone marquetry was developed in Hatajuku, in the center of Hakone.

It's a 200-year tradition.

Once the wood has been fitted together, it then has to be planed.

I'll show you how it's done.

It's as thin as a sheet of paper.

Just 0.15 mm thick.

It really is like paper.

It's fragile, like paper. But it's actually wood.

This will now be glued onto a wood base.

So the pattern is only on the outside.

That's how Hakone marquetry is made.

Over the following 200 years,

Hakone marquetry has become more than just a souvenir.

It's a craft that involves considerable artistry.

This uphill section from Hatajuku is the hardest part of the Hakone Hachiri.

Because it's so steep, it couldn't be paved for motor traffic.

That's why there are still remnants of the past to be found along the way.

For example, this small mound with a tree planted on the top.

(Hatajuku Ichirizuka)

So, Michael, you see these mounds either side of the track here.

So, in feudal times, every four kilometers

along the route in modern language, or one "ri"

as they used to talk about it in feudal times, they had these markers

so that people knew how far they'd come along the route from Tokyo.

So, this is actually the 23rd marker from Tokyo.

So at four kilometers each, we're 92 kilometers...

- Okay.
- heading towards Kyoto.

Shall we continue?

- Okay, let's do that.
- We've got a lot more ris ahead of us.

- We've got still some more ris.
- Yes, some more ris.

Back in the day when people traveled by foot,

a day's journey was usually considered to be 10 ri, about 40 kilometers.

However, the route from Odawara to Mishima was so hard

that travelers could only cover 32 kilometers.

That's eight ri or "hachi ri" in Japanese.

That was how Hakone Hachiri gained its name.

Man, this is quite a trail.

I can't believe people of feudal Japan made this trip on a regular basis.

- Look at that. Very pretty!
- That's gorgeous.

- What are we looking at down there?
- So,

- we're looking down back towards Odawara...
- Yeah.

you know, where we started from,

and you can see the Pacific Ocean here.

It's great. The town and the valley, it's beautiful.

Okay, crossing a road carefully.

After two hours, they're ready for a short rest.

Oh, what have we here?

So, we've arrived at Amazake Chaya, "amazake" teahouse.

- Check it out?
- Yeah, take a nice break.

From the early 17th century,

many teahouses appeared along the Hakone Hachiri route.

Today, this is the last one remaining.

Here you go.

It's very hot, so be careful.

"Amazake" is a traditional Japanese drink made from steamed rice.

A starter known as "koji" is added which turns the rice starch into sweet sugars.

Wake us up.

Ah, that really... Yeah, that wakes you up.

It has a very mild sweetness.

Our recipe dates back to the feudal period.

It hasn't changed in 400 years.

It's still just the same?

This was the hardest section of the Hakone Hachiri.

This is a drink for people with tired legs.

Amazake is like an IV drip.

In my family, we always drink it when we're tired.

Over 400 years have passed since this teahouse was founded,

but this traditional delicacy remains unchanged.

Actually, walking downward is also quite challenging.

And it looks like it's quite dry.

Hi. Where are you from?

Today we've come from Hakone-Yumoto.

But we first began walking the Tokaido three years ago, starting from Nihonbashi in Tokyo.

We do it in stages, of course.

Our goal is Kyoto.

This is my mother.

I thought you were sisters.

I'm shocked to hear that!

How was it on this part?

This Hakone section was really hard.

From the start I was worried about this bit.

- My mother is 80 years old.
- That's hard to believe.

- We'll give it our best.
- Well, you've done the hardest part.

All the best!

- On the right-hand side?
- Yeah,

maybe if swing around to the left, I think an easy crossing.

I think we can just pull up here and...

They've covered 15 kilometers since leaving Odawara, enough for one day.

So, here we are, Michael. We've arrived at our destination for the day, Lake Ashi.

Beautiful. That was a good hike.

Glad you enjoyed it.

- You feeling all good?
- Yeah.

- Yeah, that was so...
- Yourself?

Yeah, I could definitely use a good night's rest now, but yeah, that was good.

Feeling pumped up.

(Lake Ashi)

So, Tony, can I ask you what brought you all the way from

New Zealand to Hakone to become a guide?

Yeah, so, I love this region because, in just a small area,

we can enjoy real diversity of Japanese heritage,

both cultural heritage and natural heritage.

Just what you showed me today. I saw quite a lot of different

varieties of plants and, kind of, topography.

Right? So, since becoming a guide, how do you like it?

Yeah, well, I love it because it gives me an opportunity to

explain the Japan story to visitors from overseas.

Nice, nice. So I assume you like the Japan story.

It's a fascinating story. There's no other country on Earth like this one.

It's a privilege to be able to tell it here on Hakone Hachiri.

Nice.

Some of the leaves are starting to change color.

So that looks like "onsen" water, right?

Oh, that's nice and warm.

Lake Ashi is a crater lake.

It was formed following a volcanic eruption.

There are many hot springs in this area.

So, here's where we're staying for tonight.

Yeah, looks great.

And you say this is a pretty old place, eh?

Yeah, it dates back a few centuries originally.

Tonight, their lodging will be a hot spring inn that was founded in 1715

and was even depicted in ukiyo-e prints.

Travelers along this route have been staying here for more than 300 years.

This is the source for our hot spring baths.

It's been gushing out here since we first opened.

This bath is from a sulfur spring that dates back 300 years.

And this is from a hydrogen carbonate hot spring.

It will help make your skin smooth.

You can enjoy both types of water here.

Wow. These are completely different baths.

That, the first one I got in, it really felt refreshed and clean.

And then after stepping in this, I feel like I'm floating on a cloud.

The water is just so... It's fluffy and just light.

It really takes away the tiredness from hiking all day.

Day two will take our travelers up to the Hakone Pass,

and then down the other side to the city of Mishima.

Alongside the lake, the old road is lined with trees

planted during the time of the shoguns.

Giant cedars several hundred years old tower above the route on either side.

This section is 800 meters above sea level.

The trees were planted to protect travelers from strong gusts

and the powerful sunshine.

- Oh, what have we got here?
- What have we got here. Shall we try?

- Yeah. It's a...
- So, this is Hakone Checkpoint.

On all Tokaido, there were a number of these checkpoints along the way.

And this is the closest one to Edo,

the capital at the time, now Tokyo.

So, going through that gate, you get checked?

That's correct, yeah.

I didn't bring any paperwork. Are we going to be okay?

Oh, I think we're all right. They'll let anybody through these days.

- Shall we have a look?
- Yeah. Let's go.

Oh, wow. So this...

After reaching the checkpoint,

anyone who was thought to be traveling illegally would be brought to this building

known as the "obansho" for interrogation.

In those days, people weren't allowed to move freely about the country

unless they had travel permits issued by the government.

- Good morning.
- Good morning!

Good morning, everybody.

- Hello.
- See you.

Hey, "See you" already? Not yet.

At last, they reach the Hakone Pass, 18 kilometers from Odawara.

At 846 meters above sea level,

it's the highest point on the entire Tokaido highway.

(Hakone Pass 846m)

This ukiyo-e print shows what the Hakone Pass looked like around 200 years ago.

Much has changed since then.

All right.

We just came out through the highway just a second ago.

Yeah, that's right.

They've walked 22 kilometers now.

So, Michael, we've arrived at Yamanaka Castle Ruins.

Let's pop up to the top of the old castle

because there's some cool scenery I'd like you to check out.

- All right.
- Yeah.

Wow, what a view!

You can see the ocean, Mount Fuji. Geez, look at that!

- Beautiful, huh?
- No matter how many times I see

Mount Fuji though, honestly, I never get sick of seeing it.

Spectacular, huh?

Straight in front of them is Mount Fuji.

And down below is their goal, the city of Mishima.

(Mishima)

So, Michael, we've arrived at another 4-kilometer distance marker.

This is number 28 from Tokyo,

so we're 112 kilometers along the old Tokaido route

almost at our destination down the bottom of the hill, Mishima.

Nice.

They enter the streets of Mishima.

Mishima is often called the "City of Water."

Water from Mount Fuji filters down through the rocks,

and then wells up in many places forming streams that flow through the city.

The water is so clear here.

Beautiful, isn't it?

So you can see the water bubbling up on the edge of that lava sheet.

Nice.

This clear, pure water has given rise to one of Mishima's local delicacies.

"Unagi," or freshwater eel.

Here you go.

Charcoal broiled eel, served on rice.

One whole eel, filleted in two pieces.

Look at that.

Why is eel a delicacy in Mishima?

We keep them in the pure water from Mt. Fuji.

They lose their fishy flavor and taste better.

- This looks beautiful.
- Excellent, isn't it?

- It smells very rich.
- Yeah.

Good?

Wow. It just melts in the mouth,

and it's got that kind of almost charred flavor from

the barbecuing, the soy sauce on it.

It has absolutely no... you know, none of that fishiness.

It's thanks to the Mount Fuji water, right?

This is some good freshwater eel.

So, Michael, we've reached our goal, Mishima Taisha.

It's beautiful.

This Shinto shrine, Mishima Taisha

has a long history appearing in ancient documents

from more than a thousand years ago.

It was the custom for travelers along the Hakone Hachiri route

to stop off at this shrine.

Bow twice.

All right.

Well, thank you very much for the tour, Tony. It was great.

So, hope we can do this again some time.

- Cheers, mate.
- Oh, I almost forgot my...

While walking the Hakone Hachiri,

I was fortunate to meet a mother and daughter walking along the same trail.

They reminded me that this route represented one thing.

Connection.

From the days of feudal Japan,

Tokaido has helped two distant places stay connected,

providing a line of communication

between the east and the west.

But communication can sometimes

feel like an upward battle.

It takes effort, and sometimes

the rewards are not so quick.

But just like finding a nice warm cup of amazake over the next ridge,

you're sure to find what you're looking for if you press on,

because after all, connection is what fills us with a deep sense of community

and belonging which is something that we all truly need.

To reach Hakone Hachiri from Tokyo,

you can take the Shinkansen bullet train

to either Odawara or Mishima.

There is another local specialty that originated here.

Odawara lanterns.

Odawara lanterns can be folded up so they fit into the wooden frame.

This type of lantern was first devised about 400 years ago

by an artisan in Odawara.

It was used by people traveling the Hakone Hachiri.

In the old days, travelers crossing Hakone used these lanterns, like we'd use flashlights.

Word began to spread to other places along the Tokaido

and eventually throughout the land,

and these lanterns became a specialty of Odawara.