Everything about Hakone totally explained
is a
town in
Japan, in
Kanagawa Prefecture, in
Ashigarashimo District. Located on the eastern foot of
Hakone Pass.
As of
2008, the town has an estimated
population of 13,679 and a
density of 147 persons per
km². The total area is 92.82 km².
Outline
The
Ashigara Checkpoint at
Hakone-juku on the historical
Tōkaidō marks the beginning of Japan's
Kantō region. Since the
Edo period, Ashigara Checkpoint has been renamed
Hakone Checkpoint.
The annual
Hakone Ekiden at the New Year runs from Tokyo to Hakone and back over two days, partly in commemoration of the Tōkaidō road. Like its close neighbors
Odawara and
Mishima, Hakone has many
onsen (
hot spring) resort areas.
Sightseeing
Hakone hosts substantial tourist activity, and many, both Japanese and international visitors come to Hakone to relax, for treatment at the health resorts, or to visit the parks and mountains.
The volcanically active
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered around
Lake Ashi, is a popular tourist attraction well known for its
onsen hot springs and its views of
Mt. Fuji.
Sights include the volcanically active
Great Boiling Valley and Hakone Shrine nestled on the shore of the lake, as well as the
Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands. In April the cherry blossoms (
sakura) and in autumn the
Miscanthus sinensis (
susuki) are reportedly a very beautiful view in the parks.
Transportation
Hakone is best accessed from
Odawara and
Mishima, the terminus of the
Odakyu Odawara Line, 70 minutes from
Shinjuku,
Tokyo. From Odawara, the
Hakone Tozan Line continues into various resort towns in Hakone.
Odakyu also runs the
Romancecar limited express between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto. From Gora, the terminus of Hakone Tozan Line, the
Hakone Tozan Cable Car funicular goes to Sounzan. Owakudani can be reached by
Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan and the lake, while the lake is crisscrossed by cartoonishly decorated "pirate" ships for tourists. There is also
Hakone Komagatake Ropeway, which goes to the top of Mount Komagatake.
A popular "Hakone Free Pass", allowing unlimited use of most forms of transport for several days, is available. You can buy this free pass in
Shinjuku,
Odawara, and any other chief stations along
Odakyu Odawara Line.
Hakone has a number of museums, including the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
In Fiction
- A section of its mountain road became the only mountain stage for, and is prominently featured in the Kaidō Battle series.
- In the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, the city of Tokyo-3 is actually the town of Hakone, after a great deal of development. Hakone was renamed Tokyo-3 as it was originally intended to become the new capital of Japan.
The Hakone checkpoint is featured in the anime show, Samurai Champloo, in the ninth episode.
In the Japanese novel Ring, by Koji Suzuki, the character of Sadako Yamamura was thrown into a well in Hakone.
In the 2001 tokatsu film " Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters Out-All Attack", Godzilla battles Baragon in the spa town. Several areas are flattened, including an observatory.
Image:Hakone, hand-colored print 1860-1900.jpg|Hakone, hand-colored print 1860–1900.
Image:HakoneTorii2.jpg|Torii of the shrine in Hakone, at Lake Ashi
Image:HakoneDai0085.jpg|The summer festival in Hakone includes a bonfire in the shape of the kanji 大 (dai) and fireworks.
Image:AshiNoKo.jpg|Lake Ashi
Further Information
Get more info on 'Hakone'.
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