Walk Hakone Hachiri - Japan Heritage Area & Historic Highway
SEA019
Walk 2.5 miles (4km) of the stunning Hakone Hachiri, a Japan Heritage Area and part of the historic Tokaido highway, a centuries old route that links Tokyo with Kyoto. Along the way, drink amazake (sweet non-alcoholic sake) in a 400-year-old teahouse, see a historically a important castle, and take in beautiful views of towering cedar trees and (weather permitting) formidable Mount Fuji.
If you would prefer more walking or a more adventurous route, please check out our 6 miles (10km) tour here.
HIGHLIGHT
◆ Walk one of the most important sections of the Tokaido highway, an ancient route between Tokyo and Kyoto depicted in hundreds of pieces of art and literature.
◆ Explore the location of one of Japan's most epic battles, Odawara Castle.
◆ Drink amazake (sweet non-alcoholic sake) at a 400-year-old teahouse.
◆ See the exquisite views (weather permitting) of Fuji at Lake Ashinoko and eat lunch by the lake.
◆ Visit Hakone Shrine, famous for its "floating" red torii gate.
◆ Stroll along Cedar Avenue with its towering 400-year-old cedar trees and meander along the Genbe River World Heritage area.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
First, you will meet your guide at Odawara Station, Kanagawa Prefecture. From there, you will walk to Odawara Castle, a historically important castle where the epic final battle of Japan's Warring States period took place in 1590.
After a walk around the castle grounds, you will take a local train to Hakone Yumoto and then a bus to Amazake Chaya teahouse. Amazake Chaya is one of the few remaining teahouses out of hundreds that once adorned the old Tokaido highway, the ancient route from Kyoto to Tokyo. While there, you can try a delicious cup of amazake, a sweet non-alcoholic sake that has been part of Japanese culture for thousands of years.
A short bus ride will then take you to the shore of Lake Ashinoko in Moto-Hakone. The lake is well-known for its stunning views of Mount Fuji (weather permitting), and while there you will enjoy a flavorful lunch looking over the famous lake.
After lunch, you will enjoy a short stop at Hakone Shrine, a shrine known countrywide for its photogenic "floating" torii gate, and then take a short walk to the mile-long Cedar Avenue. Cedar Avenue is lined with towering cedar trees, all of which are over 400-years-old.
At the end of the avenue, you will pass through Hakone Checkpoint. This was one of the most important checkpoints on the Tokaido highway during the Edo period, and today an exact replica stands in its place, so you can enjoy the original passage as it was originally intended.
Finally, a short bus ride will take you to Mishima, where you can enjoy a relaxing stroll down the Genbe River World Heritage Water Area, a beautiful waterway originally fed from the springwater of Mount Fuji. A walk down this river, will take you to Mishima Station, the end point of your tour.
Travel
You can travel to Odawara, the starting point of this tour, from a number of locations including Tokyo, Shizuoka, Kyoto and Hakone.
For customers starting from Tokyo we recommend taking the following routes:
• To Destination: 07:56 Tokaido Shinkansen #637 from Tokyo Station (sit on right-hand side for views of Mount Fuji)
• From Destination: 17:21 Tokaido Shinkasen #664 from Mishima Station (sit on left-hand side for views of Mount Fuji)
On request, we can also start/finish tours in Hakone or Atami.
What to bring
For the walking tour please bring:
• All seasons: sturdy, comfortable shoes or boots with good grip and a water bottle
• Winter: Warm clothing (jacket, woolen hat, gloves, etc.) *You may encounter snow!*
• Summer: Sun hat, sun glasses, sun block, and parker jacket.
• Spring & Autumn: Either winter or summer gear as above depending on the weather on the day.
*Note: please do not bring your big luggage on this tour. If you intend to travel to another location, you can send any large luggage items via courier service from your hotel.
About the guide
Our guide, local forester and historian Tony Everitt has years of experience in Japan and the travel industry, including:
• Executive roles at Tourism New Zealand and Tourism Australia
• Former Chief Executive of South Pacific Tourism Organisation (Fiji) and Destination Queenstown (New Zealand).
• More than 12 years experience living in Japan, as well as fluency in Japanese
• Local resident of Atami (within 20km of Hakone Hachiri)
CANCELLATION POLICY
PROGRAM FEE
Total Price = Basic Fee + Fee per Person * Number of Participants + Tax
• Odawara Castle
• Amazake Chaya teahouse
• Lake Ashinoko
• Hakone Shrine
• Cedar Avenue
• Hakone Checkpoint
• Mishima
• Guiding fee
• Local transport with Hakone Hachiri
• Admission fees
• Lunch & refreshments
• Shinkansen (bullet train) tickets to/from tour destinations
◆ Please be aware that this tour is offered only in English. We apologize for any incovenience this may cause.
◆ Please note that Mount Fuji is only visible 30% of the time due to weather conditions. We will try our best to provide you with views of the mountain but these cannot be guaranteed.
◆ Please follow the guide's instruction during the program. We shall not be responsible for any accidents caused by disregard of the instructions.
◆ Please advise us if you have any religious or health restrictions, or allergies, and if you would like to request any special care for participants (including children).
◆ Please email us at info@truejapantours.com to check availability. Please note that any programs booked without an inquiry will not be guaranteed.
◆ Our business hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays. For inquiries received outside business hours, we will look into them and respond on the next business day.
Note: The booking deadline for this program is 10:00 am 3 business days (Japan Standard Time) prior to the program date. When booking after the deadline, please email us at info@truejapantours.com to check availability.
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