Hakone is a town famed for its volcanic landscape, including a large caldera lake with a stunning view of Mount Fuji and onsen resorts. Historically, it flourished as a post station with a border checkpoint, situated on the road connecting Tokyo—then known as Edo—and Kyoto. The 319-mile-long road was called the Tokaido or “East Sea Road,” a name which survives today as a bullet train line. The cobblestone pavements of the road have survived at three points: Kanaya, Kikukawa, and Hakone. The Hakone portion of the Old Tokaido Way was…
