Hike Hakone Hachiri

Address: 1 Chome-1-1 Shiroyama Odawara-shi 250-0045

Walk in the footsteps of Samurai by exploring the last remnants of the Ancient Tokaido Highway.
For four centuries the Tokaido highway has linked Japan’s modern capital of Tokyo with the ancient capital of Kyoto.
In feudal times most travelers of Tokaido were on foot – horses or palanquins being a luxury for the elite only.
A section of old Tokaido (just an hour from Tokyo) known as Hakone Hachiri has recently been declared a Japan Heritage Area.
In Japanese, Hachi means 8 and ri is a unit of distance equivalent to about 4km (2.5 miles). So Hakone Hachiri is the 32km (20 mile) stretch of old Tokaido between Odawara and Mishima (a setting in James Clavell’s epic novel “Shogun“), via Hakone.
The Hike Hakone Hachiri Tour enables you to enjoy walking the remaining parts of the original Hakone Hachiri path through ancient cedar trees.
The guided small-group day tour from Tokyo/Yokohama involves about 12km (8 miles) walking.

A version of the one-day tour requiring less walking (about 4km, 2.5 miles) is available on request.
Forward bookings are essential: www.hakonehachiri.com

Itinerary

1	Catch the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo/Shinagawa/Shin-Yokohama, get off at Odawara Station where you will be met by your guide.
2	Catch the local train to Hakone Yumoto, then bus up to Amazake Chaya teahouse, one of the few remaining of hundreds of teahouses that adorned old Tokaido.
3	After some heart-warming amasake (non-alcoholic) we follow the stone-paved Tokaido on foot through the forest down to the shore of Lake Ashinoko in Moto-Hakone.
4	Lunch at a restaurant with a lake view.
5	Stroll the kilometre-long Cedar Avenue, aligned both sides with towering 400 year-old Japanese cedar (sugi), to Hakone Checkpoint – a faithful recreation on the original foundations which offers a glimpse into life on the Tokaido Road during the Edo Period.
6	After lunch we continue with another 5km forest hike to Yamanaka Castle Ruins and a Mount Fuji photo opportunity weather permitting.
7	Bus to Mishima and stroll along the Genbegawa World Heritage Water Area to Mishima Station, end-point of the tour.

*For folks not needing to return to Tokyo immediately by Shinkansen from Mishima Station, we can recommend accommodation (not included in tour fee) in Mishima, from where you can continue to explore this fascinating town and continue to explore Shizuoka at your leisure.

Highlights

Availability/ Operating Hours	Tours operate all year round subject availability (advance booking required)
Meeting Time	8:30
Meeting Place	Odawara Station Shinkansen exit Show on GoogleMap
Time Required	9 hours (Tour starts 08:30 at Odawara Station and finishes at 17:15 at Mishima Station)
Price	USD298 per person **Maximum group size 8 persons.
Number of persons	2 – 8 persons
What’s included	English guide fee, local transport, lunch and refreshments
What to bring	Please bring comfortable walking shoes with good grip, sunhat or woolen hat in winter, parka in case of rain, warm jacket in winter
Language	English and Japanese
Wheelchair Friendly	No
Kids Friendly	No
Reservation	Advance booking required
Payment Option	Cash on the day Credit Card at booking
Cancellation Policy	We conduct the tour in all weather except in the case of typhoon or other natural disasters. In case of a weather cancellation there will be no charge. 13 days or more before – Free 4 – 13 days before – 30% of tour cost Within 3 days of the tour – 100% of tour cost