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Description
Overview
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 |
**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 |
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| 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.
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