www.failte.jpEnjoy our great selectionsof Irish and European brews.Spacious5F terraceoverlookingcentralShibuya.7 th Anniversary4 days! Oct 16 (Thu) to 19 (Sun)• Regular Draft beer discounted! ¥700• Selected Bottled beer discounted!• Special menu available!More detailshttp://failte.jpTokyuPlaza5F, Sede Bldg. 1-5-2 Dogenzaka, ShibuyaOPEN 5:30pm-2am (Mon-Sat)3-11pm (Sunday & hols)tel: 03-3476-777614
escapesTREK TOTRANQUILITYTrace the Tokaido throughHakone’s heightsBY TYLER PARRPhoto: JapanTravelHakone Kowaki-en Yunessun HotSprings Couponhttp://meturl.com/odakyuhotspringsACCESSAn affordable option toexperience Hakone is bypurchasing the Odakyu LineHakone Kowaki-en YunessunHot Springs Coupon, whichprovides round-trip traveland includes entrance intotwo onsen for about ¥4,000.Yunessun offers an extensivevariety of baths, including greentea and wine spas, and becausebathing suits are required, theseonsen are co-ed. If you‘d like toenjoy a more traditional setting,the Mori-no-yu onsen is alsoavailable in the resort.There was a time when travel in Japan was uncommon;those who traveled were consideredstrange beings that could communicate withspirits. However, at the turn of the 17th century,that all changed, beginning with the openingof the Tokaido Road, which connected Edo(now Tokyo) to the country’s original capital,Kyoto. The journey led travelers through Hakone,which eventually transformed the hotspring town into one of Japan’s first traveldestinations.The first travelers to Hakone were daimyo,or provincial rulers, who used the Tokaido duringtheir journeys to and from Edo and Kyoto.Daimyo were carried along Tokaido Road inboxlike palanquins known as kago, which enabledthem to rest their legs.Yet, kagos were designed so that passengerssat stooped forward, and this caused tensionto build in their backs. Travel parties wouldstop at hot springs—known as onsen—to restand soak their sore muscles. It was from thepractice of these early travelers that Hakonereceived its allure of being the place to recuperateand relax.When the road was first upgraded, it wascovered with a thin layer of bamboo calledhakone-dake grown in the Hakone region. By1680, as the road became more heavily utilized,worn bamboo was replaced with a layerof pebbles packed below larger stones thatwas able to withstand rain. Travelers wishing tobathe in the hot springs would trek along thispath from Edo to Hakone carrying food along adistance of 82 kilometers in about three days,clad in straw sandals known as waraji. Evenhorses then wore straw shoes as iron was notyet used for such purposes. For those who wishto walk along the road and experience part ofthe pilgrimage that these early travelers embarkedupon, there’s a cedar-lined stretch onthe southern side of Lake Ashinoko betweenMoto-Hakone and Hakone-machi that leads toYumoto, the oldest and largest of the 16 onsenlocated in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.For those looking to delve further into thehistory of Hakone, there’s a replica checkpointnear Lake Ashinoko, which was completed in2007 and includes a watchtower, living quartersand a prison. These checkpoints werenecessary in the past, as they were used by officialsto screen travelers and inspect baggageat a time when travel permits were required,and women’s travel and the transport of weap-On Nov 3, the Hakone Daimyo Parade invitesparticipants to dress in full traditional attire, includingarmor and weapons, to march through Yumoto as partof a feudal procession.ons were restricted. The checkpoints werealso used to regulate entrance into Edo andprevent escape. Nowadays, it’s possibleto explore the area nearby the replica asthere are sections of the Tokaido that lookas they did hundreds of years ago—beforecars were introduced, and when walking wasthe way to travel.15
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