Hakone 箱根町 | |
|---|---|
 Mount Fuji seen fromLake Ashi  View of Lake Ashi and Hakone Town fromMount Hakone Komagatake .jpg) Lake Ashi and Hakone Checkpoint | |
 Flag  Seal | |
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 Location of Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture (golden) | |
  Hakone  Hakone Hakone (Kanto Area) Show map of Kanto Area Hakone Hakone (Kanagawa Prefecture) Show map of Kanagawa Prefecture | |
| Coordinates:35°11′22″N139°01′29″E / 35.18944°N 139.02472°E /35.18944; 139.02472 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Kanagawa |
| District | Ashigarashimo |
| First official recorded | 5th century BC (official) |
| Town settled | October 29, 1892 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hiroyuki Katsumata (from November 2020) |
| Area | |
• Total | 92.82 km2 (35.84 sq mi) |
| Population (April 1, 2021) | |
• Total | 10,837 |
| • Density | 116.8/km2 (302.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| - Tree | Yamazakura(Prunus jamasakura) |
| - Flower | Hakonebara(Rosa hirtula) |
| - Bird | Woodpecker |
| Phone number | 0460-85-7111 |
| Address | 256 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken 250-0398 |
| Website | Official website |
Hakone (箱根町,Hakone-machi) is atown inKanagawa Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 October 2023[update], the town had apopulation of 10,965,[1][2] and total area of 92.82 km2 (35.84 sq mi).
Hakone is a notablespa town and a popular tourist destination due to its manyhot springs being within view of nearbyMount Fuji, the most visited mountain in Japan.
Hakone is located in the mountains in the far west of the prefecture, on the eastern side ofHakone Pass. Most of the town is within the borders of the volcanically activeFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered onLake Ashi.
Kanagawa Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
Hakone has ahumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Hakone is 13.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2221 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.9 °C.[3]
Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Hakone peaked around the year 1970 and has declined since.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 8,379 | — |
| 1930 | 9,012 | +7.6% |
| 1940 | 10,673 | +18.4% |
| 1950 | 14,498 | +35.8% |
| 1960 | 20,972 | +44.7% |
| 1970 | 21,299 | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 19,882 | −6.7% |
| 1990 | 19,365 | −2.6% |
| 2000 | 15,829 | −18.3% |
| 2010 | 13,850 | −12.5% |
| 2020 | 11,293 | −18.5% |
Hakone is the location of theHakone Gongen, a notedShinto shrine which is mentioned inHeian period literature. During theGenpei War, after his defeat at theBattle of Ishibashiyama in neighboring Manuzuru,Minamoto no Yoritomo prayed at this shrine for victory over his enemies.
As with the rest ofSagami Province, the area came under the control of thelater Hōjō clan ofOdawara during theSengoku period. After the start of theEdo period,Hakone-juku was apost station on theTōkaidō highway connectingEdo withKyoto. It was also the site of a major barrier and official checkpoint on the route known as the Hakone Checkpoint (ja:箱根関,Hakone sekisho), which formed the border of theKantō region. Under theTokugawa shogunate, all travellers entering and leaving Edo along the Tōkaidō were stopped here by officials and their travel permits and baggage were examined to enforce Tokugawa laws that restricted the travel of women and weapons.
After the start of theMeiji Restoration, Hakone became a part of the short-livedAshigara Prefecture before becoming part ofAshigarashimo District in Kanagawa prefecture in August 1876. Hakone attained town status in 1889. The imperial household established the summerHakone Imperial Villa close to the lake. During theMeiji period, the area developed into a summer resort for the wealthy of Tokyo and the foreign settlement in Yokohama.
After a merger with five neighboring towns and villages in September 1956, it reached its present boundaries.
Hakone has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral town council of 14 members. Hakone, together with neighboring Manazuru and Yugawara, contributes one member to the Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part ofKanagawa 16th district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
The economy of Hakone is strongly dominated by the tourist industry. Hakone is noted for itsonsenhot spring resorts, which attract both Japanese and international visitors, due to its proximity to the greaterTokyo metropolis and toMount Fuji. Sights include the volcanically activeŌwakudanigeysers and Hakone Shrine on the shore of the lake, as well as theHakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands. In April the cherry blossoms (sakura) and in autumn theMiscanthus sinensis (susuki) are noted sights.[5]
Hakone has a number of art museums, including theHakone Open-Air Museum andPola Museum of Art.
Major events include the annual JLPGA CAT Ladies Golf tournament and theHakone Ekiden, a long distance collegiate foot race, held at the New Year, which runs fromTokyo to Hakone and back over two days, partly in commemoration of the couriers who ran the Tōkaidō road.
One famous hotel in Hakone is the historicFujiya Hotel inMiyanoshita, which was patronized by noted literary figures, politicians and foreign dignitaries in theMeiji,Taishō, and earlyShōwa eras.
A noted local handicraft is a kind ofmarquetry calledYosegi.[6]
Hakone is also well known amonganime fans for being the main location in the manga and anime seriesNeon Genesis Evangelion, in which it has been renamed Tokyo-3, and there are numerous attractions related to the franchise offered in the town.[7] In 2017, Hakone was included as one of 88 anime pilgrimage sites for 2018 by theAnime Tourism Association.[8][9] In 2020, new decorations were introduced to the city in the anticipation of the release of the final film of theRebuild of Evangelion tetralogy.[10]
Hakone has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town does not have a public high school. There are also two private elementary schools, one private middle school, and one private high school. (Kanrei Shirayuri Gakuen Junior/Senior High School). The privateSeisa University also has a campus in Hakone.
Odawara andMishima, the terminus of theOdakyū Odawara Line, 70 minutes fromShinjuku, Tokyo. From Odawara, theHakone Tozan Line continues into various resort towns in Hakone.Odakyu also runs theRomancecar limited express betweenShinjuku andHakone-Yumoto. FromGōra, the terminus of Hakone Tozan Line, theHakone Tozan Cable Car funicular goes toSōunzan.Ōwakudani can be reached byHakone Ropeway from Sounzan and the lake, while the lake is crisscrossed by cartoonishly decorated "pirate" ships for tourists. There is alsoHakone Komagatake Ropeway, which goes to the top of Mount Komagatake. A popular "Hakone Free Pass", allowing unlimited use of most forms of transport for several days, is available. Hakone Free Pass can be bought at Shinjuku Station, Odawara Station, any other chief station along Odakyū Odawara Line, Hakone-Yumoto Station, Gōra Station, any other chief station along Hakone Tozan Line, Sōunzan Station,Tōgendai Station, Sengoku-Annaijo Bus Stop, Moto-Hakone Port, Hakone-Machi Port, and JRGotemba Station Bus Information.
Tōyako, Hokkaido, since July 4, 1964
Jasper, Alberta,Canada, since July 4, 1972
Taupō,New Zealand, since October 7, 1987
St. Moritz,Switzerland, friendship city since November 2, 2014Hakone Town's tourist attractions include:Lake Ashi, theHakone Barrier, theHakone Shrine, theHakone Resort Complex, theHakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands, theHakone Venetian Glass Museum and many others.
Hakone Yosegi Zaiku can be described as inlaid wood artistry. No dyes or stains are used, rather the artisans choose from the many different types of trees in the area to create different colors and textures in their art. The Hakone Yosegi Zaiku are characterized by their intricate and complex geometric patterns made from bonding and cutting different types of wood.
Hakone travel guide from Wikivoyage
Geographic data related toHakone atOpenStreetMap| Shinkansen | |
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