- Hakone, Kanagawa
Infobox City Japan
Name= Hakone
JapaneseName= 箱根町
Map
Region= Kantō
Prefecture= Kanagawa
District= Ashigarashimo
Area_km2= 92.82
PopDate= January 2008
Population= 13,679
Density_km2= 147
Coords=
LatitudeDegrees= 35
LatitudeMinutes= 11
LatitudeSeconds=
LongtitudeDegrees= 139
LongtitudeMinutes= 2
LongtitudeSeconds=
Tree=Yamazakura (Prunus jamasakura)
Flower= Hakonebara (Rosa microphylla hirtura)
Bird=Woodpecker
Symbol!border
SymbolDescription= Flag
Mayor=Nobuo Yamaguchi
CityHallPostalCode= 250-0398
CityHallAddress= 256 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken
CityHallPhone= 0460-85-7111
CityHallLink= [http://www.town.hakone.kanagawa.jp/ Hakone Town]nihongo|Hakone|箱根町|Hakone-machi is a town in
Japan , inKanagawa Prefecture , in Ashigarashimo District, located on the eastern foot ofHakone Pass .As of 2008, the town has an estimated
population of 13,679 and a density of 147 persons per km². The total area is 92.82 km².The
Ashigara Checkpoint atHakone-juku on the historical Tōkaidō marks the beginning of Japan'sKantō region . Since theEdo period , Ashigara Checkpoint has been renamed Hakone Checkpoint.The annual
Hakone Ekiden at the New Year runs from Tokyo to Hakone and back over two days, partly in commemoration of the Tōkaidō road. Like its close neighbors Odawara and Mishima, Hakone has many "onsen " (hot spring ) resort areas ().ightseeing
Hakone hosts substantial tourist activity, and many, both Japanese and international visitors come to Hakone to relax, for treatment at the health resorts, or to visit the parks and mountains.
The volcanically active
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park , centered aroundLake Ashi , is a popular tourist attraction well known for itsonsen hot springs and its views ofMt. Fuji .Sights include the volcanically active
Great Boiling Valley and Hakone Shrine nestled 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 reportedly a very beautiful view in the parks.Transportation
Hakone is best accessed from
Odawara and Mishima, the terminus of theOdakyu Odawara Line , 70 minutes fromShinjuku ,Tokyo . From Odawara, theHakone Tozan Line continues into various resort towns in Hakone.Odakyu also runs theRomancecar limited express between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto. From Gora, the terminus of Hakone Tozan Line, theHakone Tozan Cable Car funicular goes to Sounzan. Owakudani 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. You can buy this free pass in
Shinjuku ,Odawara , and any other chief stations alongOdakyu Odawara Line .Hakone has a number of museums, including the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
In Fiction
*A section of its mountain road became the only mountain stage for "", and is prominently featured in the
Kaidō Battle series.
*In the anime "Neon Genesis Evangelion", the city of Tokyo-3 is actually the town of Hakone, after a great deal of development. Hakone was renamed Tokyo-3 as it was originally intended to become the new capital of Japan.*The Hakone checkpoint is featured in the anime show,
Samurai Champloo , in the ninth episode.
*In the Japanese novel Ring, by Koji Suzuki, the character ofSadako Yamamura was thrown into a well in Hakone.
*In the 2001 tokatsu film " Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters Out-All Attack", Godzilla battles Baragon in the spa town. Several areas are flattened, including an observatory.External links
*
* [http://www.kanagawa-kankou.or.jp/english/area/hakone.html Hakone Area Highlights] from Kanagawa Prefectural Tourist Association
* [http://www.odakyu.jp/english/freepass/hakone_01.html Hakone Free Pass] fromOdakyu Electric Railway
* [http://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/eng/ Hakone Open-Air Museum]
* [http://www.hakone.or.jp/english/index.html Hakone Theme Park]
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