Hakone Sekisho Checkpoint & Moto-Hakone 箱根関所・元箱根
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After the Hakone Ropeway to Togendai, you can ride the pirate boat to either Hakone-machi Port or Moto-Hakone on Lake Ashi. I went to Hakone-machi Port.Odakyu Line's Hakone Freepass is valid on the pirate ships.
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Hakone-machi Post Office.
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Hakone-machi port town
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A shopping place near the entrance of Hakone Sekisho.
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Lake Ashi and a bit of Mt. Fuji from Hakone-machi.
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Kyoto-side gate to Hakone Sekisho Checkpoint, originally built in 1619 and operated until 1868.Hakone Sekisho was one of 53 checkpoints along the major roads during the Edo Period. It's where they checked the identities of women leaving Edo to make sure they were not the hostage daimyo wives and children fleeing Edo.
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At Hakone-machi on the shore of Lake Ashi, a fantastic reconstruction of the Hakone Sekisho Checkpoint. This is the main office. After years of research, excavations, and construction, the reconstruction was finally completed in 2007 based on accurate records of the major buildings. The reconstructed buildings were built on the exact spot of the original sekisho buildings.
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The officials and guards working at the sekisho also lived there so there are living quarters (right) as well. http://www.hakonesekisyo.jp/english/
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Hakone Sekisho layout
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Horse stable
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Main office of Hakone Sekisho
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Main office of Hakone Sekisho
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The women travelers underwent a hair check conducted by a woman official. I wonder what could be hidden in the hair.
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Sekisho main office with officials working. It must have been hard to identify people since there were no photo IDs.
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Foot soldier quarters
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Jail
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Foot soldier quarters
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Foot soldier quarters
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Well next to Foot soldier quarters
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Coins in well
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Steps to Lookout point.
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Edo-side gate of Hakone Sekisho. Go out here to walk to the Hakone Sekisho Exhibition Hall
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A camera stand is conveniently provided for selfies.
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Pose with Lake Ashi
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Lake Ashi with a bit of Mt. Fuji
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Hakone-machi Port
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Scenic views along the way to the Hakone Sekisho Exhibition Hall.
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Hakone Sekisho Exhibition Hall displays various artifacts about the sekisho. Photography not allowed inside.
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Hakone-machi manhole of a palanquin
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Hakone-machi manhole
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Sculpture of a Hakone Ekiden runner at Hakone-machi Port.
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My ride to Moto Hakone.
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Pirate boat at Hakone-machi Port.
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Inside the pirate boat "Royale"
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Leaving Hakone-machi Port.
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Hakone-machi Port.
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Hakone Sekisho
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Lake Ashi
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Mt. Fuji becomes more visible as you sail to Moto-Hakone.
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Mt. Komagatake and Hakone Shrine's torii in the water.
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Hakone Shrine's torii in the water. Looks tiny, but it's actually a giant torii.
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Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi, and Hakone Shrine's torii in the water.
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Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi, and Hakone Shrine's torii in the water. This is a symbolic shot of Hakone.
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Mt. Komagatake also has a ropeway to the summit for great views of Lake Ashi.
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Moto-Hakone Port 元箱根
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Inside the pirate boat Royale.
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Moto-Hakone
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Moto-Hakone Port with Hakone Shrine's large torii in view.
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Moto-Hakone Port
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Moto-Hakone Port
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Lakeside along Moto-Hakone
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Hakone Shrine's large torii shows the way to the shrine. About 20-min. walk to the shrine from the port.
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Entrance to Narikawa Art Museum
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Moto-Hakone
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Jizo statues
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Welcome to Lake Ashi (Ashinoko)
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The torii
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Walking path along the lakeside in Moto-Hakone
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Moto-Hakone
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Moto-Hakone Port
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Entering Hakone Shrine at Moto Hakone.
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Hakone Shrine
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More steps to the shrine, but I was too tired and declined.
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Hakone Shrine's torii you see from the pirate boat on Lake Ashi looks tiny, but it's actually a giant torii of Hakone Shrine.
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Comparable to the torii at Miyajima in Hiroshima. Not doubt one of the most photographed in Japan.
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This torii is actually relatively new, built only in 1952 to commemorate two events that year: The ceremony that proclaimed Prince Akihito as Crown Prince when he came of age in Nov., and Japan's independence when the Allied Occupation of Japan ended
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Then in Oct. 1964, to celebrate the Tokyo Olympics and the shrine's 1,200th anniversary, the shrine hung a large framed calligraphy with the word "Heiwa" (Peace). It's on the front of the torii. The "Heiwa" kanji characters were written by Yoshida Shigeru, Japan's prime minister who signed the Treaty of San Francisco for Japan. The official name of this torii is "Peace Torii of Hakone Shrine" (平和の鳥居).
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Lake Ashi from Moto-Hakone
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Shrine's boat house
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Took the scenic trail back to Moto-Hakone.
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Moto-Hakone
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Boats for rent.
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Hakone Shrine's torii in autumn.
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Lake Ashi and Moto Hakone and Hakone-machi as seen from Mt. Komagatake.
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Sunset at Moto-Hakone with Mt. Fuji
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Sunset at Moto-Hakone
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Map of Hakone are
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Hakone's old Kaido road
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Chaya teahouse
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Between Moto Hakone and Hakone Yumoto is Amasake Chaya, a teahouse for travelers. The hilly path through Hakone was tough. So they had these lodges where travelers could rest. This is the only one remaining.
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Amasake Chaya, a teahouse for travelers in Hakone. There is a bus stop in front of this teahouse.
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Inside Amasake Chaya, a teahouse for travelers.
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Order ama-sake, coffee, tea, etc.
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Ordered matcha tea
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Near the teahouse is this small museum about the Hakone's old Kaido road. Hakone Kyu-Kaido Museum
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Museum is also a rest place, but no one uses it.
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Palanquin
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Painting of Hakone Daimyu Gyoretsu procession.
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Buses in Hakone are multi-lingual.
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