 Hakone's location in Kanagawa, Japan. |
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  Hakone's location in Japan. |
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| Location | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Kanagawa |
| District | Ashigarashimo |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Area | 92.82 km2 (35.84 sq mi) |
| Population (as of January 2008) | |
| Total | 13,679 |
| Density | 147 /km² (381 /sq mi) |
| Location | Coordinates: |
| Symbols | |
| Tree | Yamazakura (Prunus jamasakura) |
| Flower | Hakonebara (Rosa microphylla hirtura) |
| Bird | Woodpecker |
 Flag |
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| Hakone Government Office | |
| Mayor | Nobuo Yamaguchi |
| Address | 256 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken 250-0398 |
| Phone number | 0460-85-7111 |
| Official website: Hakone Town | |
Hakone (箱根町 Hakone-machi?) is a town in Japan, in Kanagawa Prefecture, in Ashigarashimo District, located on the eastern foot of Hakone 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 at Hakone-juku on the historical Tōkaidō marks the beginning of Japan's Kantō region. Since the Edo 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 (ja:箱根温泉).
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Sightseeing
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 around Lake Ashi, is a popular tourist attraction well known for its onsen hot springs and its views of Mt. Fuji.
Sights include the volcanically active Great Boiling Valley and Hakone Shrine nestled on the shore of the lake, as well as the Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands. In April the cherry blossoms (sakura) and in autumn the Miscanthus sinensis (susuki) are reportedly a very beautiful view in the parks.
Transportation
Hakone is best accessed from Odawara and Mishima, the terminus of the Odakyu Odawara Line, 70 minutes from Shinjuku, Tokyo. From Odawara, the Hakone Tozan Line continues into various resort towns in Hakone. Odakyu also runs the Romancecar limited express between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto. From Gora, the terminus of Hakone Tozan Line, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car funicular goes to Sounzan. Owakudani can be reached by Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan and the lake, while the lake is crisscrossed by cartoonishly decorated "pirate" ships for tourists. There is also Hakone 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 along Odakyu 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 Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune 2, 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 of Sadako 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.
 Hakone, hand-colored print 1860–1900. |
 Torii of the shrine in Hakone, at Lake Ashi |
 The summer festival in Hakone includes a bonfire in the shape of the kanji 大 (dai) and fireworks. |
 Lake Ashi |
External links
- Hakone travel guide from Wikitravel
- Hakone Area Highlights from Kanagawa Prefectural Tourist Association
- Hakone Free Pass from Odakyu Electric Railway
- Hakone Open-Air Museum
- Hakone Theme Park
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 1 October 2008, at 13:26.
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