Hakone Hachiri: Highway Back in Time

For centuries, the ancient Tokaido highway was the most important road in all Japan. It linked Kyoto, the emperor's capital, with Edo, the city of the shoguns, now known as Tokyo. These days, the old road has mostly been paved over for modern traffic. But there's still a long section where visitors can walk along the original route. Known as Hakone Hachiri, it runs between Odawara (in Kanagawa Prefecture) and Mishima (Shizuoka Prefecture) and it offers many glimpses of the history and traditions of Japan's feudal period. Visitors will see the original stones paving the road; giant cedar trees lining the route; a centuries-old tea house; traditional crafts shops; and hot springs where weary travelers still stop to ease their aching legs. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, Michael Keida discovers many reminders of old Japan, while hiking along Hakone Hachiri.

Release Date: 2010-02-02
Seasons: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
TMDb: 9.0/10
  • Country: JP
  • Language: 日本語 | English
  • Runtime: 28

Other episodes for this season

Yamanobe no Michi
Episode 1 - Yamanobe no Michi
Hamamatsu: From Local Expertise to Global Renown
Episode 2 - Hamamatsu: From Local Exp...
Matsusaka: Legacy of Samurai, Merchants, Artisan
Episode 3 - Matsusaka: Legacy of Samu...
JAPOW Magical Backcountry Ski Tour
Episode 4 - JAPOW Magical Backcountry...
—Festivals— A Harbinger of Spring
Episode 5 - —Festivals— A Harbinger o...
Hearing the Silent Voice of the Bedrock
Episode 6 - Hearing the Silent Voice...
Eyeing Architectural Wonders
Episode 7 - Eyeing Architectural Wond...
Nagasaki: City of Hills and Hope
Episode 8 - Nagasaki: City of Hills a...
Eternally Radiant Himeji Castle
Episode 9 - Eternally Radiant Himeji...
Maniwa: Living from the Forest
Episode 10 - Maniwa: Living from the F...
Breathing New Life into Iwaki
Episode 11 - Breathing New Life into I...
Exploring the Mudflats of the Ariake Sea in Saga
Episode 12 - Exploring the Mudflats of...
Yamagata: Communing with the Living and the Dead
Episode 13 - Yamagata: Communing with...
Suzuka: City with a Racing Circuit
Episode 14 - Suzuka: City with a Racin...
Iriomote: Pursuing the Elusive Jungle Cat
Episode 15 - Iriomote: Pursuing the El...
Shinhama, Sendai: A Green Sea Wall for the Future
Episode 16 - Shinhama, Sendai: A Green...
Tamba-Sasayama: Inn to the Heart of a Village
Episode 17 - Tamba-Sasayama: Inn to th...
Okinawa: Weaving Culture
Episode 18 - Okinawa: Weaving Culture
Peak Pleasure in the Northern Alps
Episode 19 - Peak Pleasure in the Nort...
Midsummer with the Ancestors: Wakasa Town
Episode 20 - Midsummer with the Ancest...
With Isabella Bird: On the Road to Nikko
Episode 21 - With Isabella Bird: On th...
Tochigi: Destinations of Timeless Calm
Episode 22 - Tochigi: Destinations of...
Spirited Away to Tono
Episode 23 - Spirited Away to Tono
Hakone Hachiri: Highway Back in Time
Episode 24 - Hakone Hachiri: Highway Back in Time
Kumamoto: Castle Town Loves Its Past with Eye on the Future
Episode 25 - Kumamoto: Castle Town Lov...