Old Tokaido Cedar Avenue
nature
箱根旧街道杉並木
A preserved avenue of towering 350-year-old cedar trees along the original Edo-era highway, free and nearly empty.
This 500-meter stretch of the old Tokaido highway near Lake Ashi is lined with over 400 giant cedar trees planted in the 1680s to provide shade for feudal lords traveling between Edo and Kyoto. The massive trunks, some over 4 meters in circumference, create a cathedral-like canopy overhead. Despite its proximity to Hakone's main attractions, the avenue sees surprisingly few visitors.
Walk the avenue early morning when mist clings to the cedar trunks. The filtered light and scale of the trees make you feel like a samurai era traveler.
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