Sweet drink for Exhausted Princess: Stone-pavement and historic Amasake Chaya Café on the 8 Miles Road of Hakone 箱根八里

Now, please check your shoes. No slippery sole? Ready to take the historical 8 Miles Road of Hakone? OK, let’s go! From Kaempfer-Barney Memorial, a nice walking road leads us to the east. In no time, we cross a petit flyover which crosses a community road busy with cars. In November, from the bridge we can admire beautiful autumn color of tall Japanese orixa (Orixa japonica) at the same level of our eyes. Bonus. 😄 The end of the overpass is the beginning of Japanese civil engineering for the 17th Century, i.e., the stone paved road of the 8 Miles Road of Hakone 箱根八里. It’s a sharp climbing, called “Gongen-zaka (Gongen Slope 権現坂). Come to think of it, Lake Ashinoko 芦ノ湖 is a crater lake made by the volcanic eruption 3000 years ago. The slope surrounding the Lake must be very steep. Accept it …

We walk on the overpass from Kaempfer-Barney Memorial.

The pavement begins.

The paved road sometimes runs with stone steps where we encounter little monuments of yesteryear travelers, such as a community Shintoism shrine. After passing the memorial stone for the song of packhorse drivers 箱根馬子唄碑, we reach to the highest altitude point, ASL 800m, of the entire old Tokaido 東海道. When people traveled Tokaido between Osaka / Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) on foot or horseback, that was the “top of the world.” Actually, Hakone still has the highest altitude point of Route 1, at ASL 874m near Ashino-yu Hotspring 芦之湯. Hmmmmm … the mechanized power certainly makes human voyage easier … In today’s hiking course, up to this point is the only sheer climbing. The rest is mainly going down, with occasional small ascends. Especially this part of 8 Miles Road is busy hiking route so that the pavement is well-treaded and clean. Enjoy your walk of short breath!

Gongen slope

Along the way, there are several educational boards explaining the 8 Miles Road. (Hey, we’re in the National Park!) According to one of them, until 1680 Tokugawa Shogunate Government covered the 8 Miles Road with Pleioblastus chino f. vaginatus, a variant of ubiquitous sasa-bamboo, Pleioblastus chino Makino var chino. F. vaginatus is smaller in size compared with their cousins in lower altitude such as in Yokohama. Sure enough, we find lots of f. vaginatus in both sides of the 8 Miles Road that was constructed by cutting through the hill. The Shogunate soon realized it was extremely expensive to maintain the road that way. Hiring laborers to mow the road, collecting sasa-bamboos, cutting the harvested sasa in proper size, then spreading them for 8 miles so often … Phew. So, they changed their method, and paved all the route of about 3.6m wide with volcanic stones readily available in the area. When Kaempfer came to Hakone in 1691 and 1692, the pavement of the 8 Miles Road was relatively new. No wonder he was so impressed by the shiny artery road of Japan.

Hakone’s sasa bamboos are smaller than those in lower places.

The ancient civil engineering.
 By the way, have you noticed
 people in this photo avoiding the center of the way?
 I tell you why next week.

Both sides of the road beyond the slopes with sasa-bamboos are afforested forests of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtuse). Even though, compared with the other parts of Kanagawa Prefecture, in terms of volume the % of afforested conifers is smaller here. It’s because Hakone was registered as a National Park early. Japanese National Park system started in 1934, and Hakone became the one in 1936 before the World War II. So, next to the patches of coniferous afforestation we can frequently meet deciduous broad-leaved trees spared from deforestation, such as large Wedding cake trees (Cornus controversa), Himalayan spindles (Enonymus hamiltonianus), and many others. They were spared from deforestation. It is a particular joy to hike in an old forest of biodiversity. Many deciduous trees have also been important cultural and economic thing for the traditional community we eventually reach. Wait for the next week’s post. 😊

Mixture of conifers and broad-leaved trees

Beautiful Botrychium ternatum

The last time this road underwent an overhaul was in 1863 when Princess Kazu 和宮親子内親王, the 8th daughter of Emperor Ninkoh 仁孝天皇, moved to Edo from Kyoto to be the First Wife of the 14th Tokugawa Shogun, Iemochi 徳川家茂. Later, she played a crucial role to save Edo (Tokyo) from destruction by modern military forces of Meiji Restoration Government 明治維新政府. I imagine how the teenager Princess moved through Hakone in a palanquin … The mountains were deep and precipitous. She must have clung for hours to the supporting rope from ceiling, in order to stay in the wagon. Her palms could have been grazed, possibly blooding … Did she walk? Nah. She was a pure court girl lived her entire life so far only in and around Emperor’s palace in Kyoto. Hiking was not in her resume. Yet, the 8 Miles Road of Hakone is very wide mountain trekking road with pavement, remaining in the 21st Century. Before trains and cars, it had several cafés along the route for travelers to have some rest. The only one remains now.

From the highest altitude point for the 8 Miles Road, after about an hour descend, we cross a pedestrian crossing over the modern prefectural road Route 732. The ancient road still continues to another side for about 5 or so minutes. Then, on our right we meet an old, thatched wooden structure. It’s Amasake Chaya Café 甘酒茶屋, established around the same time for Hakone Checking Point 箱根関所 in the early 17th century. The current owner of the premise is the 13th Master of Amasake Chaya, Mr. Satoshi Yamamoto 山本聡. The café is famous for centuries with its special recipe for Amasake drink. Amasake is sweet drink made of steamed rice fermented by malted rice. Amasake Chaya’s recipe does not add any sugar. Yet, its sweetness is easy for tired body to replenish depleted energy, thanks to lots of natural amino acid, glucose, vitamins, oligosaccharide, and dietary fiber. i.e. The café acted as a water station for long-distance trail walkers/runners for more than 400 years. Today, they serve, in a reasonable price, their almighty Amasake and traditional Japanese snacks which are basically vegan (; the menu is here). Aaaaaaaaaand, they are always open, 7:00-17:30, rain or shine. Their café is standing on this historical artery road of Japan on which lots of travelers come and go. There is no excuse to close the water station for such exhausted passengers, isn’t there?

Amasake Chaya on our right

Amasake Chaya

Their famous Amasake

Now you reach here from Lake Ashinoko. Please enjoy famous Amasake, and light meals as lots of people have done for centuries. Oh, in English Wikipedia, they say Amazake is alcohol drink. WRONG. If we make it as Amasake Chaya does, it does not contain alcohol. Their fermentation method is same for soy source or miso paste, i.e. non-alcoholic, and safe for Muslims to drink. Even a 0-year-old baby can have it when their mom has problem of breast-feeding. Additional info: when you try their rice cake (Mochi) menu in Amasake Chaya, you can combine the flavoring of your choice. They serve a Mochi plate for two pieces of rice cakes. The choice of flavoring is soy source with seaweed (named ‘Isobe いそべ’), sweet kinako topping (called ‘Uguisu うぐいす’), and slightly salty kinako with coarsely ground toasted black sesame (‘Kurogoma 黒ごま‘). You can choose any of these for your two rice cakes, like “One with soy source, and another with sweet kinako.” Please tell your preference at the time of ordering. Their serving system is, you tell your choice at the cashier first, find your place to sit, and wait for the servers to bring your meal. As this is a very old wooden house, air circulation can be perfect, in addition to lots of open-air seats outside. We can enjoy café even under the threat of COVID-19 (+ they provide sanitizing alcohols, wipes et al here and there). And finally, the place is in the middle of municipal garden that has independent structure for lots of toilets! You can catch a commuter bus service (time table here) from here to Hakone-yumoto Station 箱根湯本駅 of Hakone Tozan Railway 箱根登山鉄道, or keep on walking the 8 Miles Road. Actually, to experience the historical 8 Miles Road of Hakone as the yesteryear people did, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet, mate. Please stay tuned for the next week. 😉

I ordered Isobe and Kurogoma for my lunch.

In front of the Café is Amasake Chaya Stop.

Toilets

If you find environmental issues in Hakone, please make a contact with Hakone Visitor Center, Ministry of Environment of Japan.

164 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa 250-0522
Phone: +81-460-84-9981
FAX: +81-460-84-5721
Email: hakone-vc@kanagawa.email.ne.jp
http://hakonevc.sunnyday.jp/shizenjyouhou/gazou/englishindex.html

In Memory of the 17th Century Travelogue: Kaempfer-Barney Memorial on the 8 Miles Road of Hakone 箱根八里

Passing the First Torii 一の鳥居 of Hakone Shrine 箱根神社, and we turn right at Motohakone 元箱根 Traffic light. The road, an asphalted commuter road with cars, starts to go up. In 100m or so from the traffic light, on our left there is a stone monument called Kaempfer-Barney Memorial. The place is a focal point of Kaempfer-Barney Festival that is supposed to be held on Sunday around 15th of April every year … Er, it seems to me Hakone Town won’t have it this year as for the last year. COVID-19 thing, you know … Anyway, it’s a festivity started in 1986 by the volunteers of Hakone Town who were active in nature conservation issues in Hakone. Eventually, the Town Hall became the sponsor of the annual event when kids and volunteers gather in front of this memorial to reassure the determination for environmental protection of their hometown. Why in front of this monument? Well, it’s because the 8 Mile Road of Hakone was the historical main artery route for Japan.

Kaempfer-Barney Memorial

Engelbert Kaempfer was in his early 40s when in 1690 he reached Japan from Germany. He worked for the Dutch Mercantile House in Nagasaki 長崎 as a medical doctor. At that time, Japanese government strictly limited any activity of foreigners in the archipelago. Unlike today’s tourists, especially for Caucasians it was extremely difficult hiding in a crowd to watch Japanese way firsthand. Living in Japan must have been a real “adventure” for Kaempfer. He was secretly enthusiastic to record everything he saw in Japan. I guess he also was a charming person. He had two chances to travel from Nagasaki to Edo (Tokyo), some 1500km apart, to meet the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi 徳川綱吉. You know, Tokugawa Shogunate firmly controlled the traffic in and out of Edo, and Hakone was THE choking point. Kaempfer did not have any other way to come to Tokyo other than going through Hakone. Surely, he came here in 1691 and 1692, to the point the memorial stands now, and recorded the natural scenery (; so he thought. You see? The 8 Miles Road was heavily constructed main street of Japan at that time) he found in Hakone. After returning Germany in 1712 he published his first book, “Amoenitates Exoticae,” mainly describing his experience in Persia. He then started writing his second, “The History of Japan,” but died in 1716 before publication. With many twists and turns of history, his manuscript recording his 2 years’ stay in Japan was donated to the Royal Library of Britain and finally published in 1727, not in its original German, but as an English translation. The original of the translated version is now in British Library. It became a long seller. Even Queen Elizabeth II said she read it before her visit to Japan in 1975. I presume now his “The History of Japan” is on a reading list for budding scholars of Japanology.

The 8 Miles Road to Edo
 seen from Kaempfer-Barney Memorial.
 He may have seen the same scenery 300 years ago …

At the opening of “Japan of Today,” English translator of Kaempfer’s manuscript, John G. Scheuchzer introduced his translation to his monarch, King George II (I guess … George I died in June 1727), this way:


    (The book) describes a valiant and invincible Nation,

    a polite, industrious and virtuous People,

    enrich’d by a mutual Commerce among themselves,

    and possess’d of a Country,

    on which Nature hath lavish’d her most valuable Treasures.

 * pp. xxi-xxii, 1993 Reprint of 1906 Edition, Curzon Press, Surrey, UK

Wow. Thank you! You mean, it’s about Japan, don’t you? Fast forward to the 20th century. When Onshi-koen 恩賜公園 was an Imperial summer palace, Hakone was a fashionable resort town with many mansions of celebrities. One of such was a summer house stood on a lakeshore near the First Torii. It was owned by an English merchant, Cyril Montague-Barney, who did well in international trading business from his office in Kobe 神戸. I wonder why a person lived in Kobe commuted every summer to Hakone, ignoring the other beautiful natural sceneries in between ... Anyway, Barney loved Hakone, and he was an excited reader of Kaempfer’s “Japan.” He received a deep inspiration from the above words of Scheuchzer. So, in 1922 he ordered to construct a stone monument inscribing the phrase to decorate his garden observing Lake Ashinoko. He was not shy to show-off his stone to whomever visited his summer residence. In a sense, Barney’s doing was the first public declaration for the importance of nature conservation in Japan ... Yeah, there were many famous Japanese naturalist already at that time, like Kumakusu Minakata 南方熊楠 or Tomitaro Makino 牧野富太郎, but doing PR for the matter was not their forte ... Hmmmmmmm … At the time Kaempfer-Barney Festival began in 1986, Barney’s summer house was gone, but his memorial was moved to the roadside of 8 Miles Road where surely Kaempfer went through. That’s the reason why volunteers for environmental protection in Hakone Town hold the commemorative festival in front of the monument.

The stone monument Barney made

Today, the point where the monument stands has a small open space, and a map and the other bulletin boards explaining Kaempfer, Barney, and the 8 Miles Road of Hakone. Although there is no toilet here, please use the place wisely, as this is the beginning of real “hiking” road of the 8 Miles Road. I think there is one thing important, practically, from here for today’s itinerary. Please make it sure you wear nice walking shoes WITHOUT spikes, ropes or any slippery things on your sole. Also, we don’t need any spats or the like to cover your foot. 8 Miles Road was the artery road of Japan. We don’t have to push our way through low trees and bushes, or paddle in mud. Instead, the entire path is “paved” for which Kaempfer was so impressed in the 17th century. Er, I think, it’s really a matter of point of view. Yeah, maybe, in the 17th century Europe, a mountain road completely paved could have been an astonishment. But … OK, let’s experience it next week. I’ll tell you my 21st century Adventure in Hakone.

If you find environmental issues in Hakone, please make a contact with Hakone Visitor Center, Ministry of Environment of Japan.

164 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa 250-0522
Phone: +81-460-84-9981
FAX: +81-460-84-5721
Email: hakone-vc@kanagawa.email.ne.jp
http://hakonevc.sunnyday.jp/shizenjyouhou/gazou/englishindex.html