Old Tokaido Road and Hakone Checkpoint
Hakonemachi and Hatajuku, Japan
The restored Hakone Checkpoint helps explain why this mountain passage mattered to travellers moving between Edo and Kyoto. Combine its buildings and displays with a walk along the cedar-lined road beside the lake, or plan a longer outing on the old stone-paved route towards Hatajuku. These are different walks, so choose your section before setting out. Uneven paving can be slippery after rain; comfortable footwear and a checked return route are worthwhile.