Hakone

Japan

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Article History

Hakone, town, far southwestern Kanagawa ken (prefecture), east-central Honshu, Japan. It lies on the southern bank of Lake Ashino, in the caldera of the extinct volcano Mount Hakone.

The town was a post station on the Tōkaidō (“Eastern Sea Road”)—the main historic land route between Edo (Tokyo) and Kyōto—during the Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1868). It later developed into a tourist base for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Hakone, a favourite hot-spring and sightseeing resort, is well served by roads and railways. Pop. (2010) 13,853; (2015) 11,786.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.