Hakone Barrier, Restored checkpoint in Hakone, Japan
The Hakone Barrier sits on the shore of Lake Ashi with Mount Byobu rising behind it, showing inspection zones, guard buildings, and detention cells across its grounds. The compound displays typical checkpoint architecture from the Edo period, with wooden structures and strict passage areas.
This checkpoint opened in 1619 and remained active until 1869 during the Edo period, serving as one of 50 major security stations along the Tokaido Road between Edo and Kyoto. The site was fully reconstructed in 2007 based on late Edo period architectural documents.
Guards performed thorough inspections of women travelers, preventing wives of feudal lords from secretly leaving Edo. These measures helped the shogunate maintain political control over the nobility.
Buses from Odawara Station take around 55 minutes to reach the entrance, where adults pay 500 yen and children pay 250 yen for admission. The grounds are easy to walk through, with covered areas for rainy days.
The 2007 reconstruction used the same craft techniques and materials as the original, after researchers discovered detailed construction plans from the late Edo period. Each wooden element was shaped and joined using historical methods.
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