Hakone Shrine

From the Moto-Hakone side of Lake Ashi, a road lined with torii leads into the forest. The main approach is about 90 stone steps under old cedars, easier than it looks, and a stepless path through the woods runs alongside. Tradition says the priest Mangan moved the shrine here in 757. In the Kamakura period it ranked among the most important shrines for the shogunate's warriors, and Minamoto no Yoritomo worshipped here. The vermilion hall sits at the top, and immediately to its right is the Kuzuryu Shrine Shingu, dedicated to the nine-headed dragon of the lake; the original Kuzuryu shrine is about 30 minutes' walk away along the shore inside the paid Kuzuryu-no-Mori forest. Most visitors, though, head down to the water. The Peace Torii stands in the lake below the hall, erected in 1952 to mark the San Francisco Peace Treaty, and the queue for a photo standing under it forms early and can run long on weekends and holidays. Come before tour buses arrive or late in the afternoon. The treasure hall (500 yen) holds Important Cultural Properties, including an illustrated scroll of the shrine's origins.