Southern gate (Kyoto side) to the historical Hakone Checkpoint on the shores of Lake Ashino in the Hakone mountain range located halfway between Tokyo and Mt. Fuji. The checkpoint was used by the Edo Shogunate from 1619 until 1868 to inspect travelers, and feudal lords with their entourage of family, samurai, and staff. Feudal lords were required to leave their wives and children in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and return to their castles every other year. The shogun basically held the families as hostages to ensure there were no rebellions. The checkpoint includes historically accurate reconstructions of gates, fences, officer housing, prison, and lookout tower, using the same tools and techniques from over 400 years ago. Even the dark blue paint is made of the original mixture of persimmon juice and charcoal. ISO 800 at ƒ/7.1 for 1/1250 sec. #HakoneCheckpoint #OldTokaido #JapaneseHistoricalSite #JapaneseHistory #JapaneseArchitecture #EdoPeriod #箱根関所 #江戸時代 #箱根 #芦ノ湖 #PentaxKP
