平和の鳥居 Trip to Heiwa no Tori

Heiwa no Tori is situated in an utterly tranquil and beautiful location. To get there, I would suggest you to take the lake Ashi Pirate Ship cruise from Togendai-ko to Hakone macho-ko or Hakone Tozan Bus directly to Hakone machi-ko. The shrine is a 10 minute walk from the pier/bus station. It involves a gentle slope plus some steps. I was lucky as I didn’t need to wait a long time to take a photo of this famous tourist destination. I suggest that you visit on weekdays and holidays to avoid the line. Don’t forget to pray when you reach the stone! It doesn’t matter if you believe in someone or something or not. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience. Some historical background about the shrine: This torii gate serves two purposes. First, this torii gate indicates "entrance" from the shore of Ashinko Lake to Hakone Shrine which sits 213 meters (700 feet) up on the hill behind the gate. This particular gate is unique in that there are not so many throughout all of Japan that have been built directly over the water. Second, this torii gate is named "Heiwa-no-Torii" (Gate of Peace), which was erected in 1951 to commemorate the Treaty of San Francisco where Japan concluded peace with 48 nations to formally end WWII. The "Heiwa-no-Torii" (Peace Gate), which leads up to Hakone Shrine tucked away in the mountainside above the lake, was erected in the water just off the shore of Ashinoko Lake. On a clear day, you can even see the outline of Mount Fuji from across the lake! #境外遊 #familytravel #awesomepic #passionpassport