Page 98 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo

96  BEY OND T OK Y O

5 Chichibu-Tama- Yosegi-Zaiku Marquetry
Kai National Park
Originating in the 9th century, this type of marquetry has been a
Cichibu-Tama National Park
Hakone specialty since the 19th century; today there are about
Tokyo, Saitama, Nagano, and Yamana- 100 practitioners in the area. Although it looks like in laid mosaic,
shi prefectures. * 71,500 (Chichibu yosegi-zaiku uses a very different
city). £ Seibu-Chichibu stn, Seibu- technique. Strips are cut from planks
Chichibu line; Chichibu stn, Chichibu of up to 40 varieties of undyed woods
line; Okutama or Mitake stns, JR line. and glued together to form patterned
n Chichibu stn (0494) 25-3192. blocks. These are in turn glued into
_ Yo Matsuri (Dec 2–3, Chichibu larger blocks, which are then either
city). ∑ env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/ shaped with a lathe into bowls and
park/parks/chichibu.html boxes, or shaved into cross-sectional
sheets, used to coat items such as
boxes and purses. The paper-thin
This remote area of low sheets are flexible and can be
mountains, rich in traditions laminated. Some of the most popular
and wildlife, stretches from creations are “magic” boxes, opened
the narrow valleys of Okutama Craftsman making a in a sequence of moves to reveal a
in the south to the basin yosegi-zaiku box hidden drawer.
around Chichibu city in the
north. The two parts of the
park are separated by Environs leaving a legacy today of hot
mountains, crossed only by South of Chichibu-Tama lies springs and steam vents.
a few hiking trails, and are Mount Takao (on the Keio train Although Hakone can be
reached by two separate rail line to Takaosan-guchi). Its slopes visited as a long day trip from
networks. Within the park, have pleasant walks with sweep- Tokyo, it is worth an overnight
travel is mostly by bus. ing views of Tokyo and Mount Fuji. stay. Two- or three-day public
Chichibu was a prime silk- transportation passes are avail-
producing region until the 6 Hakone able on the Odakyu Line from
early 20th century. Today it is Shinjuku, Tokyo. A convenient
known for its vibrant festivals Hakone
circuit of the main sights starts
and its pilgrim route linking Kanagawa prefecture. * 14,000. from the onsen (hot spring)
34 Kannon temples. To the £ n 698 Yumoto, Hakone (0460) town of Hakone-Yumoto, taking
north, at Nagatoro, the Arakawa 85-8911. ∑ hakone.or.jp/en the Tozan switchback train up
River runs past rare crystalline _ Torii yaki (Aug 5, Lake Ashi), Daimyo the hillside to Hakone Open-Air
schist rock formations. Gyoretsu (Nov 3, Hakone-Yumoto). Museum, with its modern
In the Okutama area, Mount sculptures. Continue via funi-
Mitake has good hiking, and an Hakone is a hilly hot-spring town cular to Hakone Art Museum,
attractive mountaintop shrine whose scattered attractions which has an excellent Japanese
village, easily reached by a are both cultural and natural. ceramic collection and garden.
funicular. Stalactite caves at Popular as a re sort since the 9th Via the funicular and then a
Nippara are worth visiting. century, it can be very crowded. ropeway over the crest of the
The Hakone area extends across hill is the Owaku-dani (“Valley
} Nippara Caves the collapsed remains of a huge of great boiling”), an area of
NW of Okutama. Tel (0428) 83-8491. volcano, which was active sulfurous steam vents. This is
Open daily. & until 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, an active volcanic zone, so

Crossing the rocky scree and steaming vents of Owaku-dani valley in Hakone

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