Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/4.5
Historical Teahouse
(Hakone, Kanagawa Pref., Japan)
According to a 2008 interview of the proprietor, Tatsuo Yamamoto, the Amazake-chaya Teahouse was established in the early 1600s during the Edo Period (1603 to 1867) to provide relief and refreshments to travelers on the ancient Tokaido Road, a cobblestone “highway” that linked the imperial court in Kyoto with seat of the Shogunate in Edo (modern-day Tokyo).
The interview with Mr. Yamamoto revealed that he had hopes that his son, Satoshi, would take over for him if and when the time was right. Since that interview in 2008, I can happily confirm that Mr. Yamamoto’s son, Satoshi, has indeed succeeded his father in operating the teahouse by the same family for 13 generations!
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
40 mm ISO 100 for 1/13 sec. at ƒ/11
400-Year-Old Teahouse
(Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan)
Amazake-chaya Teahouse has been serving travelers its famous amazake drink for most of its history dating back to the early 1600s.
Their menu is very simple and includes mochi (glutinous rice that is steamed and pounded into a paste) that is grilled over charcoals and coated in isobe soy sauce, uguisu sweet young soy bean powder, or uguisu mixed with black sesame seeds.
The shop’s namesake drink, amazake, is a traditional fermented rice drink. The teahouse has been using the same recipe for 13 generations where no yeast is used, thus resulting in a naturally sweet drink that has no alcohol.
The drink has a texture closer to rice porridge rather than sake, is loaded with lots of nutrients, and is often served or sold at temples and shrines during winter festivals.
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/4 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Astia/Soft film simulation
Sunken Hearth at Teahouse
(Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan)
The Amazake-chaya Teahouse has retained its charm dating back to the early 1600s. The entrance still has the hard earthen floor where wooden tables and chairs are made available for guests.
Farther back are the more traditional woven straw tatami mats where guests sit on the mats and enjoy their drinks and food on knee-high tables.
The centerpiece of the interior is the irori (open sunken hearth), which has a unique figure-8 shape (typical irori are square or rectangular) surrounded by beautiful hardwood flooring.
In this shot, you can also see the jizaikagi—a contraption that includes a pothook attached to a rope that runs through a bamboo pole and extends up to the ceiling timber directly over the irori. The height of the pothook can be changed to adjust the temperature of the food or liquid in the pot.
Irori were common in the main living room of traditional Japanese homes where wood, charcoal, or even coal was burned. Upper-class homes would have had an additional irori in the tea ceremony room where smokeless charcoal was used.
Irori also provided homes with some lighting at night, heat for the main room, and could be used to dry wet laundry, cook food, boil water, and to dry fish and fruit.
Smoke from the irori, specifically the tar in the smoke, was also an essential component for preserving the structural integrity of thatched-roof buildings. While the heat from the irori drew moisture from the building’s timbers and thatched roof to prevent rot and mold, the tar from the smoke would coat and permeate the wooden beams and underside of the thatched roof helping to further prevent mold and rot, and was especially effective at repelling pests, and added an extra layer of waterproofing against rain and snow.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/11
Ropeway Gondola Over Volcanic Vents
(Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan)
Owakudani Valley, a popular tourist site in the Hakone mountains, is occasionally closed for months at a time when there is unusual volcanic activity in the hot-spring resort area located a couple hours southwest of Tokyo.
The Hakone Ropeway carries visitors directly over the volcanic crater that still has active vents spewing hydrogen sulfide and steam, and geothermal hot springs.
Each gondola on the ropeway can carry up to 18 passengers, and on a clear day, passengers can take in panoramic views of Lake Ashi and Mt. Fuji.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/11
Southeastern Slope of Mt. Fuji
Although Owakudani Valley in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is more famous for its volcanic activity of vents spewing hydrogen sulfide and steam, the peak overlooking the valley offers fantastic views of Mt. Fuji on a clear day.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
53 mm ISO 100 for 13.0 sec. at ƒ/20
53 mm ISO 100 for 13.0 sec. at ƒ/20
Lake Ashi and Mt. Fuji
The Hakone Taikanzan Observatory in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, is on the list of Japan’s Top 100 Scenic Spots—a list that was originally compiled by two major newspapers in 1927.
After several visits to this site in 2022, I was finally able to catch a clear shot of Mt. Fuji towering over Lake Ashinoko in the foreground.
Prior to the pandemic, tour buses filled the nearby parking lot and the local city bus made regular stops at the Taikanzan bus stop. I have no idea if and when services will resume, but if you have a driver’s license, driving to the peak is half the fun of visiting this peak, especially if you take the Hakone Turnpike from Odawara.
Note that many online English articles of this mountain peak refer to “大観山” as Daikanzan, which is also how some Japanese visitors will assume the kanji is read. However, the correct name is Taikanzan, which you can see on the sign at the nearby bus stop, and is also the reading used by material provided by both the Odakyu train line and the Izu-Hakone bus timetable.
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