The Hakone Turnpike is a toll road that climbs from the Pacific side up to the volcanic highlands of Hakone, a mountain district about eighty kilometres south-west of Tokyo. Here the road runs at roughly 850 metres, close to the northern end of Lake Ashi, a crater lake formed in an ancient caldera. On a clear day Mount Fuji rises above the water in a beautiful cone, and a red torii gate stands in the lake at Hakone Shrine, a classic Japanese view that every visitor photographs.
The road is serpentine in the best sense. It winds through cedar and cypress forest in long, smooth bends, with views opening over the lake and hills, and its gradients are friendly, so even a modest motorbike climbs easily. The surface is generally good, but fog and rain are frequent at altitude, and the shade keeps patches of the tarmac damp long after the sun has come out. Weekend traffic is heavy, with a lot of cars, tour buses and other riders, so aim for a weekday or an early start.
Hakone has a long history as a checkpoint on the old Tokaido highway, the main road that linked Edo with Kyoto. The Tokugawa shogunate established a barrier station here in 1619 to control travellers, and a reconstruction at the lakeshore recalls the strict inspections of the time. The old cedar avenue along the Tokaido path, with its massive trees, is still walkable. Near Sengokuhara, pampas grass fills the hillsides in autumn in silver waves, and at Owakudani the volcanic vents steam and smell of sulphur, with eggs boiled black in the hot water sold at the stands.
Fuel is available in the town of Hakone, about five kilometres away, and at stations on the main road, but there are few in the hills, so fill up before you climb. Soba and trout are local specialities, and the hot springs everywhere are a perfect way to relax your shoulders after the ride. Spring and autumn are the finest seasons, and winter can bring ice to the higher road.