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Tsubaki Line
One of my absolute favorite rides is the Tsubaki Line which climbs from Yugawara up to the Daikanzan observation deck overlooking Hakone. Yugawara is a lovely old hot spring town which had its hay day in the days before international travel was popular. The area is seething with volcanic thermal activity with steam rolling up here and there from the hot springs scattered around town. The road runs alongside the Chitose River heading through a narrow valley.
About 5 km out on Hwy 75 from Yugawara Station is the turnoff to the Tsubaki Line. It’s named after the camellia (tsubaki) trees lining the road that blossom in winter. The road is a bit old and sees very little car traffic since most drivers choose one of the newer, wider routes into the park. It is perfect for cycling. It quickly ascends out of the thick trees with several winding turns that snake their way up the mountain. Although you gain almost 1000 meters you never really feel it because the grades remain fairly gentle.
The view looking back toward the ocean is very nice giving you get a clear view down the coast. It is about 12 kilometers from the turn off to the Tsubaki Line to the top where the road intersects the Hakone turnpike at the Daikanzan Observation deck. In nice weather it provides a majestic panorama of Hakone with Lake Ashi in the foreground and Mt Fuji towering above it.
You can follow the Tsubaki Line (Hwy 75) all the way down to the southern edge of Lake Ashi. I like to ride the along the eastern shore of the lake. There is a pedestrian/bike path that begins at the Prince Hotel, about half way up the lake, and goes to the northern tip. There tends to be a lot of car traffic in Hakone and I prefer riding quieter roads.
Hakone is a national treasure with some really nice cycling. The Be sure to check out Sengokuhara grasslands. If you have the time and energy a climb up to Kowakudani is well worth it.
Tsubaki Line Gallery
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Ume (Plum) LIne
The Plum Line is the name of Hwy 20 which runs from Atami up to Hakone Pass. Atami is located at the base of some pretty steep slopes making the first part of the ride rather challenging. After you get to Himenosawa Park the grades get a little easier with more switchbacks. making the grade a little easier. The views from up there are wonderful. It opens up on some beautiful high-country grasslands.
There is a big rest area called Jyukoku Toge (10 Countries Pass) that has a ropeway going up the slope behind it. Moving on a little further you come to the highest point. There is a place there called Biker’s Paradise which is often full of motorcycles. A short distance beyond that is Hakone Pass overlooking Lake Ashi. At this point you are almost to the lake.
The day I took the ride featured on the map in the corner I rode along Lake Ashi to the north end and took Hwy 735 up to Owakudani. At over 1000 meters it was the highest point on the trip. Owakudani is an active volcanic valley with with active sulphur vents and hot springs. It reminds me a little of Yellowstone National Park in the US. It has a ropeway going up to it and attracts a lot of tourists. You have to work to get up to it with grades of 5 to 10%.
After this the trip was literally all downhill, first down to Miyanoshita where I turned right on Hwy 1 and followed it as it runs along the Haya River all the way through Yumoto and down into Odawara. At Miyanoshita there is an alternative route; a rindo (service road) that runs along the ridge parallel to route 1 and has very little traffic. It comes out at Children’s Forest Wanpaku Land about 4 km from Odawara Station.
Plum Line Gallery
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Kintoki Rindo
What I call the Kintoki Rindo (service road) is now Hwy 731. I first discovered it when riding along Hwy 78 from Matsuda to Yuhino Falls, famous for being Kintaro’s birthplace. The rindo went from there up to Kintoki tunnel. During recent construction there is now a direct turnoff from Hwy 78 with a beautiful smooth road all the way to Hakone.
I like to start riding at Matsuda Station, taking Hwy 78 through town and going out toward Ashigara Pass. The road runs along the Kari River offering nice views of farmland and mountains as it steadily climbs up the valley. At about 11 km from the station you’ll come to the turn off to 731 at the top of a hill. It immediately begins to climb up into the mountains. As of this writing it is still a fairly new road and the car traffic is pretty light. It gives you the beauty and solace of a narrow service road while at the same time being smooth and maintained as a highway.
It’s about 8 km from the turn off to Kintoki Tunnel which is at the top. You climb through some nice natural forests as you ascend into Hakone. The grade is reasonable, yet challenging. They sometimes exceed 10% but, for the most part are around 5 to 7. Kintoki tunnel is at 860 m. It lies on the side of it’s namesake, Kintokiyama, a popular climbing destination.
The road swiftly descends into Hakone, intersecting Hwy 138 shortly after it has gone through Otome Pass from Gotemba. At this point you have many choices on how you want to explore Hakone, whether to head down through Sengokuhara Grasslands into Lake Ashi, or keep up on Hwy 138 towards Gora.
An alternative to going through Kintoki Tunnel is to continue up Hwy 78 and go over Ashigara Pass. It has some challenging grades but is worth the climb. There is a park on top that provides a great view of Mt. Fuji across the valley. If you have never been to Yuhino Falls I would recommend the short trip back to see them. The turnoff is just a km or 2 beyond the turnoff to 731. You can join up with 731 as the road passes within a couple hundred meters of it.
Kintoki Rindo Gallery
