Two hundred years ago yosegi marquetry arrived here: no dye, only the colours of the wood.
The village, once a rest stop on the old Tōkaidō, has been home for about two hundred years to the workshops of yosegi-zaiku, the wood marquetry typical of Hakone and now a nationally recognised traditional craft. The technique arrived when a local craftsman, Ishikawa Nihei, brought from Shizuoka the method of composing geometric patterns by placing woods of different natural colours side by side, without dyes or varnishes. At the Hatajuku Yosegi Centre you can see the craftsmen at work and try making your own coaster.
An old post village on the old Tōkaidō, between Hakone-Yumoto and Lake Ashi, now known above all for the craft of yosegi marquetry.
ℹ️ The craft centre has its own opening hours; the basic coaster class costs 1,200 yen. The workshops scattered around the village each keep their own hours.
🚉 Honjin-ato · 1 min walk
Holidays in Japan? Plan them with us.Over 2,000 real places, a day-by-day itinerary.FreeOpen the map →Sources: hakoneyumoto.com · hakonenavi.jp · thegate12.com
Nearby
Hakone Shrine3.6 kmphoto by そらみみ · CC BY-SA 3.0
Hakone Old Tōkaidō Cedar Avenue3.6 kmphoto by そらみみ · CC BY-SA 3.0
Hakone Open-Air Museum3.6 kmphoto by Rsa · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tōnosawa Onsen3.7 kmphoto by Cassiopeia sweet · Public domain