Dec 23, 2012 - 1 min read

Hakone's Shojin-ike Pond

Silent beauty at a hellish place

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

No sound, no wave, and no stream

Silent and calm in the early morning

A stone image near the pond

Buddhist stone statues

Early in the morning, Shojin-ike pond is exactly like a mirror

Feeling like in a different side of the world

A path leading to the pond

The bank of the pond

Early in the morning, Shojin-ike Pond is exactly like a mirror. No sound, no waves, and no stream. When I visited, the mountains were reflected in the water and I was confused about which side was real. So beautiful! The area around Shojin-ike Pond is the highest point of the Hakone mountain pass. Because of repeated volcanic eruptions in the ancient days, this area is called a hellish place. Between 1293 and 1350, a lot of Buddhist stone images were carved into the rock cliffs or set up for the offering of prayers.

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Tomoko Kamishima

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

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