Overview
The Haya River (Hayakawa) is the main stream of the second-class Haya river system, flowing through Hakone and Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture before emptying into Sagami Bay. Beginning near the Kojiri Water Gate at the northern tip of Lake Ashi, it gathers rain and hot-spring water in the Sengokuhara basin within the Hakone volcano caldera, runs down beside the towns of the Hakone hot-spring district, and reaches the sea near Odawara Fishing Port. True to its name, meaning a fast-flowing river, it shows the seasonal faces of Hakone: ayu fishing in summer, fireflies in early summer, and the scenery of the Old Tokaido Highway, making it a fine companion along the traveler's road.
Highlights
- ●A brisk clear stream descending the Hakone volcano caldera into Sagami Bay
- ●Ayu fishing that enlivens the midstream in summer
- ●Fireflies that can be seen near Hakone-Yumoto Station around June
- ●Scenery of the Old Tokaido Highway keeping close to the river
History
The Old Tokaido Highway runs alongside the Haya River, its slopes continuing from Itabashi in Odawara up to Miyanoshita in Hakone, so travelers of old climbed and descended the Hakone road watching this stream. Lake Ashi, however, is not the river's source: its water is drained through the Fukara Water Gate into the Fukara Aqueduct, completed in 1676, which leads to Shizuoka Prefecture. The 2,900-kilowatt Hayakawa Hydroelectric Station also stands along the river, showing how its ample flow has long been tied to people's lives.
Access
The Lake Ashi end lies in Hakone, while the river mouth is in Odawara (the mouth is roughly near 35.24°N, 139.15°E). Around Hakone-Yumoto Station on the Hakone Tozan Line the water can be seen up close, and the Old Tokaido Highway keeps close company with the river. Easily combined with transport from Odawara Station or the Hakone area, it is a river you encounter naturally on a Hakone sightseeing trip. Please check official information for details such as riverside walking paths and whether fishing or firefly viewing is permitted.
Best season
In summer the midstream is popular for ayu fishing, a seasonal pleasure of clear mountain rivers. The Haya is also known for fireflies along its banks near Hakone-Yumoto Station around June each year, a beloved early-summer sight. In autumn the valley colors are beautiful as well, so the river rewards a visit through all four seasons. Confirm the rules for fishing and firefly viewing via official information.
Map
35.2407, 139.1513 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Get off at Hakone-Yumoto Station and view the Haya River nearby
- 2Walk along the riverbank beside the Old Tokaido and enjoy the valley scenery
- 3Depending on the season, visit spots for ayu fishing or firefly viewing
- 4Head down toward Odawara and extend the trip to Odawara Fishing Port near the mouth
Did you know?
💡 The Haya's largest tributary is the Sukumo River, while the Chisuji Falls hang on another tributary, the Jakotsu River. The fact that Lake Ashi's water flows toward Shizuoka rather than into the Haya is a human reshaping of nature, brought about by the Fukara Aqueduct, a waterworks project of the Edo period.
Nearby spots
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