Otome Pass - Otome Pass

A pass on the border between Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, and Gotemba-shi, Shizuoka-ken, in the southwest of Kanagawa Prefecture. It is 1,005 meters above sea level. The name of the pass comes from a tragic story about a filial young woman from Sengokuhara who once made a 100-day visit to the Jizo statue at the pass to pray for her father's recovery during the winter, but froze to death in the snow on her way back on the day of the 100th visit. This pass crosses the ridge of the Hakone volcano, and is located at the saddle between Mt. Marudake (1,156 meters) and Mt. Kintoki (1,212 meters). It is said to be a pass on the oldest road (Usui-do) that crosses Hakone on the old Tokaido road, and is the best place for views of Mt. Fuji and Hakone, as well as geological observation of the Hakone volcano. After the Meiji period, the road (current Route 138) was made to bypass Nagao Pass south of Mt. Marudake, but in 1964 (Showa 39), a tunnel (810 meters above sea level) was opened under the pass, and the Otome Road was connected. From here, a hiking trail opens up along the ridge to Mt. Kintoki and Ashigara Pass in the north. Buses run from Gotemba Station and Odawara Station.

[Yukio Asaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

神奈川県南西部、足柄下(あしがらしも)郡箱根町(はこねまち)と静岡県御殿場市(ごてんばし)との境にある峠。標高1005メートル。峠の名は、かつて仙石原(せんごくはら)の孝養深い乙女が、冬の間、父の病気回復祈願のために峠の地蔵に百日参りをし、満願の日の帰途、雪中で凍死した悲話によると伝えられる。箱根火山の嶺線(れいせん)を越える峠で、丸岳（1156メートル）と金時山(きんときざん)（1212メートル）の間の鞍部(あんぶ)にあたる。古東海道の箱根越えの最古道（碓氷(うすい)道）の峠といわれ、富士、箱根の展望や、箱根火山の地学的観察の最適所。明治以後は車道（現、国道138号）が丸岳の南の長尾峠を迂回(うかい)することとなったが、1964年（昭和39）峠下にトンネル（標高810メートル）が開かれて、乙女道路が通じている。ここから稜線(りょうせん)づたいに北方の金時山―足柄峠へのハイキングコースが開ける。御殿場駅、小田原駅からバスが通ずる。

［浅香幸雄］

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