A warm welcome at a secluded rest stop on an ancient highway

Hakone Amasake Chaya is a charming thatched-roof teahouse famous for two products. The first is amasake–which at this teahouse is a sweet, healthy rice beverage made according to a recipe unchanged for over four centuries.

The second is mochi, a type of rice cake with a dense, sticky texture. Cooked rice is freshly pounded every morning to make Hakone Amasake Chaya's mochi. The glutinous mochi cakes, some sweet and some savory, are then grilled over charcoal before being served.

Hakone Amasake Chaya Teahouse is a great place to stop in for a rest as you walk the ancient Tokaido Road, one of the five oldest highways in Japan. The teahouse has an open fireplace going when the weather is chilly. Amasake and mochi are available in the shop, and both make excellent souvenirs.