Imagine a pond. It looks peaceful enough today. But the name Otamagaike Remains carries a gruesome story.
Otamagaike Remains is named after a tragic figure. Her name was Otama. Let’s delve into her story.
Otama was born into poverty in the 1690s. She had to leave her small fishing village south of Hakone. She was very young.
In the winter of 1702 Otama’s family sent her to Edo. Edo is now present-day Tokyo. She was to work for a cousin. But the girl soon found the toil unbearable.
Anxious to return home Otama escaped after only two months in the capital. She journeyed to Hakone. Otama lacked the permit required to pass through Hakone Checkpoint. The checkpoint regulated the flow of people and weapons into and out of Edo.
Desperate she tried to get around the barrier. She sought a path through the mountains. She was caught trying to climb a fence. Otama was thrown into the checkpoint’s jail.
The penalty for attempting to avoid inspection was death. No mercy was given. Otama was executed near the Nazunaga pond. The pond was later renamed Otamagaike. This means “Otama’s pond”. This renaming was to calm the poor girl’s spirit.
Local people also built a small Buddhist monument to her. It still stands near the water at Otamagaike Remains.
The Hakone Old Road is nearby. It follows the route of the Tokaido. The Tokugawa Shogunate established the Tokaido in the early 17th century. The Tokaido was one of the most heavily traveled roads in Tokugawa Japan. It was a primary route connecting Edo with Kyoto.
Portions of the Tokaido were also segments of older roads. These roads predated the Tokugawa travel roads by centuries. A portion of this trail was also part of the older Yusaka-Michi.
The trail heads uphill from Ashinoko for several minutes. It evens out fairly quickly. The climb in this direction isn’t steep. A sign announces that this segment of the route was part of the older Yusaka Michi. It was also part of the Tokaido.
About twenty minutes after leaving Hakone there is a detour. It heads along a branch trail toward Otamagaike. A large sign announces your arrival at Otamagaike Remains.
Now you know the sad story behind this pond’s name. The Otamagaike Remains serves as a reminder of a young girl’s desperate journey. It is also a reminder of the harsh laws of the past. May her spirit find peace.