Izu Funabara Onsen, Izu City, Shizukoka, c. 1930.

“From the scenic charm of Hakone, from the simple dignity of the hills, we drove down into the prosaic town of Mishima.

“Our intention was to spend the night at a mineral resort called Kami-Funabara, where a wealthy Tokyo merchant had built a besso (villa) for himself and converted it into a hotel. We were unfamiliar with that part of the country and consequently were uncertain of the roads, so we were obliged to make several inquiries on the way.

“… We kept to the main road until we met a policeman who directed us to continue straight ahead for two and a half ri (a ri equals two and a half miles) then turn to the right. Driving leisurely to avoid missing the turning, we made several more inquiries, always receiving the identical answer, ‘Drive straight ahead for two and a half ri, then turn to the right.’

“As it was almost 4 o’clock, we were anxious to reach our destination before dark, for night comes swiftly in Japan. Eventually we arrived at the right turning and were immensely relieved that at last we had actually covered the two and a half ri.

“‘Oh, there it is!’ we all exclaimed. We had ridden, roughly, eighty miles and were glad indeed to alight from the car have the smiling, bowing nei-san (maids) and banto (clerks) user us inside.

“Funabara Hotel has certainly better cuisine, rooms and service than the hotels of the Hakone district which are more frequently patronized by tourists and foreign residents, with the exception of the Fujiya Hotel in Miyanoshita.

“Around 9 o’clock Saturday morning after a hurried breakfast, we wete on our way to our [next] goal, Shimoda.”

– “A Pilgrimage to the Townsend Harris Memorial”, by Ethel Laffin Stillwell, Japan Overseas Travel Magazine, September 1928