Hakone Travel Guide

Hakone is located at the foot of Mount Fuji in Kanagawa prefecture. It's easy to access from Tokyo and is a popular tourist spot. There are many good hot springs (onsen) and Japanese inns in Hakone. Try to stay in Japanese inns and relax in the hot springs. Even though you don't have much time, it's possible to visit Hakone for a day trip from Tokyo. Enjoy beautiful sceneries in Hakone.
Search Places to Stay in Hakone by Kayak Access to Hakone:

It takes about 40 minutes from Tokyo Station to Odawara Station by Shinkansen (bullet trains). Transfer to ]Hakone Tozan Railway trains at Odawara Station. It takes about 15 minutes to Hakone Yumoto Station.
You can also take Odakyu Railway trains from Tokyo Shinjuku Station to Hakone Yumoto Station. It takes about 2 hours.
Hakone Free Pass is available.

Where to Visit and What to Do in Hakone:

1. Hakone Yumoto and Gora Area

• There are many hot springs, such as Tonosawa Onsen, Ohiradai Onsen, Miyanoshita Onsen, Kowakudani Onsen, and more.
• Hakone Kowakien Runessun is a fun spa resort located in Kowakudani.
• The Hakone Open-Air Museum

2. Owakudani

• Take a Hakone Tozan cable car from Gora Stop to Sounzan Stop.
• Take Hakone Ropeway) gondola from Sounzan Station to Owakudani Station.
• Owakudani Valley is created by the eruption of Mt. Kamiyama about 3,000 years ago. You see the rising steam coming from the ground.

3. Ashinoko (Lake Ashi)

• Take a Hakone Ropeway gondola from Owakudani Station to Togendai Station. Togendai is located at the northern shore of Ashinoko which is a large crater lake. Mt. Fuji can be viewed in clear weather.
• Hakone Pleasure Boat Cruises
  - Hakone Ashinoko Yuransen boats are operated by Izu Hakone Railway and travel between the Kojiri Pier and the Moto-hakone Pier. The boats also stop at Hakone-en and Hokone Checkpoint.
  - Hakone Kankosen boats are operated between the Togendai Pier and the Moto-hakone Pier and the Hakone-machi Pier. The boats are colorful pirates ships. It takes about 40 minutes to travel from the Togendai Pier to the Hakone-machi Pier.
• Hakone-en
  is an amusement park with a swimming pool, an aquarium, gardens, and more facilities.

4. Southern Shore of Lake Ashi

• Visit Hakone Jinja Shrine near the Moto-Hakone Pier. The red trii gate on Ashinoko is one of the gates of this shrine. Hakone Shrine was built in 757.
• Hakone Sekisho was a checkpoint on the Tokaido Road during the Edo period and a popular tourist spot. Some of the building have been reconstructed.

5. Other Hakone Attractions

• Hakone Shisseikaen Hakone Batanical Gardens of Wetlands
  It's located in Sengokuhara. It takes 45 minutes by Hakone Tozan bus from Odawara Station.
• Hakone Ashinoyu Flower Center
  More than 1,000 kinds of flowers and plants from around the world are exhibited. It takes 40 minutes by bus from Odawara Station.
• Hydrangeas (ajisai)
  Hakone is a well-known place for viewing ajisai flowers. Beautiful ajisai flowers along the Hakone Tozan Railway line attract many visitors in June.