Hakone

Discovering Hakone

Hakone is the mountain retreat that has drawn travelers out of Tokyo for centuries. Situated within the caldera of an ancient volcano in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, this hot spring resort town occupies a dramatic landscape of steaming valleys, forested ridges, a deep crater lake, and — on clear days — one of the most celebrated views of Mt. Fuji anywhere in Japan. At just 90 minutes from Shinjuku Station aboard the Odakyu Romance Car, Hakone delivers a complete change of world: from the steel-and-glass density of the capital to mist-shrouded mountains, sulfur-scented volcanic vents, and the quiet ritual of lowering yourself into a steaming outdoor bath as the last light fades behind the ridgeline.

The area’s hot spring heritage stretches back over a thousand years. Hakone’s 17 distinct onsen sources each carry different mineral compositions — alkaline springs for smooth skin, sulfur springs for circulation, sodium chloride springs for warming sore muscles — and the town developed around them, growing from a remote mountain stopover on the old Tokaido road into one of Japan’s premier onsen destinations. The Tokugawa shogunate established a checkpoint here in 1619 to control movement between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo), and the ruins of that sekisho checkpoint remain a historical landmark on the shore of Lake Ashi.

Today, Hakone functions as multiple destinations compressed into a single volcanic caldera. There is the onsen town, where ryokans with private open-air baths range from budget-friendly guesthouses to some of Japan’s most exclusive accommodations. There is the natural spectacle of Owakudani, where volcanic gases hiss from sulfur-crusted vents in a landscape that looks more like Iceland than Japan. There is the cultural quarter, anchored by the world-class Hakone Open Air Museum and several smaller galleries. And there is the lake — Ashinoko, set in the caldera floor with the snow-capped cone of Mt. Fuji rising beyond its southern shore when the weather cooperates. The genius of Hakone is that all of these experiences connect in a single scenic loop route that is as much about the journey as the destinations themselves.

The Hakone Loop

The classic way to experience Hakone is the Hakone Loop — a circular route that strings together six different modes of transport, each one more scenic than the last, carrying travelers through the full range of the caldera’s landscapes in a single day. The Hakone Free Pass (¥6,100 / $41 for two days, ¥6,500 / $43 for three days from Shinjuku) covers every segment of the loop and is the single most valuable transit pass for any Tokyo side trip. It pays for itself several times over compared to individual tickets, and the convenience of tapping a single pass at every gate eliminates the friction of buying tickets at each stage.

The loop begins at Shinjuku Station aboard the Odakyu Romance Car — a reserved-seat limited express train with wide windows, reclining seats, and a forward-facing observation car on select services. The 90-minute ride (¥2,330 / $16 for the Romance Car surcharge, included in the Free Pass base fare) carries passengers out of Tokyo’s western suburbs and into the Kanagawa mountain foothills, arriving at Hakone-Yumoto, the gateway town at the base of the caldera. Hakone-Yumoto is the area’s most accessible onsen hub, with public baths and foot baths lining the main street — a good place to drop bags at a coin locker before continuing the loop.

From Hakone-Yumoto, the Hakone Tozan Railway climbs steeply into the mountains through a series of three switchbacks — the train literally reverses direction on the mountainside, the driver walking to the opposite cab at each switch. The 40-minute ascent to Gora passes through tunnels of hydrangea in June and July, with the flowering bushes so close to the open windows that you can nearly touch them. The switchback railway, Japan’s steepest standard-gauge line, has been operating since 1919 and remains one of the most atmospheric mountain rail journeys in the country.

At Gora, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car takes over, pulling passengers up the final steep incline to Sounzan in about 10 minutes. The funicular-style car offers increasingly dramatic views down into the valley as it climbs. From Sounzan, the Hakone Ropeway — an aerial gondola system — carries passengers over the volcanic ridgeline to Owakudani and onward to Togendai on the shore of Lake Ashi. This 25-minute airborne traverse is the dramatic centerpiece of the loop. The gondolas cross directly over the active volcanic zone of Owakudani, where sulfurous steam vents and barren, mineral-stained earth create a stark, otherworldly landscape far below. On clear days, Mt. Fuji fills the western horizon from the gondola’s windows — one of the most photographed views in the Kanto region.

The loop concludes on the water. At Togendai, the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise — operated by replica pirate ships that are admittedly more kitsch than elegant — crosses Lake Ashi to Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi on the lake’s southern shore. The 30-minute cruise offers sweeping views of the surrounding mountains and, weather permitting, Mt. Fuji rising beyond the lake’s far shore. From Moto-Hakone, Hakone Tozan buses return to Hakone-Yumoto, completing the circuit. The entire loop, without extended stops, takes approximately five hours — but building in time at Owakudani and Lake Ashi pushes a comfortable pace to a full day.

Onsen Culture

Hakone is, above all else, an onsen town. The volcanic geology that created the caldera also produced one of Japan’s richest concentrations of hot springs, with 17 distinct source types spread across the area’s various districts. Each neighborhood developed its own bathing culture around its particular mineral waters, and choosing where to soak is as much a part of planning a Hakone trip as choosing where to stay. For Japanese hot spring bathing customs and etiquette, see the tips section below.

Public baths (sento and day-use onsen) offer the most accessible introduction to Hakone’s waters. Tenzan Tohji-kyo (¥1,300 / $8.70) is the most popular outdoor bath complex, set in a wooded valley near Hakone-Yumoto with multiple pools at different temperatures, saunas, and rest areas. The complex accepts tattooed visitors — an important consideration, as many traditional onsen in Japan still prohibit visible tattoos. Hakone Yuryo (¥1,500 / $10) is a newer facility with modern amenities, private bath rentals (¥4,500 / $30 per hour for two people), and a restaurant — a good option for travelers who want the onsen experience with more privacy and English-language signage.

Ryokan baths represent the quintessential Hakone onsen experience. Most ryokans include access to communal indoor and outdoor baths (rotenburo) as part of the room rate, with the outdoor baths often positioned to take advantage of mountain or valley views. Higher-end ryokans offer rooms with private open-air baths on the balcony — a genuine luxury that allows guests to soak at any hour without the protocols of communal bathing. The basic etiquette for communal onsen is straightforward: wash thoroughly at the shower stations before entering the bath, keep towels out of the water, enter quietly, and do not swim or splash. Bathing is done completely unclothed, with genders separated in communal facilities. Many visitors who are initially hesitant about communal nudity find that the experience quickly becomes natural and deeply relaxing.

Private onsen (kashikiri buro) are available at many ryokans and bath facilities for ¥1,000-5,000 ($6.70-33) per hour. These small, private bathing rooms can be reserved by couples, families, or anyone who prefers to bathe alone. They offer an excellent middle ground for travelers who want the authentic onsen experience without communal bathing. Book early, as private bath slots fill quickly at popular ryokans, especially on weekends.

Top Attractions

Hakone Shrine

Hakone Shrine (Hakone Jinja) is one of the most photogenic Shinto shrines in Japan, not for the architecture of its main hall — which sits modestly among towering cryptomeria cedars on the forested hillside above Lake Ashi — but for its lakeside torii gate. The vermillion Heiwa no Torii (Peace Gate) stands at the water’s edge, its pillars reflected in the lake when the surface is calm, with the mountains rising behind and, on fortunate days, Mt. Fuji floating above the distant ridgeline. The shrine dates to 757 AD and was historically revered by samurai warriors, who prayed here before heading into battle. Today it draws visitors seeking blessings for safe travel, success in business, and romantic connections. The approach from Moto-Hakone follows a path through an ancient cedar avenue — some trees over 800 years old — that creates a hushed, cathedral-like atmosphere. Admission is free. The shrine is busiest between 10 AM and 2 PM; early morning visits, when mist often clings to the lake surface around the torii gate, are incomparably more atmospheric.

Hakone Open Air Museum

The Hakone Open Air Museum (Chokoku no Mori, ¥1,600 / $11 adults) was Japan’s first open-air art museum when it opened in 1969, and it remains one of the most engaging art experiences in the country. The museum spreads across a hillside garden with over 120 sculptures by artists including Henry Moore, Auguste Rodin, Taro Okamoto, and others, set against a backdrop of the Hakone mountains. The scale is generous — works are spaced across lawns, plazas, and forested paths — and the interplay between sculpture and natural landscape is the museum’s defining quality. The Picasso Pavilion houses over 300 works spanning the artist’s career, from ceramics and prints to paintings and tapestries. A natural hot spring foot bath within the museum grounds offers a place to rest tired feet while gazing at the surrounding artwork and mountains. Allow two to three hours for a thorough visit. The museum is a five-minute walk from Chokoku no Mori Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway.

Owakudani

Owakudani (Great Boiling Valley) is Hakone’s volcanic heart — an active geothermal zone where the last eruption approximately 3,000 years ago created the crater that now holds Lake Ashi. The landscape is dramatic: bare, mineral-stained rock faces streaked with yellow sulfur deposits, steam vents hissing from fissures in the earth, and the acrid smell of hydrogen sulfide hanging in the air. A short walking trail from the ropeway station leads to the hot spring pools where the area’s famous kuro-tamago (black eggs) are prepared — regular chicken eggs boiled in the sulfurous waters until their shells turn jet black. Legend holds that each egg adds seven years to your life. Bags of five sell for ¥500 ($3.30) at the hilltop shop. The egg inside tastes like a normal hard-boiled egg, but the experience of eating one in this volcanic landscape is quintessentially Hakone. Note that Owakudani occasionally closes due to elevated volcanic gas levels — check the Hakone Geopark website for current access status before planning your visit.

Lake Ashi Cruise

Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) fills the floor of the Hakone caldera, a deep volcanic lake surrounded by forested mountains and linked to virtually every scenic vista in the area. The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise operates replica pirate ships between Togendai, Hakone-machi, and Moto-Hakone — covered by the Hakone Free Pass. The 30-minute crossing is less about the ships themselves (which are unabashedly touristy) and more about the views: the torii gate of Hakone Shrine rising from the shoreline, the Hakone mountains reflected in the water, and on clear days, the unmistakable symmetrical cone of Mt. Fuji commanding the western horizon. Early morning cruises, before the midday haze settles, offer the best chance for clear Fuji views. The Moto-Hakone pier is the closest stop to Hakone Shrine and the old Tokaido cedar avenue — plan to disembark here for an afternoon of lakeside exploration.

Where Should I Stay in Hakone?

Hakone’s accommodation landscape is defined by the ryokan — the traditional Japanese inn where the lodging itself is the destination. A night in a Hakone ryokan typically includes tatami-matted rooms, futon bedding, yukata robes, communal or private onsen baths, and multi-course kaiseki dinner and breakfast. The full ryokan experience is one of the most distinctive aspects of Japanese travel culture, and Hakone offers options across every budget level.

Gora is the epicenter of Hakone’s upscale ryokan scene. Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu (from ¥45,000 / $300 per night) is a luxury onsen resort where every room features a private open-air bath with mountain views — guests can soak at any hour while watching clouds drift across the ridgeline. Gora Kadan (from ¥60,000 / $400 per person with meals) occupies a former imperial summer retreat and is considered one of the finest ryokans in the Kanto region, with exquisite kaiseki cuisine and meticulously maintained gardens. Yama no Chaya (from ¥35,000 / $233 per night) is a riverside ryokan in a forested valley between Hakone-Yumoto and Gora, with private outdoor rotenburo baths fed by natural hot springs and kaiseki dinner included in the rate.

Hakone-Yumoto offers the widest range of accommodation and the easiest transit access, sitting at the base of the caldera where the Romance Car arrives. Hakone Tent Guesthouse (from ¥4,000 / $27 per night) is the area’s best budget option — a clean, sociable guesthouse with dormitory and private rooms, a shared onsen bath, and a common area where travelers exchange route tips over morning coffee. Several mid-range ryokans in Hakone-Yumoto offer the full traditional experience — tatami rooms, onsen baths, and meals — at more accessible rates of ¥15,000-25,000 ($100-167) per person. Day-trippers who decide to stay overnight will find that Hakone-Yumoto’s accommodation cluster provides the most last-minute availability.

Ashinoko (Lake Ashi) lodging places guests closest to the lake, the shrine, and the Mt. Fuji views. The Hakone Hotel (from ¥20,000 / $133) sits directly on the lakeshore with views across the water. Staying lakeside means proximity to the most scenic part of Hakone but slightly longer transit times to the ropeway and Open Air Museum. The tradeoff is worth it for travelers prioritizing atmosphere and morning Fuji views over loop-route logistics.

For those planning a multi-day Hakone stay as part of a broader Japan itinerary, our planning guide covers how to integrate Hakone with Tokyo, Kamakura, and the Fuji Five Lakes for a comprehensive Kanto region trip.