How to Explore Hakone: Your Complete Travel Guide

Hakone is one of the most popular destinations in Japan. It's a year-round place and provides abundant experiences, such as ryokans with onsens (Japanese inns with hot springs), views of Mount Fuji, picturesque seasonal natural scenery, and plenty of museums.

It's typical to spend 1–2 days in Hakone. Since Hakone is 1½ hours away from Tokyo, it's doable to explore Hakone's major highlights in one day. However, if you want to explore more at a slower pace, it's better to stay in Hakone for 2 days.

Get to know more about how to plan a trip to Hakone with our travel guide, including all the things you need to know based on our experiences.

Best 5 Things to Do in Hakone

Hakone offers various experiences for everyone. No matter whether you want to enjoy natural beauty, different themed museums, or experience authentic Japanese onsens, Hakone could satisfy your needs.

Below, we have handpicked the five best things to do in Hakone for your inspiration. These attractions form a convenient circle and are easily accessible by public transportation.

1. Relax in Onsens at Ryokans

Hakone's onsens (hot springs) are famous for their high-quality water. Almost all hotels/ryokans in Hakone offer onsens, usually with three options:

• Private onsen in your room: Exclusive but pricey and you need to book at least 6 months in advance or even earlier.
• Reserve some private onsen time: Enjoy public onsens alone at your chosen time, avoiding the embarrassment of sharing the space with others.
• Public onsen: It's an adventure while you soak in an onsen with strangers.

Japanese onsens require you to soak naked and most public onsens are separated by gender. If you are traveling as a couple or have large tattoos, it's better to choose a private onsen at a hotel or ryokan.

When we visited Hakone, our hotel only had a public onsen. We headed to the hot spring at about 9pm. Luckily, it was just the two of us at that time. However, our male friend was not so lucky. He was alone at first but after 10 minutes, someone else used the onsen and he felt awkward and left.

Therefore, we recommend opting for a private onsen in your room for more privacy. If that's not available, consider booking a private time slot instead.

2. View Mount Fuji from a Distance

Hakone is one of the places where you could see Mount Fuji. You could usually see part of Mount Fuji from Lake Ashi. However, it's not visible all year round since Hakone is a mountainous area with many cloudy days.

A better chance to view Mount Fuji in Hakone is from December to February when there are fewer cloudy days, offering clear visibility.

For a higher chance of getting a close and full view of Mount Fuji, Lake Kawaguchi is a better option. Check out our Plan a Mount Fuji Day Trip for more inspiration!

When we visited Hakone in June, Mount Fuji was completely hidden by clouds (which is common from June to September). Even though we stayed in Hakone for 2 days, we didn't see it at all.

3. Take a Ropeway to Admire Owakudani

Owakudani is a crater that spews sulfur gas constantly. The main way to admire it is by taking a ropeway, providing a magnificent view from above. Although the sulfur gas smells like rotten eggs and causes throat discomfort, it's worth the brief risk for a unique experience.

4. Enjoy a Sightseeing Cruise Across Lake Ashi

Lake Ashi is a serene volcanic lake surrounded by mountains. It's popular to take a sightseeing cruise on a replica pirate ship to enjoy the scenery around the lake and catch a distant view of Mount Fuji.

5. Explore the Hakone Open-Air Museum

The Hakone Open-Air Museum is the top recommendation for its abundant and fun artworks among Hakone's many museums. It features both outdoor and indoor sections. The outdoor sculptures are combined with nature, while the indoor Picasso exhibition hall is the most popular.

Are you looking for a classic Japanese tour that includes Hakone? Check out our most-chosen 9-Day Japan Highlights Tour!

How Long to Spend in Hakone — 1 or 2 Days?

Hakone is just 1½ hours away from Tokyo, making spending 1–2 days there perfect. A day trip to Hakone gives you a quick look at its main highlights, but your schedule would be tight. Opting for a 2-day trip allows for a more relaxed experience, allowing you to explore more, such as an onsen at a ryokan and different museums.

A day trip to Hakone typically lasts 8–10 hours. To make the most of your time without backtracking, we recommend following this route: the Hakone Open-Air Museum – Owakudani – Lake Ashi – Hakone Shrine. To explore Tokyo as much as possible, we suggest you depart from Tokyo before 8am and return by 5pm.

For more details about a Hakone day-trip itinerary, read our How to Plan a Hakone Day Trip.

If you prefer a leisurely pace to explore more attractions, it's recommended to spend 2 days in Hakone. Use one day to discover its main highlights and another for a short hike and to explore museums. Moreover, you would have more time to experience a ryokan with an onsen.

Best Times to Visit Hakone

The best times to visit Hakone are in spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). It is especially charming with cherry blossoms from late March to early April and autumn foliage from late October to November. However, these periods also mean large crowds.

Visiting Hakone in summer (June to August) allows you to enjoy lush green mountains and fireworks displays are normally held in August. Thanks to its mountainous terrain, Hakone stays cooler than other places during the summer.

Visiting Hakone in winter (December to February) could allow you to see the snow-covered Mount Fuji. During this season, you would have clear visibility and a higher chance of catching a glimpse. Plus, it's a great time to relax in onsens (hot springs).

How to Get To and Around Hakone

Getting to and around Hakone is convenient whether you use public transportation or a private car.

Getting to Hakone from Tokyo

There are two common ways to travel to Hakone from Tokyo: Odakyu Railway and a private car.

Two major trains to Hakone are the Rapid Express and the Romancecar (Limited Express). For a faster and more comfortable ride, we highly recommend the Romancecar.

Both trains are included in the Hakone Free Pass and travel from Tokyo's Shinjuku Station to Hakone-Yumoto Station.

Here is a comparison between the Romancecar and the Rapid Express.

During our visit to Hakone, we took the Rapid Express to Hakone. We faced two challenges: navigating Shinjuku Station and hauling our luggage to the hotel in Hakone.

• Shinjuku Station has numerous entrances and Google Maps sometimes doesn't work underground, causing us to spend more time finding our trains.
• Upon reaching Hakone-Yumoto Station, as there was no shuttle bus to our hotel, we had to drag our luggage and walk for 30 minutes to reach the hotel. The journey was quite exhausting.

A private car would solve these problems. It could take you directly from your hotel in Tokyo to the hotel in Hakone.

Getting Around Hakone

There are two ways to get around Hakone: public transportation using a Hakone Free Pass or taking a private car.

Getting around Hakone is easy and cost-effective using a Hakone Free Pass. It provides unlimited use of Hakone's public transportation, such as buses, cable cars, ropeways, and sightseeing cruises, throughout its validity period.

A 2-day Hakone Free Pass and a 3-day Hakone Free Pass are two pass options. Although there isn't a 1-day pass, we recommend purchasing the 2-day pass if you're planning a day trip to Hakone as it could still save you money.

The buses in Hakone typically have wait times of 20–30 minutes. Sometimes the buses are very crowded and you might not be able to board, leading to longer wait times. This situation usually happens on weekends and public holidays.

To maximize your time, especially for a day trip to Hakone, having a private car is recommended. It allows you to reach attractions directly, saving you more time and energy on the road.

Where to Stay in Hakone — the Best Areas

The most chosen areas to stay in Hakone are Yumoto and Gora. Both areas offer plenty of high-quality hotels and ryokans that have onsens.

Yumoto is home to Hakone-Yumoto Station. A cable car linking to most of Hakone's attractions departs from this station, making it the most convenient place to stay. Yumoto is also the main area of Hakone, providing excellent hotels and ryokans at reasonable prices and more dining options.

Gora is situated on the mountain, about 30 minutes away from Hakone-Yumoto Station. This area is peaceful with fewer tourists. There are plenty of hotel and ryokan options, but they tend to be pricey and have fewer dining choices. Typically, breakfast and dinner are served at the hotel.

We often arrange these two 4-star hotels for our clients: Yumoto Fujiya Hotel and Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu. Both hotels offer standard rooms and Japanese-style rooms.

Plan Your Hakone Trip with Us

Are you expecting to plan your Hakone trip? Our Japan travel advisor would create your unique itinerary according to your preferences and interests, ensuring you have a memorable trip.

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