Just a short train ride from Tokyo, Hakone is famous for its therapeutic hot springs, fascinating museums and stunning views of Mount Fuji. While day trips are possible from the capital, there are plenty to see and do that make it worth spending at least two days to fully appreciate what this charming town has to offer. That’s what we’ve been doing lately.
Heading to Hakone
We departed from Shinjuku Station on Odakyu Electric Railway’s Romantic Express, a limited express train that reaches Hakone-Yumoto Station in less than 90 minutes. Unfortunately, the observation deck seats at the front of the train were fully booked, but it was still a very enjoyable ride with clear views of famous sights such as Mount Fuji and Odawara Castle.
Day One: Art, Gardens and Lakeside Luxury
Hakone Open Air Museum
After arriving at Hakone-Yumoto Station, take the Hakone Tozan Railway for about 30 minutes to reach Naokuni-nomori Station, which is just a few steps away from the Hakone Open Air Museum. The museum covers an area of 70,000 square meters of green gardens and has a collection of more than 1,000 pieces, including about 120 sculptures on permanent display.
One of the most eye-catching pieces in the museum is undoubtedly Gabriel Loire’s “Symphonic Sculpture”, which you can enter and climb to the top via a spiral staircase. The interior of this 18-meter-tall tower is surrounded by colorful stained glass, and the views from the top are spectacular. Other highlights of the museum include Niki de Saint Phalle’s “Miss Black Power,” Bukichi Inoue’s “My Sky Hole” and the Picasso Pavilion.
Last year, Mori Foot Bath was renovated and reopened. Here, visitors can relax while taking in the majestic views of Hakone’s lush forests, accompanied by the soothing sounds of birdsong, flowing streams, and the gentle rustling of the wind.
Gora Park
From the open-air museum, it takes more than 15 minutes to walk along the slope to Gora Park, Japan’s first French-style garden. Free for anyone to use Hakone Free Pass (see below), it is famous for its numerous flowers and symmetrical design, with a pond and a large fountain in the center. With its rose, herb and tropical botanical gardens, it is a very peaceful and picturesque place for an afternoon walk.
Feeling a bit hungry after walking so far, we decided to take a break at the park’s café and sit on the terrace overlooking the fountain. Our waiter highly recommended the Gora Park Curry, which we were told contained lots of local ingredients and was simmered slowly and slowly for a long time. It certainly didn’t disappoint. We’re lucky though, because they’re limited to 40 servings per day and they often sell out.
Odakyu Mountain Hotel
After leaving Gora Park we briefly considered going to the nearby Hakone Museum of Art, but feeling a little tired we decided to head to our hotel, which is about an hour away by train and bus from Gora Station. We stayed at the Odakyu Hotel de Yama, an elegant and historic hotel founded in 1948 as a vacation home for industrialist Koyata Iwasaki. The hotel is just a stone’s throw from Lake Ashi, Hakone’s iconic lake formed by a volcanic eruption 4,000 years ago.
Not only does the Odakyu Mountain Hotel offer stunning views of the lake and Mount Fuji, it’s also famous for its soothing azalea hot springs. After taking a relaxing dip in the alkaline water and relaxing in the massage chair, you’re ready for dinner at the hotel’s French restaurant, Vert Bois. We enjoyed a delightful seven-course meal of marinated Tasmanian salmon, autumn vegetables and Hungarian duck breast, all accompanied by glasses of red wine. It’s the ideal way to end a fun day.
Day 2: Spiritual sites, scenic cruises and volcanic wonders
Hakone Shrine
Since we didn’t check out until noon, we decided to use the hotel’s facilities in the morning, take a dip in the hot springs, and then have breakfast. Although the Japanese restaurant Tsutsuji no Chaya was very tempting, we chose Vert Bois because of its eggs benedict, bacon and smoked salmon. After our meal, we took a leisurely walk in the vast gardens overlooking Lake Ashi. Although the area displays a variety of colors regardless of the season, the best time to visit is in May, when some 3,000 bright red rhododendron bushes are in full bloom.
After checking out, we stopped briefly at the hotel’s French café, Salon de thé Rosage, for a cup of tea and chocolate cake. A short walk to Hakone Shrine and its famous Heiwa Torii (Door of Peace). It stands proudly on the water’s edge and is an impressive attraction that attracts large numbers of visitors, so you’ll usually find long queues to take photos in front of it. There are 89 steps behind the door, with lanterns hanging on both sides, leading to the main temple building, where people pray for wealth, happiness and love.


Lake Ashi on a clear day
sightseeing cruise
Depart from Hakone Shrine and take a scenic walk along the lake to Motohakone Port to board one of the city’s famous pirate ships. We boarded the HMS Victory, a blue and black ship modeled after an 18th century British warship. The president of Hakone Cruises was reportedly inspired by Disneyland and came up with the idea of building family-friendly cruise ships, some of which feature cannons, pirate statues, 3D art, treasure chests and various other features designed specifically for kids.
Another main reason why Hakone sightseeing boats are so popular is the 360-degree view from the deck. The Hakone Shrine’s torii gate appears to float on the water, with Mount Fuji standing majestically in the distance, one of Japan’s most iconic images. Unfortunately on this particular day, the country’s most famous peak was hidden due to overcast skies, but the ride was still enjoyable, with the fog creating an eerie and dramatic landscape.
Owakudani
We stayed on the ship for less than 30 minutes, then disembarked at Togendai Port and took the Hakone Ropeway. It is one of the longest cable cars in the world, giving you a spectacular aerial journey, especially as you pass over the geological wonder of Owakudani. Owakudani, which means “boiling great valley,” was formed during the last eruption of Mount Hakone about 3,000 years ago and is famous for its hot springs and fumaroles created by groundwater heated by underground magma.
The main volcanic area with steam vents and bubble pools is just a few minutes’ walk from Owakudani Station. This is a hotbed of geothermal activity and it feels like you have stepped into a mythical realm. The site is also famous for its views of Mount Fuji (also invisible today) and the black egg, which according to local legend can give you seven more years of life. They are soaked in natural spring water at 80 degrees Celsius for one hour and then steamed in a steel basket at 100 degrees for 15 minutes. We watched them being cooked before trying them.
notes: Reservation is required to enter the Owakudani Nature Trail.
Hakone Free Pass
As night fell, we took the cable car and mountain railway back to Hakone-Yumoto Station. The Hakone Free Pass purchased at Shinjuku Station the morning before covered both of these items. The pass offers unlimited travel on 8 modes of transportation including Hakone Corsair, as well as a Romantic Express round trip from Tokyo (a limited express ticket with a reserved seat is also required).
For the route between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto, a two-day pass costs 6,100 yen for adults and 1,100 yen for children. In addition, the pass provides discounts at approximately 70 facilities. Highly recommended to anyone spending two days in Hakone.