Everything You Need to Know About Hakone, Japan

Nestled in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Hakone stands out from other attractions with its abundant natural beauty, accessible location, and cultural heritage. It offers a peaceful retreat to visitors from a chaotic and busy Tokyo life. All they can do is relax and engage in this region’s therapeutic activities. Speaking of which, travelers love soaking in natural hot springs here.You can also book one-day tours to Mt. Fuji and Hakone. These packages help travelers explore famous landmarks in both regions and make the most of their trip. In addition, they allow you to enjoy more things in a short timeframe. Now, without further ado, let’s break down everything about this beautiful Japanese region.

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Things To Know About Hakone Kanagawa, Japan

Before visiting the gorgeous Hakone Japan, visitors must do some pre-research. This town is in the Ashigarashimo district in Kanagawa Prefecture and is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It is primarily known for its hot springs and scenic attractions.

Many often confuse Hakone and Mt. Fuji as the same; however, that’s not the case. Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano famous for hiking, sightseeing, and cultural tours. It symbolizes Japan and is the tallest mountain in the nation. In addition, this volcano is listed on the World Heritage List.

On the other hand, Hakone is 60 km from Mt. Fuji. It is unique and has attractions like Owakudani, Lake Ashinoko, the Pola Museum, the Okada Museum of Art, the Enoura Observatory, the Hakone Ropeway, and Odawara Castle. The latter is a reconstructed castle at the town’s entrance.

Since these two places are nearby, visitors often include a trip to both areas in their itinerary. They can explore available restaurants, museums, hot springs, shopping malls, and shrines.

Check These Handpicked Activities:

• Mt Fuji, Hakone Private Tour by Car with Pickup
• Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Day Trip with Private Car
• Mount Fuji And Hakone Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour
• Mt. Fuji And Hakone 1-Day Bus Tour Return By Bullet Train
• Mt Fuji And Hakone 1-Day Bus Tour From Tokyo Station Area

Save Money With Hakone Free Pass

Since this gorgeous town is near Japan’s capital, you might want to visit it during your Tokyo trip. To learn more, check out our Four Days In Tokyo Itinerary. The distance from Tokyo to this town is 78 km and is easily accessible by trains, buses, cars, and helicopters.

If you’re taking the train, getting a Hakone Free Pass is best to save money. Odakyu Railway provides this discount pass to those exploring this Japanese town. You can use it to enjoy a discounted round trip from Shinjuku Station. It costs ¥6,100 for a two-day and ¥6,500 for a three-day pass. Visitors can buy a two-day pass for ¥5,000 if they purchase it from the Odawara Station.

Check These Handpicked Free Pass Tickets:

• Hakone Free Pass
• Hakone Kamakura 3 Day Pass
• Hakone and Kamakura: 3-day Rail Pass
• Hakone Free Pass, 2-3 Days Japan
• Hakone Private Two-Day Tour from Tokyo with Overnight Stay in Ryokan

Pray At Hakone Shrine

• Address: 80-1 Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522, Japan; Google Map
• Opening Hours: 8:15 AM – 5 PM
• Entry Fee: Free Entry

Hakone is a pilgrimage site with numerous temples. While you may be unable to explore them all, you must visit the beautiful Hakone Shrine. It is at the foot of Mount Hakone and is open year-round. Moreover, this temple is primarily advertised by its Torri gates in Lake Ashinoko and over the main street of Moto-Hakone.

This Shinto shrine’s origin dates back to 757 when military commanders prayed and worshipped there. Several legends also link it with mythical dragons, samurai, and travelers. While visitors enjoy free entry to the temple, they must pay an entrance fee to enter the museum. This place is crowded during monthly and annual festivals.

See These Handpicked Activities:

• Custom Private Tour in Hakone with Optional Hot Springs Experience
• Private Sightseeing to Mt Fuji and Hakone guide
• Hakone and Mt. Fuji Day Trip with Private Vehicle

Smell The Flowers In Hakone Gardens

• Address: 21000 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA 95070, United States; Google Map
• Opening Hours: 10 AM 4 PM
• Entry Fee: $12

Did you know Hakone Gardens is in Saratoga, USA? This 18-acre traditional Japanese garden allows American residents to experience Hakone’s beauty in their country. It was built in the 1900s and is open to the public. Furthermore, this garden’s attractions are the 1941 Main Gate, the Moon Bridge, the Moon Viewing House, the Hillside Waterfall, and the Tea Waiting Pavilion.

Since you can’t travel to the US to visit the iconic garden, try exploring something nearer. For instance, Nicolai Bergmann Gardens in Gora, Ashigarashimo District. This mobile garden, created by Nicolai Bergmann, will be different every time you visit. Although you might not see Hakone grass (Japanese forest grass), you will see many other plants. Visitors can stroll around and relax on benches and pavilions.

Step Back In Time At Hakone Open Air Museum

• Address: 1121 Ninotaira, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0493, Japan; Google Map
• Opening Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
• Entry Fee: ¥1,800 (Adults), ¥1,400 (High School Students), ¥600 (Elementary Students)

A Hakone trip will be incomplete without visiting the iconic Hakone Open Air Museum. It was founded in 1969 and has collected numerous artifacts since then. Moreover, this museum has many exhibition halls outdoors and indoors. Speaking of which, the Symphonic Sculpture is famous due to its spiral staircase and colored glass exterior.

Visitors can ascend the staircase to the viewing platform and enjoy beautiful views. Open-Air Museum‘s art collection primarily includes paintings from the 1970s. Among its indoor exhibitions, the Picasso Exhibition Hall is the most-visited space, with two stories of paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. You will also find Picasso’s photos at various stages of his life.

Enjoy An Unforgettable Onsen Experience

• Onsen Benefits: Removes Impurities, Burn Calories, Improves Blood Circulation
• Onsen Price Range: ¥200 – ¥2,000

The terms Hakone and Onsen go side by side. This Japanese town has hundreds of baths and hot springs, earning the nickname “onsen theme park” or “spa town.” It is more than soaking in a hot spring for relaxation. Onsens are an integral part of Japanese tradition and culture.

Hot spring baths have many medicinal benefits, such as increasing blood circulation, reducing stress, inducing sleep, relieving pain, and treating skin problems. Onsen also burns calories and lessens joint and muscle pain. However, elderly people and those with high blood pressure and heart diseases should not try onsen.

Visitors should know some onsen etiquette before entering the hot water. For instance, taking a shower before onsen is mandatory. You should also stay hydrated before and after the onsen. Be mindful of your surroundings and enjoy your bath silently and peacefully.

Moreover, this spa town has seventeen hot springs, including Yumoto, Kowakudani, Gora, and Ashinoyu. Many of them belong to a ryokan or hotels, which we will discuss later.

Check These Handpicked Onsen Activities:

• Hakone Onsen Experience, Lake Ashi, Open-Air Museum Tour
• Tokyo: Onsen, Arts, and Nature Day Trip to Fuji and Hakone
• Full-Day Enoura Observatory and Hot Spring Private Tour

Discover The Best Ryokan In Hakone

Hakone ryokans are Japanese inns with tatami-matted rooms, hot baths, and kaiseki meals. They differ from typical hotels and provide more than a place to sleep. Although ryokans might not be cheap, they are worth your money.

Hot Spring Inn Hakone Suisen

We are starting our list with Hot Spring Inn Hakone Suisen. This property is conveniently located near Oshima Airport and other significant attractions. Likewise, guests can catch their train from Hakone-Yumoto Station or Kowakudani Station, which is only a few kilometers from this hotel. It is also only 4.6 km from the Hakone Open-Air Museum.

The hotel offers a relaxing ryokan where guests can soak in after their arrival. It has six unique rooms with a clothes rack, a kettle, free Wi-Fi, and entertainment amenities like a flat-screen TV. Furthermore, guests must share the kitchen and bathroom. They can also relax in the shared lounge area.

Onsen Guest House Tsutaya

Experience a once-in-a-lifetime ryokan experience in Onsen Guest House Tsutaya. You will soak in the Sokokura-Onsen, a historic onsen from the Edo era. It has every medicinal property one can expect from hot water springs. In addition, former guests loved Onsen’s cleanliness and maintenance.

Speaking of hotel amenities, Onsen Guest House Tsutaya offers Japanese-style, standard twin, male/female dormitory, and family rooms. Some units have a tatami setting, private bathrooms, slippers, and complimentary toiletries. Furthermore, guests can relax and converse with other guests in a shared lounge. They can also prepare their meals in the shared kitchen.

Mount View Hakone

Are you looking for a ryokan with breakfast and dinner options? Then, Mount View Hakone is your destination. It offers a rare milky-white Nigori-yu hot springs. Moreover, this hotel offers separate open-air and private baths for males and females. Guests must pay ¥2,000 to ¥3,000 for private open-air baths.

This property’s amenities include air-conditioned rooms with a tatami floor and traditional futon bedding. Each suite has an LCD TV, fridge, ensuite toilet, and yukata robes. In addition, Mount View Hotel serves Japanese dishes for breakfast and dinner, as well as vegetarian options. Guests can also buy local products in its confectionery shop.

Fujiya Hotel

Meiji Era architecture in a modern period, Fujiya Hotel is a historic establishment built in 1878. It has four buildings: The Main, Comfy Lodge & Restful Cottage, Flower Palace, and Forest Wing. The first three are registered as Japanese cultural assets. Visitors have multiple room options based on their style and budget.

This hotel also has public hot spring baths and an indoor swimming pool. It houses three on-site restaurants: French, Japanese, and Western. The Main Dining Room serves French cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On the other hand, Kikka-So serves Japanese dishes in a traditional setting. Finally, Restaurant Cascade is a banquet hall serving Western cuisine in a classic atmosphere.

Hakone Gora KARAKU

You will find the best hot spring baths in Hakone Gora KARAKU. Its open-air baths overlook the breathtaking views of mountains and lush natural landscapes. In addition, the reservable baths are for those who prefer soaking in private. This hotel also provides the Five Elements Spa, which is composed of fire, water, earth, metal, and wood.

This property has seventy guest rooms in the East and West buildings. Each suite has air-conditioning, a wardrobe, a kettle, a fridge, a private bathroom, and a flat-screen TV. Furthermore, guests can dine at two on-site restaurants. Mutsuki is for those who prefer a modern ambiance and Japanese dishes, while Tomura serves delicious seafood.

Hakone Ginyu Hotel Japan

One of the top Hakone hotels, Hakone Ginyu, offers 5-star service to its guests. Every room has an open terrace facing the Hayakawa Valley. Guests can lounge on sofas and enjoy a private open-air bath overlooking beautiful forests. In addition, this hotel offers an indoor bathroom and a powder room for privacy.

This property offers Kaiseki cuisine for breakfast and dinner. After their meals, guests can enjoy a glass of whiskey, wine, champagne, sake, soju, or cocktails at a bar on the 5th floor. Furthermore, Ginyu Spa is the best, relieving fatigue and healing the five senses. It is usually open from 10 AM to 1:30 PM and has many varieties.

As you can see, there is more to Hakone than hot springs. Whether participating in local cultures and traditions or exploring museums and temples, there is something for everyone here. In addition, this town has many hidden gems, such as Hakone Glass no Mori, Detached Palace, and Narukawa Art Museum, which have a few crowds.

While there are no strict regulations for visitors, basic rules like being polite, respecting local norms, and abiding by onsen etiquette exist. Likewise, this spa town is a year-round destination. Still, the best time to visit is during spring, in late March, when cherry blossoms are entirely on display. You can also come during the colorful fall in October.