How to Travel To Hakone Japan
The best way to travel around Japan is by the bullet trains. I took the Shinakansen all around Japan from Tokyo to Kyoto to Hiroshima to Osaka to Hakone and then back to Tokyo. I booked all my train tickets on Japan Experience.
A lot of people say you need to get the Japan Rail Pass when you visit Japan in my opinion it is not always the best deal. Make sure to look at where you want to visit and how much booking individual bullet trains will cost because the JR pass is not cheap and it may be a better price to book individual train tickets (this is the option I chose because it was cheaper for me).
How to Travel Around Hakone Japan
I cannot recommend the Hakone Freepass enough. The Hakone Free Pass includes unlimited rides on 8 main transportation modes as well as a round-trip on the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku to Odawara. This pass includes the Hakone Tozan Train, Hakone Tozan Cable Car, Hakone Ropeway, Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, Hakone Tozan Bus, and discounts at over 70 attractions in Hakone.
You can either buy the Hakone Freepass online or buy it in the train station at Odawara.
Where to Stay in Hakone Japan
When I visited Hakone Japan I stayed at K’s House Hakone and it was great! This hostel has really nice rooms, common spaces, kitchen, and even has its own Onsen you can use. K’s House is on top of a hill which makes it a bit harder to get to but it means it has amazing views! You can take a shuttle up the hill for a few dollars or if you are crazy like us hike up the very steep hill with all your bags! Either way its a great place to stay.
If you are looking for other accommodations in Hakone I recommend checking out HostelWorld or Booking.com they have lots of great options.
Top 7 Things to Do in Hakone Japan
1. Go for a Walk Around Lake Ashi
Lake Ashi is beautiful and on a clear day you can see views of Mount Fuji from the lake. Going for a walk around Lake Ashi is a great activity to do during your trip to Hakone Japan. If you like to hike there is a 12.2 mile loop trail around Lake Ashi called Lake Ashinoko Loop. This is a pretty long hike, it will take around 5 hours to hike around. If you are not up to that you can always do an out and back walk along the trail and go for however long you wish.
2. Visit Hakone Shrine
The Hakone Shine is another VERY POPULAR spot to visit in Hakone. This shrine is located really close to Lake Ashi. There is a Torii Gate in the water of Lake Ashi where many people take beautiful photos standing under and then you can walk up the steps to the Hakone Shrine.
3. Ride on the Hakone Ropeway
Riding the Hakone Ropeway is a must do when you are in Hakone. Hopefully you are not like us and get a clear day because the views from the ropeway would be amazing. Unfortunately when we visited it was EXTREMELY cloudy and we couldn’t see a thing. You can hop off at different spot along the ropeway. One spot I would recommend is Owakudani on your way from Lake Ashi all the way up to the top.
4. Visit Owakudani
Owakudani is where you can see steaming volcanic hot springs and sulfer fields. WARNING be prepared for the smell of sulfer that will hit you as soon as you walk off the ropeway. The place smells extremely strong of rotten eggs which is ironic because this is also where you can get the famous Black Eggs of Owakudani in Hakone. This place it extremely interesting to see it looks like you are on another planet with the steam and orange volcanic rock. Definitely an interesting place to visit while you are taking the Hakone Ropeway up.
5. Visit an Onsen
An Onsen is a Japanese hot spring where people go and relax. You will find Onsen in many accommodations throughout Hakone Japan. I stayed at K’s House Hakone and this hostel even had its own Onsen. An Onsen typically involve complete nudity just to let you know in case you are not comfortable with that. But they are known to have many benefits such as soothing muscles, enhance sleep, and more.
6. Explore Hakone Gora Park
Hakone Gora Park is a beautiful garden and is the first one in Japan in the french style. Gora Park is super close to Gora station along the Hakone Tozan railway line. Gora Park is a large plot of land with ponds, greenhouses, gift shops and SO MANY beautiful flowers. It costs 650 yen (around $5) but if you have the Hakone Freepass entrance to Gora Park is included.
7. Take a Sightseeing Cruise Across Lake Ashi
The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise across Lake Ashi is also a MUST when you visit Hakone Japan. You get to sail across the lake in a pirate ship and on a clear day you can get AMAZING views of Mount Fuji as you sail.
Day in the Life Video Exploring Hakone Japan:
@never_ending_travel Rainy day vlog in Hakone Japan🌧️☔️
♬ Travel & Road Trip Background_Good Vibes, Refreshing / Off-Road, Touring, Drive, Bike, Holiday, Vacation(1326776) – Ney
That brings us to the end of our list of the top 7 things to do in Hakone Japan. This post went over how to get to Hakone Japan, how to get around Hakone Japan, where to stay in Hakone Japan, and the best things to do in Hakone Japan. Hope this helped plan your trip to Hakone and I hope you have the most amazing time!
This post was all about the 7 best things to do in Hakone Japan.
