By rail
Odawara, Shinkansen from Tokyo, about 35 min
East Asia · Japan
Hakone, Japan
Hot springs, a crater lake and views of Mount Fuji
Getting there
By air
Tokyo Haneda (HND), ~2 h by train via Odawara
Best time to visit
March to May and October to November — clear views of Fuji
Don't miss
Lake Ashi
Owakudani
The Hakone Open-Air Museum
Hakone Shrine
Things to do
Onsen baths
Cruising Lake Ashi
The ropeway over Owakudani
The Open-Air Museum
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Quercus acuta · CC0
What to pack
Layers, comfortable walking shoes
A quieter corner
The Old Tokaido Road's stone-paved forest path
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Hakone?
March to May and October to November — clear views of Fuji. What to pack: Layers, comfortable walking shoes.
How do I get to Hakone?
Fly into Tokyo Haneda (HND), ~2 h by train via Odawara.
What is there to do in Hakone?
Onsen baths, cruising Lake Ashi, the ropeway over Owakudani, the Open-Air Museum. A quieter find: The Old Tokaido Road's stone-paved forest path.
What should I eat in Hakone?
Kuro-tamago black eggs from Owakudani and kaiseki meals at the ryokan.
About Hakone
- Mountains
- Lakeside
Where it is
Hakone is a town in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, in the mountains west of Tokyo within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, around the volcanic caldera of Lake Ashi.
History
Hakone was a checkpoint on the Tokaido, the road between Edo and Kyoto in the Edo period, and its hot springs made it a retreat. Railways in the early 20th century brought visitors from Tokyo.
People
Hakone's people speak Japanese, and the town lives by its inns and hot springs, many run by the same families for generations.
Known for
- Onsen hot springs
- Views of Mount Fuji
- Lake Ashi and its shrine gate
- The volcanic valley of Owakudani
Did you know?
The black eggs boiled in Owakudani's volcanic springs are said to add seven years to your life.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.