Updated on 30 Dec 2022 – Are you ready to welcome autumn? 🍂 If you’re still unsure where to go for koyo (autumn leaves) viewing this year, our Hakone itinerary might help you decide! Located in the Kanagawa Prefecture, Hakone is a popular tourist destination in Japan. Here are the reasons why you have to visit Hakone while in Japan:
- Beautiful mountainous landscape, with Mt Fuji in sight
- Hakone’s hot springs!
- The iconic Hakone Tozan Railway along the mountainside
- A handful of excellent museums!
If you are planning to travel to Japan, please check our related post: New Regulations: What You Need to Prepare Before Entering Japan
![Vlog | Trip to Hakone - 2 Days 1 Night Stay in Hotel with Open-Air Bath [CC ON]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yw5OWS60n0I/hqdefault.jpg)
To promote responsible tourism (that benefits all of us!), we planned a five-day itinerary for our first Hakone trip. This way, we could still enjoy many beautiful places without overcrowding our schedule. And at the same time, minimizing our negative effects to the community. 🙂
Day 1 – How to Get to Hakone and Where to Stay
How to Get to Hakone
To get to Hakone, the easiest route is to take local train directly to Odawara Station — which is the hub before reaching Hakone tourist spots. Here’s a summary of all options available from Tokyo:
| Direct Odakyu Railway Limited Express Romance Car | Shinjuku Station to Hakone-Yumoto Station | 80 min | JPY 2,420 |
| Odakyu Highway Bus | Shinjuku Station to Hakone Togendai Bus Stop | 2h 30 min | JPY 2,040 |
| Odakyu Local Train Rapid-Express for Odawara | Shinjuku Station to Odawara Station | 86 min | JPY 900 |
Since our accommodation comes with a shuttle bus service, we reached at Odawara Station by local train before 11 am to catch the free bus.
Check-in the Prince Hotel Hakone Lake Ashinoko
Address: 144 Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Maps)
When looking for accommodations, our first requirement is the distance to the Lake Ashinoko. Since the purpose of this trip is mainly to wind down after crazy months (at least for me, lol), we decided to spend the first two nights of our trip in Prince Hotel Hakone Lake Ashinoko.
Even though the location is not so convenient, they have great shuttle bus service that run every hour to Moto-Hakone area. With the shuttle bus, it roughly takes around 15 to 20 minutes to reach Moto-Hakone, where most of restaurants, shops, Hakone Shrine, and the Ferry terminals are.
Although the hotel is not brand new, Prince Hotel Hakone Lake Ashinoko offers the best view of Mountains Kamiyama and Komagatake. And as it’s built on the shore of Lake Ashinoko, you can easily spot Mount Fuji from across the lake!
See more: Prince Hotel Ashinoko: Stunning Family Resort by the Lake
Hakone-en
Address: 139 Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Maps)
After checking in, we immediately went to Hakone-en, a resort complex managed by the Prince Hotel. Our first stop was: lunch! The restaurant selections are quite limited, but each specializes in different kinds of dish — some of them offer seafood dishes like donburi and soba/udon!
Also built on the shore of Lake Ashinoko, there are many fun experiences you can enjoy in Hakone-en nearby the lake. Some activities and facilities offered are:
- Motorboats
- Ninja Bus Water Spider
- Fuji Ashinoko Panorama Park
- Hakone-en Aquarium
- Hakone Komagatake Ropeway
Boutique de Qualité et Salon de thé Rosage
Address: 80 Odakyu Hotel de Yama, Motohakone, Ashigarashimo District, Hakone, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Maps)
Now, it’s time for dessert! When visiting Hakone, especially Ashinoko area, there’s this special cafe on the local recommendation that you might not want to miss: Salon de the Rosage. Their signature desert is the traditional hot apple pie. When your order arrive, the staff would arrange the pie and paint the sauces in front of you.
Since it’s part of a hotel (Yamano Hotel), it’s a little too pricey for us, lol. But if you’re into experience and rather fancy tea time, do pay a visit!
Sunset Watching at Moto-Hakone
Google Maps: Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Maps)
To digest all of our lunch and dessert, let’s talk a walk along the Lake Ashinoko! The route is a little confusing at first, but here’s our note: stick to the lake side of the road! There is no pedestrian line on the major road, so we have to take the trekking route for safety.
This trekking route will guide us all the way to Moto-Hakone. On the way, you will also find the famous Hakone Shrine. We didn’t take photos there because of the long queue (haha!). But the view around the shrine, especially the Heiwa no Tori, is so serene and very iconic.
Once reaching Moto-Hakone, you will notice a change of atmosphere. There you will find more tourist attractions, restaurants and shops. Though, be careful with your timing because most of the business closes before 5 pm.
Muslim-Friendly Dinner at La Terazza, Hakone
Address: 61 Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Maps)
At first, both of us were so looking forward to trying local restaurants in Hakone. But after having rounds around Moto-Hakone, most of them are already closed! Lol. Since we’re running out of options, we decided to check a modern Italian restaurant nearby, La Terazza.
During our talk with the staff, we mentioned that we’re looking for Halal food — ones without meat and meat products. And just like that, the staff brought a new menu for us: Halal menu! Besides halal options, they also have a separate menu for vegetarians. So if you have dietary restrictions like us, you might want to consider dining in La Terazza 🙂
Sadly, we had to takeout our meal to catch the last shuttle bus back to our hotel. But despite the takeout, it was exceptionally great! 🙂 Our orders were: Fettuccine with Whitebaits and Green Onion (Mr Pukka), and Fresh Fish Puttanesca Style Tomato Spaghetti (Soylatte).
Read more: Halal in Hakone: A Popular Lakeside Eatery La Terrazza.
Day 2 – Hakone Pirate Ship and the Volcanic Valley Owakudani
Hakone Pirate Ship: Cruising the Lake of Ashinoko
Address: Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Maps)
After a slow morning in the hotel, we took the shuttle bus to reach Moto-Hakone. This time, we immediately headed to the port where the pirate ships are. The fare to Togendai is actually 1,200 yen, but we recommend to purchase a two-day free pass for all Odakyu and Tozan transports for 5,000 yen to save more.
What’s included in the Hakone Free Pass:
- Tozan Railway
- Tozan Cable Car
- Ropeway
- Sightseeing Cruise
- Tozan, Odakyu, and Tokai Bus (designated area)
For more information on Hakone Free Pass, click here!
The whole trip was roughly 25 minutes. If the sky is clear (thankfully it was for us!), you can spot Mount Fuji among the mountains of Hakone. Though the trip is short, you can still explore the three-floor pirate-themed ferry. The top deck is also open when the weather is nice!
Black Eggs and Sulphuric Vents at Owakudani
Address: Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0631 (Google Maps)
Owakudani is one of the most visited site in Hakone. Naturally created after the eruption of Mount Hakone 3000 years ago, the site is still active and well known for its sulphur mines. Here you can enjoy the scenic view and the famous Kuro Tamago (Black Eggs)!
Beside sightseeing, there are souvenir shops and restaurants to explore. If you have extra time, find your way to Hakone Geo Museum, where you can learn more about Hakone landscape, the hot spring system, and many more.
To get to Owakudani, you can take the Ropeway from Togendai port. The ticket is also covered by Hakone Free Pass.
Day 3 – Open-Air Private Onsen Ryokan and Pola Museum of Art
Pola Museum of Art
Address: 〒250-0631 Kanagawa, Ashigarashimo District, Hakone, Sengokuhara, 小塚山１２８５ (Google Maps)
Welcome to day 3! This time, we’re moving to the other side of Hakone. To officially start our museum hopping in Hakone, we made our first stop at Pola Museum of Art.
Hidden away in the woods, Pola Museum of Art offers a unique art experience in side by side the Hakone National Park. The main collection includes Monet and Picasso, with other contemporary artists adding up to over 10,000 articles on exhibit.
Besides the exhibit, it was mostly the combination of the modern architecture and the whole setup that blown us away.
Since the complex is huge, do take your time while exploring the museum! Don’t forget to check out the restaurant (1F), cafe, and the museum shop on the 2F.
Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu: Modern Take on the Traditional Ryokan
Address: 1297 Ninotaira, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0407 (Google Maps)
Time for dinner! Since we wanted to visit more places around the central part of Hakone (Gora), we changed our accommodation for the rest of our trip to Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu. We also reserved dinner at the hotel for convenience.
Read more: Unexpected Muslim-Friendly Hotel in Hakone
Though the 9-floor building looks very modern, the hotel still preserves most elements of a traditional ryokan. In addition to the excellent meal, they also offer wonderful public and in-room onsen experience. If you want to splurge on accommodation, Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu is the right choice to do so!
Day 4 – Hakone Venetian Glass Forest and the Little Prince Museum
Hakone Venetian Glass Museum (Glass Forest)
Address: 940-48 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0631 (Google Maps)
Also known as the Glass Forest, Hakone Venetian Glass Museum features magnificent glass art in various forms throughout the centuries. The whole complex consists of the main exhibition hall and an annex that houses the modern exhibit as well as the museum shop.
In the main exhibition, you can see the Venetian glass antiques that have been around since the 15th century. You can also learn about the process of creating the art at that period of time.
Once you’re done with your round, don’t forget to explore the complex! Surrounding the building is a grand garden, heavily decorated with crystals and other forms of glass art. Some crystals are also blended in to the plants and trees, making the space even more enchanting.
The Little Prince Museum
Address: 909 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0631 (Google Maps)
Within 10 minutes walk from Venetian Glass Museum is another must-visit: The Little Prince Museum. Still with the European architecture, this time we’re transported to the 1900s France.
Read more: Hakone Must Visit: Sneak-peek of the Little Prince Museum
From the entrance, the main exhibit, to the exit — everything is designed in great detail to bring the book (and Antoine de Saint Exupery’s story) comes to life. Make sure to pay a visit before its permanent closure on March 31, 2023!!
Day 5 – Hakone Open-Air Museum
Hakone Open-air Museum
Address: 1121 Ninotaira, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0407 (Google Maps)
On the last day, we visited another popular tourist attraction: Hakone Open Air Museum. Unlike other museums we’ve visited, this museum stays true to its name: open air. Meaning, most of the art installation are displayed outdoor. It’s a huge complex of 70,000 m2 offering indoor and outdoor exhibits. Many of them are interactive installations, spread across the area. Saving the best for the last!
The collections are so diverse, mainly displaying modern and contemporary arts. There is also a special building dedicated to Picasso’s work over his lifetime in the Picasso Pavillion.
We highly recommend you to visit at least once, especially if you’re traveling with kids! The huge landscape is the perfect playground for them — in fact, some of the installations are designed only for kids.
That’s It!
And, that’s it for our Hakone Itinerary! Ready to plan your trip to Hakone? Cut the hassle of planning and ticket bookings with us! Our team is here to help you easily and conveniently purchase tickets for all the must-see sights and activities on your itinerary, including restaurants! Start planning your dream vacation today and let us handle the ticketing details. Reach us at the.playground[at]gmail.com for further details. We look forward to assisting you on your travels!
