Kanagawa
Hakone
Steaming onsen, sacred lakes, and Mount Fuji at your window
Why Hakone?
Just 90 minutes from Tokyo, Hakone is where Japan slows down. Volcanic hot springs feed hundreds of onsen baths, a pirate ship crosses Lake Ashi beneath a red torii gate, and — on clear mornings — Mount Fuji fills the horizon.
This is where we book our most-loved ryokan stays: tatami rooms, kaiseki dinners served in-room, and private open-air baths under the stars.
Highlights
- Lake Ashi & Hakone Shrine torii
- Private onsen ryokan stays
- Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani
- Open-Air Sculpture Museum
- Mount Fuji viewpoints
- Traditional kaiseki dinners
Best time to visit
November for autumn leaves over the lake; winter for the clearest Fuji views from a hot bath.
Weather
Cooler than Tokyo year-round; mornings offer the best chance of a cloud-free Fuji.
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Experiences
Things to do in Hakone
Stay in a luxury ryokan
Tatami, yukata, kaiseki and your own steaming rotenburo bath.
Cruise Lake Ashi
Cross the caldera lake with Fuji rising behind the torii gate.
Ride the ropeway over Owakudani
Volcanic vents, black eggs, and sweeping mountain views.
Open-Air Museum
Picasso and Moore sculptures scattered across mountain gardens.
Old Tokaido Highway walk
Cedar-lined stones walked by samurai for 400 years.
Hakone Shrine at dawn
Mist, cedar giants and the lakeside torii before the crowds.
Insider knowledge
Travel tips from our guides
- Fuji hides often — build two chances to see it into your itinerary.
- The Hakone Free Pass covers the full loop: train, cable car, ropeway and boat.
- Tattoos are fine in private baths; we'll book rooms with your own onsen.
- One night minimum, two nights ideal — the point of Hakone is to slow down.
FAQs
Hakone questions, answered
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