Hakone箱根
A mountain hot-spring resort south-west of Tokyo, famous for onsen ryokan, Lake Ashi with its Mt Fuji views, and the 'Hakone Round Course' — a loop of mountain railway, cablecar, ropeway and sightseeing pirate-ship that the Hakone Free Pass covers in one ticket. Excellent art museums dot the hills.
onsen nature art couples
Neighbourhoods
Hakone-Yumoto
The hot-spring gateway town where the Odakyu line meets the Hakone Tozan railway — a riverside huddle of bath-houses, soba shops, sweet stalls and marquetry-craft stores. Most visitors pass through here; it's the cheapest, most connected base.
Gora & the Open-Air Museum
The mid-mountain hub reached by switchback railway and a funicular cablecar, home to the superb Hakone Open-Air Museum, the French-style Gora Park and quiet ryokan. A natural centre for the art-and-onsen side of Hakone.
Lake Ashi & Moto-Hakone
The crater lake at Hakone's heart, crossed by replica sightseeing 'pirate ships', with the famous Hakone Shrine torii standing in the water, the Edo-era checkpoint nearby, and the steaming Owakudani valley above. On clear days Mt Fuji crowns the view.
Sengokuhara
A high, open plateau of design-led art museums — Pola, the Venetian Glass Museum, the Lalique Museum — set among woods, with a golden pampas-grass field that draws crowds in autumn. The calmest, most cultured corner of Hakone, easiest with a car.
Where to stay
Hakone-Yumoto
The gateway town at the railway terminus — most lodging, shops and bus connections, and the cheapest base. Convenient but the busiest part of Hakone.
Gora & the Open-Air Museum
Up the mountain by the Tozan railway and cablecar — classic ryokan with hot-spring baths, central to the museums and the Round Course. A scenic, restful base.
Sengokuhara
A quieter highland of design ryokan, art museums and the pampas-grass field — best for couples wanting calm and good baths over convenience.
Getting there
Hakone-Yumoto (Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku)
The Odakyu Romancecar runs Shinjuku → Hakone-Yumoto in ~85 min. The Hakone Free Pass (bought at Odakyu) then covers the whole Round Course — railway, cablecar, ropeway, Lake Ashi cruise and Tozan buses.
Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus (Shinjuku/Tokyo)
Direct buses from Shinjuku's Busta terminal to Lake Ashi/Togendai (~2h). Driving from Tokyo is ~1h45 via the Tomei/Odawara-Atsugi road; a car helps reach Sengokuhara and the outer museums.
FAQ
What is Hakone best for?
Hakone is best for onsen, nature, art, couples. A mountain hot-spring resort south-west of Tokyo, famous for onsen ryokan, Lake Ashi with its Mt Fuji views, and the 'Hakone Round Course' — a loop of mountain railway, cablecar, ropeway and sightseeing pirate-ship that the Hakone Free Pass covers in one ticket.