Hakone: the perfect escape from Tokyo (and even easier from Yokohama)

Hakone is the most accessible day-trip destination from Tokyo, and even easier from Yokohama: around 40 minutes on the Tokaido Line gets you to Odawara, which is the gateway to Hakone’s entire transport network. I’ve been more times than I can count, in different seasons, with and without kids, for a day and overnight.

What makes Hakone work isn’t any single thing — it’s the combination: volcanic landscape, hot springs, Mount Fuji views when the weather cooperates, and a transport system that’s part of the experience itself.

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The Hakone Free Pass: how it works and whether it’s worth it

The Hakone Free Pass covers almost everything in the Hakone network: the mountain railway, the funicular, the ropeway, the Lake Ashi boat and Hakone Tozan buses. It can be combined with the Romancecar (with a supplement) or standard Odakyu trains.

Price from Shinjuku: around ¥6,100 for 2 days, ¥6,500 for 3 days (2026 prices). It’s slightly cheaper starting from Odawara.

Is it worth it? If you’re using the ropeway, the lake boat and moving around the area, yes. If you’re only going to one or two places, work out the individual fares first — it might not add up.

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Getting there

From Tokyo (Shinjuku): the Romancecar limited express is the most comfortable option, with reserved seating and front-facing carriages on some trains. It takes around 85 minutes to Hakone-Yumoto. Requires booking and a surcharge on top of the Free Pass (around ¥1,000–1,200 extra).

From Yokohama: Tokaido Line to Odawara (30–35 minutes on rapid services), then Hakone’s network from there. Door to door, you’re at any point in Hakone in just over an hour.

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What to see: the classic circuit

The standard itinerary follows a loop using the transport network:

Hakone-Yumoto

The entry point. Several public onsen facilities in the area if you want a bath before or after the rest of the route. The Hayakawa River runs through the town centre.

Hakone Tozan Railway (mountain railway)

The Hakone Tozan Railway climbs from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora via switchbacks: the train advances, stops, reverses and climbs again in zigzag. It’s one of Japan’s steepest rack railways. During ajisai season (hydrangeas, June to July) the hillsides are covered in blue and purple flowers.

Hakone Open Air Museum

The Hakone Open Air Museum (箱根彫刻の森美術館) is one of the best outdoor museums in Japan and probably the most surprising thing in the area. Sculptures by Henry Moore, Rodin, Picasso and many others spread across gardens with forest and mountain views as a backdrop. The indoor Picasso wing is larger than you’d expect.

Entry: ¥1,600 for adults. On the mountain railway line, Chokoku-no-Mori station.

Gora and the funicular

From Gora, a short funicular runs up to Sounzan (included in the Free Pass), where the ropeway begins.

Owakudani ropeway

The ropeway flies over the volcanic landscape at Owakudani, with Fuji views on clear days. Owakudani itself is an active geothermal zone with steam vents and the smell of sulphur. This is where you can buy kuro tamago: eggs boiled in the sulphur springs, with blackened shells. Local legend says eating one adds seven years to your life.

Note: when volcanic activity is elevated, this stop can close temporarily with little notice.

Lake Ashi and the pirate ship

From Togendai the ropeway descends to Lake Ashi, where galleon-style boats cross the lake to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone. The lake views of Fuji are the most iconic in Hakone — though the mountain only appears on clear days.

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Onsen in Hakone

Hakone is one of Japan’s most well-known onsen areas. Options range from public baths to ryokan with private outdoor baths.

For a daytime bath without staying overnight, many ryokan offer higaeri onsen (day-use bathing), usually ¥1,000–2,000. The sulphur-based waters are the most typical of the area.

If you’re going with children: check in advance that the specific onsen allows minors, and that the child is comfortable with very hot water.

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Where to stay

Staying overnight changes the experience entirely. Hakone ryokan serve kaiseki (multi-course dinner) and have onsen baths you can use without the pressure of daytime visitors.

Prices vary widely: from around ¥10,000 per person for simpler options to ¥30,000 or more for upscale ryokan. Book at least a month in advance during peak seasons (cherry blossom, autumn foliage).

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When to go

For Fuji views: in the morning, before clouds build up. The clearest days are in winter (December–February), though the cold is significant. October–November offer a good balance of visibility and temperature.

For the mountain railway through flowers: June and July, hydrangea season.

For autumn foliage: November. Peak season — book accommodation early.

Avoid: rainy days (the ropeway may close and Fuji won’t be visible), Golden Week (April–May) and Obon (August) if you don’t like crowds.

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FAQ

Can you do Hakone as a day trip? Yes, but it’s tight. If you leave early, you can cover the main circuit: mountain railway, Open Air Museum, Owakudani, Lake Ashi and back. Staying overnight is a much more relaxed pace.

Is Mount Fuji always visible? No. Many days it’s hidden by cloud, especially in summer. If the Fuji view is your main priority, choose a clear winter or early spring day and check the forecast.

Are onsen mandatory? No. You can do Hakone without any onsen, though it would be unusual given that’s one of the main draws. If you have tattoos, check each bath’s policy before going.

What does a full day cost? With the 2-day Free Pass from Shinjuku (¥6,100), Open Air Museum entry (¥1,600), food and a higaeri onsen, budget around ¥10,000–12,000 per person, not counting accommodation.

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Hakone is one of those places that people who’ve been in Japan for years keep coming back to — not because there’s nothing else to see, but because the combination of mountain, hot water and volcanic landscape isn’t replicated anywhere else this close to Tokyo.

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Prices and opening times as of 2026. The Owakudani ropeway can close without notice due to volcanic activity.