Hakone packs an unusual density of experiences into a compact area: you can ride a pirate ship across a crater lake, walk through an active volcanic valley, soak in a hot spring with Mount Fuji in the distance, and see masterpieces by Picasso and Rodin, all within a single day on the Hakone Loop. The classic circuit takes 6-8 hours using the Hakone Free Pass (which covers all transport), but spreading the attractions over two days with an overnight ryokan stay is the way most visitors do it right. See the Hakone weather by month for detailed climate data. This Hakone travel guide covers everything you need to plan your trip.
Things to Do in Hakone: Must-See Attractions
Hakone Open-Air Museum
Japan’s first open-air museum, opened in 1969, places over 120 sculptures across 70,000 square metres of landscaped gardens with mountain views. The collection includes works by Henry Moore, Rodin, and Miro, plus a dedicated Picasso Pavilion housing over 300 of his works. The 18-metre Symphonic Sculpture tower lets visitors climb inside a stained-glass spiral. Admission costs 1,600 yen for adults, 800 yen for children, and opening hours are 09:00 to 17:00 daily (closed only during the year-end holiday, December 26-31). Budget 2-3 hours to see everything and try the natural hot-spring foot bath at the garden’s edge. Located a 2-minute walk from Chokoku-no-Mori Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway. Read our best time to visit Hakone to pick the right season.
Owakudani Volcanic Valley
This active volcanic crater at 1,044 metres still vents sulphurous steam from the mountainside, and you can walk a 700-metre trail through the fuming landscape. The valley produces kuro-tamago, eggs boiled in the natural hot springs whose shells turn black from the sulphur; they are sold at 500 yen for five eggs, with the local claim that each one adds seven years to your life. The viewing platform at the upper station of the Hakone Ropeway provides a direct sightline to Mount Fuji on clear days. The area occasionally closes when volcanic gas concentrations spike; check the current status at the Hakone Ropeway website or station boards before riding up. Access is via the Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan Station (25 minutes from Gora). Free entry to the walking trail; the ropeway costs 1,050 yen one-way from Sounzan to Owakudani. The Hakone events and festivals has dates and details for seasonal celebrations.
Lake Ashi Pirate Ship Cruise
Three replica sailing ships, the Royal II, Victory, and Vasa, cross Lake Ashi between three ports: Togendai (north, connects to the ropeway), Hakone-machi (east, near the Hakone Checkpoint), and Moto-Hakone (south, near Hakone Shrine). The 25-30 minute crossing offers the iconic shot of Mount Fuji rising behind the lake with the red torii gate of Hakone Shrine in the foreground. One-way fares cost 1,200 yen; the Hakone Free Pass includes unlimited rides. The first sailing from Togendai is at 09:20 and the last return from Hakone-machi is at 16:30 (seasonally adjusted). Ships run every 30-40 minutes. The best Mount Fuji views are on the Togendai to Hakone-machi route; sit on the left side departing Togendai. Our Hakone neighborhoods guide explains each area in detail.
Hakone Shrine
The shrine’s most photographed feature is the Heiwa-no-Torii, a red gate standing in Lake Ashi’s shallow water with Mount Fuji behind it on clear days. The shrine itself dates to the 8th century and sits among towering cedar trees, with a steep stone staircase leading up from the lakeside approach. The torii gate queue for photos can take 30-45 minutes on weekends and holidays; arrive before 09:00 to avoid the worst lines. The shrine grounds are free and open 24 hours, though the main hall and amulet office operate 09:00 to 16:30. The treasure house (entrance 500 yen) displays samurai armour, scrolls, and artifacts from the shrine’s history. Located a 5-minute walk from Moto-Hakone Port. See where to stay in Hakone for recommendations by area and budget.
Things to Do in Hakone: Nature and Outdoors
Old Tokaido Highway and Cedar Avenue
A 400-year-old stretch of the Tokaido, the Edo-period highway connecting Tokyo and Kyoto, runs from Moto-Hakone to Hakone-Yumoto. The most scenic preserved section is the 1.3 km cedar-lined avenue between Moto-Hakone and the Amazake-chaya tea house, where 420 cryptomeria trees planted in 1619 still stand. Walking the full trail from Moto-Hakone to Hakone-Yumoto takes about 3.5 hours (roughly 8 km) with moderate elevation changes. The Amazake-chaya tea house, operating since the Edo period, serves amazake (sweet fermented rice drink, 400 yen) and mochi, and makes a good halfway rest stop. The trail is well-marked with English signage, and the old stone paving in sections shows the original Edo-period road surface. For practical information, check our Hakone travel tips guide.
Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Fields
In autumn, the Sengokuhara plateau transforms into a sea of silver-gold susuki (pampas grass) stretching across 18 hectares of former marshland. A 700-metre wooden boardwalk cuts through the centre of the field, and the grass reaches heights of up to 2 metres by late October. The best viewing window is mid-October through late November, with a small illumination event held on weekends in November. The field sits at 650 metres elevation with a backdrop of the Hakone outer rim mountains. Free entry; access via Hakone Tozan Bus from Hakone Yumoto Station (30 minutes, 960 yen) to Sengoku bus stop. Combine with a visit to the Pola Museum of Art, a 15-minute walk away.
Things to Do in Hakone: Hot Springs and Relaxation
Tenzan Onsen
This large public onsen complex in Hakone Yumoto offers multiple indoor and outdoor baths fed by natural alkaline springs. The outdoor rotenburo area has rock-lined pools set in a forested garden with partial mountain views. Entry costs 1,400 yen on weekdays and 1,600 yen on weekends and holidays, with towel rental available for 200 yen. Open 09:00 to 23:00 (last admission 22:00). Tattoos are permitted here, unlike most traditional ryokan onsen. A free shuttle bus runs from Hakone Yumoto Station every 15 minutes. The attached restaurant serves soba, udon, and curry rice (800-1,200 yen), so you can soak, eat, and soak again on one entry ticket.
Yunessun Hot Spring Water Park
A hot spring theme park with a split personality: the Yunessun zone is a swimsuit-required area with wine baths, coffee baths, sake baths, and a water slide, while the Mori-no-Yu zone is a traditional naked onsen with outdoor baths overlooking the mountains. Admission costs 2,900 yen for the Yunessun zone, 2,100 yen for Mori-no-Yu only, or 4,300 yen for both. Open 09:00 to 19:00 (until 20:00 on weekends). The wine bath uses actual Beaujolais Nouveau in November and red wine the rest of the year, refilled daily. Located a 5-minute walk from Kowakidani Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway. This is the best option for families with children or travellers uncomfortable with traditional naked bathing.
Things to Do in Hakone: Museums and Culture
Pola Museum of Art
Housing the Pola cosmetics company’s private collection in a striking glass-and-concrete building designed to blend into the forest, this museum holds works by Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Japanese painters including Foujita and Ryusei Kishida. The 670-metre nature trail outside the museum lets you walk through the same beech forest ecosystem depicted in several of the paintings. Admission costs 1,800 yen. Open 09:00 to 17:00. The cafe’s floor-to-ceiling windows face the forest canopy. Access via Hakone Tozan Bus from Gora Station (15 minutes, 380 yen) to Pola Bijutsukan stop.
Hakone Checkpoint Museum
A reconstruction of the Edo-period sekisho (checkpoint) that controlled travel on the Tokaido highway from 1619 to 1869. The checkpoint inspected travellers for illegal weapons and prevented the wives and children of feudal lords from fleeing Edo as political hostages. Life-sized mannequins in period clothing illustrate the inspection process. Admission costs 500 yen for adults. Open 09:00 to 17:00 (closed December 31 and January 1). Located a 2-minute walk from Hakone-machi Port, making it an easy stop between the pirate ship and a lakeside walk. The attached observation deck has a good view over Lake Ashi.
