Are you looking for a holiday escapade? Look no further than Hakone! It is a famous holiday spot known for its onsen resorts and tranquil, natural beauty. Hakone also offers other exciting attractions such as Gotemba Premium Outlet, Hakone Open Air Museum and Owakudani. Read to find out more!
Map Location
How far is Hakone from the International Airport Hub?
The nearest airports to Hakone are Narita Airport and Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
From Narita Airport, go to Tokyo/Nippori Station via the JR or Keisei Line. From Tokyo/Nippori Station, go to Odawara Station via the JR Yamanote Line or JR Chuo Line. Odawara basically connects travellers to the Hakone area easily – visitors can take the Odakyu Romance Car to the Hakone Yumoto Station.
From Haneda Airport, go the Hamamatsucho/ Shinagawa Station via the Monorail Keikyu line. From Hamamatsucho/ Shinagawa Station, take the JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku, and from there, you can board the Odakyu “Romance Car” straight to Hakone Yumoto.
Upon arrival at Narita or Haneda Airport, it is recommended to stay in Tokyo/ Yokohama for a night or two before proceeding to visit Hakone, as reaching Hakone requires quite a distance.
What are the accommodation options? (from USD 41)
Ryokans are the best accommodation option for girl group travellers who wish to experience traditional Japanese culture, and at the same time bond with friends. Pamper yourself to an enjoyable retreat at one of these popular ryokans in Hakone today!
Yamadaya
Address: Gora, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture (see map)
Price: from 400 USD for two people
Access: Just minutes’ walk from Hakone Ropeway Sounzan Station.
Contact: +81 460-82-2641
Yugiriso
Address: Hakone 138, Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan (see map)
Price: from 190 USD for two people
Access: 1 hour bus ride from Odawara train station bound for Motohakone / Hakonemachi. 3 minutes’ walk from Hakonemachi bus stop.
Contact: +81 460836377
Mount View Hakone
Address: Sengokuhara 885
683 meters (0.5 ft) from Hakone Venetian Glass Museum (Glass Forest)
What are the public transport options?
Travelling in Hakone is uniquely different as you can experience a wide variety of public transport options. Transportation is affordable, reliable and it conveniently brings you around Hakone’s sightseeing spots. Here is how you can make the most out of your trip using the different public transport options. (NOTE) all transportation introduced in here are covered under Hakone Free Pass.
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1. Hakone Tozan Train
As Japan’s only genuine mountain railway, the Hakone Tozan Train is an antique treasure by itself. The train takes passengers up the steep hills of Hakone, moving on a sharply inclined rail. You can also enjoy the picturesque scenery and an elevated view of Hakone while in the train cabin. Many locals living in the Hakone area also take the Hakone Tozan Train to commute around. The Hakone Tozan train can be boarded at Hakone-Yumoto Station, and it takes roughly about 40 minutes to cover the area between Hakone-Yumoto area and the Gora area.
2. Hakone Tozan Cable Car
The Hakone Tozan Cable Car is another unique mode of transport that takes you up the steep hills of Hakone. It travels between Gora Station and Sounzan Station in just 10 minutes. You can enjoy a magnificent view along the steep slope during different seasons of the year – be mesmerised by the Aijisai (hydrangea flowers) in summer, the golden maple leafs in autumn and a bed of white snow during winter!
3. Hakone Ropeway
Boarding the Hakone Ropeway is the best way to catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji together with the hilly scenery of Hakone. You also get an aerial view of the volcanic Owakudani from above!
4. Hakone Sightseeing Cruise
The sightseeing cruise, designed to look like a pirate’s ship, runs between Moto-Hakone Port, Hakone-machi Port and Togendai Port. The cruise route takes you through the famous Lake Ashi, and you can also catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji while on the cruise on clear days!
5. Hakone Tozan Bus and Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus
Buses are available to take you around major sightseeing areas and local neighbourhoods.
6. Limited Express “Romance Car”
Getting to Hakone from Tokyo is a breeze with Odakyu’s Limited Express “Romance Car”. Facilities inside the train are modern and train seats are especially comfortable for a pleasant journey to Hakone. All seats must be reserved. If you wish to have a more luxurious train ride experience, observation deck seats at the front or back of the train cabins are also available for booking! (Not only does the “Romance Car” connect Tokyo and Hakone, the train can also bring you to popular holiday spots like Enoshima and Kamakura as well!)
Getting around the city and some of the best activities to do in Hakone
1. Shopping
Girl group travellers will rejoice when visiting the Gotemba Premium Outlets mall! Located just at the foot of Mount Fuji, Gotemba Premium Outlet is the flagship centre and one of the largest outlet shopping malls in Japan. You can find all your favourite fashion brands at this factory outlet, all at discounted prices! They offer international brands such as Armani, Balenciaga, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Coach, Ferragamo, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Tod’s and more. Tourist and locals alike love shopping at this place, so girl group travellers, you surely have to include Gotemba Premium Outlets in your itinerary!
Gotemba Premium Outlets
Address: 1312 Fukasawa, Gotenba, Shizuka Prefecture
Opening Hours: 10am - 8pm.
Access: Approximately 1-hour ride from Hakone Yumoto Station. There are 3 buses scheduled daily. The cost is covered under Hakone Free Pass.
Contact: +81 550-81-3122
Website: Gotemba Premium Outlets
At Hakone, do remember to get some souvenirs for your loved ones as well! Check out these lovely must-buy souvenirs here!
2. Tipping in Onsen! Onsen crawls
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by on Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Hakone is a great holiday destination for girl group travellers to enjoy a host of experiences. Hakone is most famous for its traditional onsen where you can enjoy a hot, refreshing dip in the hot springs and admire the surrounding peaceful scenery. Many ryokans (Japanese inns) and bathhouses have onsen facilities and they offer one-time admission or overnight stay. Yumoto, located at the entrance to the Hakone area near Odawara, is Hakone’s most famous hot spring spot and we recommend these popular onsen sites! Tenzan is a nice large ryokan that is graceful and serene. The complex has a few onsen baths (hot and cold) and the Higana Hot Spring is the main hot spring. They also have tree-ringed courtyards, a restaurant, café, gift shop, and tatami areas for resting. If you prefer a more intimate experience, private rooms and hot baths are available for booking. The place can be reached within a short walk from the Oku-Yumoto Iriguchi bus stop.
Tenzan Tohji-kyo
Address: 208 Yumotochaya, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture
Price 1,300 JPY (37 USD) per adult
Access: 10 minutes’ community feeder bus ride from Hakone Yumoto Station
Contact: +81 460-86-4126
Book Now Experience Japanese Omotenashi at Hakone Kamon! Omotenashi refers to Japanese hospitality where guests are treated to the best quality service and etiquette. This complex contains more than 10 different types of baths such as open-air bath, cave bath, steam bath and more, and all the hot spring water used are from Hakone Kamon’s own weak chloride spring source. Even though the place has only 16 rooms and prices are slightly on the higher end, we would surely recommend a stay at this ryokan for the ultimate traditional Japanese hot spring experience. Look forward to the Kaiseki cuisine served with seasonal and fresh ingredients during your stay at Hakone Kamon!
Hakone Kamon
Address: 435 Yumoto, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture
Price: 5,000 JPY (141 USD) including lunch
Open hours 10:30 am to 5 pm
Contact: +81 460-85-5050
3. Sightseeing
Apart from being a famous hot spring destination, Hakone has stunning sightseeing spots as well. Lake Ashinoko is the icon of Hakone, located on the Tokaido road that connects Tokyo and Kyoto, and has a spectacular view of Mount Fuji in the background. The best way to tour the lake is to board the Hakone Sightseeing Boats and Izuhakone Sightseeing Boats. One end of the lake to the other takes 30 minutes and costs 1000 JPY (28 USD). Remember to flash your Hakone Free Pass if you have one for a better deal on the Hakone Sightseeing Boats! Owakudani is a volcanic alley in Hakone with active sulfurous fumes, and the area was created by an eruption of Mount Hakone some 3000 years ago. A local specialty of the area is Kuro-tamago, or black-shelled egg, boiled in the hot springs (the sulfur of the boiling water blackens the egg). Five eggs costs 500 JPY (14 USD). The Owakudani can be reached via the Hakone Ropeway (you can board the ropeway at Togendai Station or Sounzan Station). The Hakone Open Air Museum is a unique museum that showcases sculptures from Japanese and international artists. Being the first open-air museum in Japan, the place blends nature and art into one, adding colour and vibrancy to the surrounding scenic mountains. The museum has indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces and carries more than 120 masterpieces of modern and contemporary sculptors from around the world.
Hakone Open Air Museum
Address: 1121 Ninotaira,Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture
Opening Hours: 9am - 5pm
Contact: +81 460-82-1161
Have you been enticed by Hakone already? Girl group travellers, wait no more! Book your tour to Hakone today!
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