The Hakone Free Pass Loop
Hakone's classic circuit by train, mountain railway, cable car, ropeway and lake cruise, all on one pass. It is the easiest way to see the volcanic valley, the lake and a Fuji view in a single day out of Tokyo.
Japan
Hakone & Mount Fuji
Hakone and Mount Fuji are the two great mountain escapes from Tokyo, and together they make one of the most rewarding short trips in Japan.
Hakone is a volcanic resort of hot springs, a crater lake and a gondola ride over steaming vents; the Fuji Five Lakes, around Kawaguchiko, are where you stand in front of the mountain itself. This guide books the area properly: the Hakone Free Pass loop of mountain railway, cable car, ropeway and Lake Ashi pirate ship, the steaming valley of Owakudani, the Hakone Open-Air Museum, a day-bath onsen, the Fuji Panoramic Ropeway at Lake Kawaguchiko, the climb to Chureito Pagoda, a Mount Fuji day tour from Tokyo and a shopping stop at Gotemba Premium Outlets. Then it matches you to a bed, from an imperial-villa ryokan in Gora and a historic hotel in Miyanoshita to a lakeside onsen ryokan and a budget hostel at Kawaguchiko, because here the place you sleep is half the point.
Don't miss
Lake Ashi Pirate Ship Cruise
Hakone's gloriously over-the-top sightseeing cruise: a galleon-style ship crossing Lake Ashi between Togendai, Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi, with the red torii of Hakone Shrine and a glimpse of Fuji along the way.
Owakudani and the Hakone Ropeway
Hakone's steaming volcanic valley, reached by a gondola that floats over sulphur vents. Taste a black egg boiled in the hot springs, then ride on to Lake Ashi with Fuji peeking over the ridges.
Hakone Open-Air Museum
Japan's first open-air sculpture museum, spread over green hills in Chokoku-no-Mori with a Picasso pavilion, giant playful sculptures and a foot-bath terrace. Open every day of the year.
Hakone Shrine and the Lake Ashi Torii
A forested lakeside shrine with a vermilion torii standing in Lake Ashi, one of Hakone's most photographed sights. Free, atmospheric and an easy walk from the Moto-Hakone cruise port.
Things to do in Hakone & Mount Fuji
Lake Ashi Pirate Ship Cruise
Hakone's gloriously over-the-top sightseeing cruise: a galleon-style ship crossing Lake Ashi between Togendai, Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi, with the red torii of Hakone Shrine and a glimpse of Fuji along the way.
Owakudani and the Hakone Ropeway
Hakone's steaming volcanic valley, reached by a gondola that floats over sulphur vents. Taste a black egg boiled in the hot springs, then ride on to Lake Ashi with Fuji peeking over the ridges.
Hakone Open-Air Museum
Japan's first open-air sculpture museum, spread over green hills in Chokoku-no-Mori with a Picasso pavilion, giant playful sculptures and a foot-bath terrace. Open every day of the year.
Chureito Pagoda and Arakurayama Sengen Park
The five-storied red pagoda with Mount Fuji rising behind it, a climb of several hundred steps above Fujiyoshida. In April the cherry blossoms frame it; in November the maples do the same.
1-2 hoursDetails →
Lake Kawaguchiko and the Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
The most accessible of the Fuji Five Lakes, with a ropeway up Mount Tenjo for a wide view of Fuji across the water. The lakefront, museums and Oshino Hakkai make an easy full day.
Mount Fuji Day Tour from Tokyo
The easy way to see Japan's icon without driving: a guided bus tour from Tokyo that combines Fuji viewpoints, a lake, Oshino Hakkai and often Chureito or the Fifth Station, with English commentary.
Gotemba Premium Outlets
Japan's famous outlet village at the foot of Mount Fuji, with hundreds of shops and a Fuji view on clear days. A natural shopping stop on the way to or from Hakone.
3-4 hoursDetails →
FreeHakone Shrine and the Lake Ashi Torii
A forested lakeside shrine with a vermilion torii standing in Lake Ashi, one of Hakone's most photographed sights. Free, atmospheric and an easy walk from the Moto-Hakone cruise port.
1-2 hoursDetails →
Tenzan Onsen and Hakone Day Baths
Soak in Hakone's mineral waters without booking a ryokan: Tenzan Tohji-kyo near Hakone-Yumoto is a classic day-bath onsen set in a wooded valley, with many indoor and outdoor pools.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Gora Kadan
Gora, Hakone
A former imperial summer villa turned Hakone's most celebrated ryokan: kaiseki dinners, rooms with their own open-air baths and a quiet Gora setting close to the mountain railway. The splurge for a once-in-a-trip onsen night.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$The Fujiya Hotel
Miyanoshita, Hakone
A grand, historic resort hotel in Miyanoshita whose oldest building dates to 1891, with a mix of Meiji, Taisho and Showa-era wings. The classic Hakone stay for architecture lovers, with hot spring baths and mountain scenery.
Rates on Expedia →
$$Hotel Green Plaza Hakone
Sengokuhara, Hakone
A comfortable mid-range resort hotel in the highland area of Sengokuhara, listed on Expedia with onsen-style bathing and a calm, nature-focused setting. A practical, good-value base for the northern Hakone sights.
Rates on Expedia →Kozantei Ubuya
Lake Kawaguchiko
An onsen ryokan at Lake Kawaguchiko, listed on Expedia under Fujikawaguchiko, with the Fuji lakeside as its backdrop. A relaxing, mid-to-upper-range stay for hot spring baths and early-morning mountain views.
Rates on Expedia →K’s House Mt. Fuji
Kawaguchiko
A friendly budget hostel at Kawaguchiko with dorms and private rooms, shared kitchens and a social lounge. The cheapest way to wake up near Fuji and base yourself for Chureito, the lake and the ropeway.
Rates on Expedia →Hakone & Mount Fuji guides
First-Timer's Guide to Hakone and Mount Fuji
What to book ahead, how to get around, how many days to allow and where the Hakone loop, the Fuji Five Lakes and Gotemba fit into a trip from Tokyo.
Where to Stay in Hakone and Mount Fuji: Gora, Miyanoshita, Sengokuhara and Kawaguchiko
Choose between a Hakone onsen ryokan and a Kawaguchiko lakeside base, with five hotels from budget hostel to imperial-villa splurge and how each suits your itinerary.
