First-Timer's Guide to Hakone and Mount Fuji

Hakone and Mount Fuji are the two great nature escapes from Tokyo, and they are close enough to combine. Hakone is a volcanic mountain resort of hot springs, a crater lake and a gondola over steaming vents. The Fuji Five Lakes, centred on Lake Kawaguchiko, are where you go to stand in front of the mountain itself. This guide explains how to plan them for a first visit, with the few tickets worth booking ahead and the choices that save time.\n\nWhat to book ahead. Book your accommodation first, because onsen ryokans and lakeside hotels sell out for autumn leaves, cherry blossom and weekends. Then book the transport pass: the Hakone Free Pass on Tiqets covers the Shinjuku-Odawara return train and the Hakone Tozan railway, cable car, ropeway and lake cruise, and a Fuji-Hakone variant adds the Fujikyu railway and buses toward Kawaguchiko. Note that the Tiqets listing is non-refundable and cannot be rescheduled, so choose your date with the weather in mind. If you prefer a guided day, book a Mount Fuji day tour from Tokyo, which bundles transport and the main stops.\n\nHow to get around. In Hakone, you move by a chain of vehicles: the Odakyu train to Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto, the Hakone Tozan railway to Gora, a cable car to Sounzan, the ropeway over Owakudani to Togendai, and the pirate ship across Lake Ashi. The ropeway runs from about nine to five from February to November and closes earlier in December and January, and it can stop for wind, weather, gas precautions or annual maintenance, so check the official Hakone notices on the morning you go. Around Kawaguchiko, you use the Fujikyu line, sightseeing loop buses and rental bikes. Between the two areas, buses and Fujikyu services link Gotemba, Kawaguchiko and Odawara, so a Hakone-to-Fuji transfer is simple but takes planning.\n\nHow many days. One day gives you the Hakone loop or a Fuji day tour, not both. Two days lets you do the loop with an onsen night in Hakone, or Kawaguchiko with an early-morning Fuji view. Three days is ideal: one night in Hakone, one at Lake Kawaguchiko, with Chureito Pagoda and Oshino Hakkai on the second morning. Add Gotemba Premium Outlets as a shopping stop between the two bases if shopping interests you.\n\nWhere the headline sights fit. Start with the Hakone Free Pass loop, which links the ropeway and Owakudani with the Lake Ashi pirate ship, and add Hakone Shrine and its torii at Moto-Hakone. The Hakone Open-Air Museum, open every day from 9:00 to 17:00, fits on the Tozan railway line near Gora. Then move to the Fuji Five Lakes for Lake Kawaguchiko and its ropeway, and climb to Chureito Pagoda for the classic view. A day-bath onsen such as Tenzan near Hakone-Yumoto is a good way to relax if you are not staying in a ryokan.\n\nWeather and seasons. Fuji is often hidden by cloud, particularly in summer, while autumn and winter usually bring clearer mornings. Mid-April brings cherry blossom at Chureito and November brings red maples around the lakes, so right now is a beautiful time, though popular and crowded at weekends. Pack layers because the highlands are much cooler than Tokyo, and bring a rain jacket in any season.\n\nPractical tips. Carry some cash for small shops and lockers, wear comfortable shoes for steps, and use coin lockers at the stations for luggage. Owakudani is an active volcanic area, so follow signs and avoid restricted zones. At shrines and onsen, follow the etiquette: be quiet, wash before bathing and keep towels out of the water. Finally, build a flexible plan, because weather and ropeway status can change the order of your day, and choose accommodation that lets you stay a second night if Fuji is shy.