Hakone
HAKONE
90 minutes from Tokyo. Fuji views, sulfur springs, ryokan food. Do it as an overnight — not a day trip.
- Nearest airports
- HND · NRT
- Best seasons
- Spring / Autumn / Winter
- Guides
- 4
Why Hakone
Hakone is the closest "real" onsen town to Tokyo. Eighty-five minutes from Shinjuku and you're in Fuji country, with sulfur springs and traditional ryokan. The day-trip version works — but the real value is the overnight, with dinner and a dawn bath.
The Hakone Freepass bundles transit and attractions at a flat rate — for most international visitors, it's the fastest gateway to "the Japanese countryside." Do it once, always, if you have the time.
From the ground.
SHOT ON LOCATIONTravel Smart Japan, 2024–2026
Access & getting around.
| From | How | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku | Odakyu Romancecar | 85 min | ¥2,470 |
| Shinjuku | Odakyu Express (regular) | 120 min | ¥1,270 |
| Tokyo Station | Tokaido Shinkansen + Odakyu | 80 min | ¥3,900 |
| HND Airport | Airport limousine bus | 2 hr | ¥2,300 |
FARES CHECKED 2026.06 — Transit guide →
Here's how we'd do it.
- 01
Owakudani, first thing
Sulfur vents and black-shell eggs. Right after the ropeway starts, the cloud sea across the caldera is spectacular.
- 02
Lake Ashi cruise with Fuji behind it
Clear-day only. The pirate ship framing of Mt. Fuji over the lake is impossible to replicate anywhere else.
- 03
The Hakone Open-Air Museum
120 outdoor sculptures. Ninety unhurried minutes. Works with kids.
- 04
Sengokuhara pampas grass — autumn only
Late September through November. A golden field to walk through, best in late-afternoon light.
- 05
Ryokan dinner, in-room kaiseki
Hakone's real value is the ryokan meal. Gora and Sengokuhara have the best mid-tier operators.
Match the area to your goal.
Hakone-Yumoto
¥¥¥The gateway station. Best for first-timers and one-night stays extending a day trip.
Gora / Kowakudani
¥¥¥¥Highest concentration of premium ryokan. Dinner, onsen, silence — the full experience.
Sengokuhara
¥¥¥Pampas grass, museums, casual-luxury inns. Great for families and resort feel.
Hakone, in our own frames.
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09:55Landing at Haneda? The BEST Way to Tokyo (and beyond)
From airport through Tokyo to a Hakone weekend — practical transit connections for a first Japan trip.
12K viewsTOKYO / HAKONE
